Too Hot to Cook? Go Out!

Astute readers of Good News Veg will be surprised to learn that my favorite Boston-area restaurant, Season to Taste, is not plant-based. Though chef-owner Robert Harris creates a fresh, local farm-centric menu each season, it’s laden with food I will not eat. Food I spend a good part of my life trying to convince others to cut back on — for health, for the environment, and for the animals. And yet. Unlike most gifted chefs, Harris puts as much thought and skill into the few plant-based items on his menu as he does on Crispy Fried Chicken and Ham-Wrapped Scallops. And for that I say, Thank-you, Chef!

FOMO-Free Dining

My husband and I are culinarily incompatible with our friends; most are omnivores. Which makes it difficult, in fact, nearly impossible, to ensure everyone gets a satisfying meal when we go out. The decision comes down to: “plant-based restaurant, or not?” The result: A compromise that leaves at least one couple feeling as if they’re missing out on a great meal. At Season to Taste, there’s no FOMO.

It was last winter’s Miso Braised Caraflex Cabbage, resting on a bed of piquillo vinaigrette saffron rice, fried sage, crispy parsnip, and chili threads that won me over. The cabbage, I learned, had been braised for two hours, long enough for the gochujang, miso, house hot sauce, smoked paprika, harissa and maple glaze to seep in. Long enough to become so tender, no knife required. (I will not be attempting this at home).

Last Thursday, Chef Robert upped his game. At 5 p.m. (!) on a sweltering July night, every seat was filled, the restaurant abuzz with anticipatory energy. Yes, it was earlier than most of us eat dinner. But this was not your typical Early Bird Special crowd. There were a lot of tattoos. And it definitely was not your typical Early Bird Special menu.

What was going on?

Chef Robert, with the help of another local food genius, Angela Hofmann of Nussli118, had transformed Season to Taste into Season to Vegan for the night, with a fixed-price, 6-course, plant-based meal. Wine pairings were optional (with overly-generous pours). There was another seating at 8 pm. It, too, sold out as quickly as cyclists speed through stop signs and red lights on Cambridge streets.

Chef Robert Harris

Angela Hofmann

Harris kicked off the evening with a welcome speech, disclosing the why. He wanted to bring vegans and non-vegans together, “so you can all become friends.” He wanted to challenge himself and his staff “to do cool and different things.” And he wanted our feedback, “to see what y’all think.” Before each course, he explained what we’d be eating, and gave a shout out to the farms where our food had been grown.

“How many of you are vegan?” Chef Robert asked. Approximately 10-15% of the 70+ diners raised their hands. By the end of the evening, everyone at that dinner understood it’s possible to create a memorable, Michelin-level meal with tomatoes, zucchini, lentils, chickpeas, cashews, and chocolate — and not a single animal product.

My ask to you:

The next time you decide to go out to eat, start with research. Seek out menus that suggest the chef cares — and knows how to cook — at least one plant-based option. (A Beyond Burger does not count). Choose it. A good place to start is Happy Cow, a Yelp-like app that allows you to search on vegan, vegetarian, and vegetarian-friendly restaurants all over the world.
If a non-vegan restaurant near you has “vegan night” (which is becoming a thing), give it a try. In Boston, in addition to Season to Taste, hip restaurants like Beehive and Cosmica have done it — also with sell-out crowds. When a chef-owner of a non-vegan restaurant cares enough to offer a 100% plant-based dinner for a night, you can be sure they’ll put a lot of effort into making it a rousing success.
Explore. Find a plant-based restaurant near you. If you’re traveling, give one a try. I look forward to the day, when people say, “Let’s go vegan tonight,” just as we now ask, “Who wants to go out for Thai?”

The Season to Vegan Menu

Blistered Tomatoes with watermelon, cantaloupe, sea beans, aqua chili

Butter Lettuce Salad with snap peas, pickled garlic scape, herb de Provence vin, pepita granola

Stuffed Zucchini with pickled porcini, rustic tomato sauce, mizuna, crispy potato, truffle vin

Lentil Fritter with coconut curry, bell peppers, sweet corn basmati, kutchumber relish

Chickpea Faina with fava bean hummus, arugula, crispy artichoke heart, nutritional yeast, sumac agave vin

Vanilla Blondies with sweet cashew cream, strawberries

A Gift from the Chef:

Chef Robert Harris has generously shared the recipe for his Chickpea Faina. Faina is a versatile savory cake, a great source of both protein and fiber. Chef recommends pairing the cakes with hummus and a green salad and/or fresh sliced tomatoes.