The Gadarene Swine menu proves that you don’t need animal products for food to taste good. But, the restaurant is not trying to replace meat with double-processed wheat and soy products that are made to look and taste like something else. There is no fake cheese as well. It is all about vegetables and only about vegetables prepared in different ways. Additionally, restaurants touted as “vegan restaurants” attract fellow-minded vegans. Meat-eaters tend to eat at vegan restaurants when they are with their vegan friends. But, at The Gadarene Swine, meat eaters can be satisfied with a meal entirely made up of vegetables and no soy-based replacements. If you were to enter The Gadarene Swine unaware that they are vegan certified, you would be none the wiser. Chef Lee’s cooking is the same as it is at his meat-based restaurant Scratch Bar.  Chef Lee has not created a dish and then removed or substituted the meat. Each dish is centered on the vegetable, playing with texture and flavor. Everything is house-made – pickled vegetables, dehydrated vegetables, syrups and juices – but all ingredients are familiar items that any consumer can purchase. The Gadarene Swine has a full wine list and sake-based cocktails made with fresh-pressed juices daily. There are some vegan-certified wines on the wine list but the wine list is meant to cater to the food first and foremost. To pair with the vegetable driven menu, the wine list focuses on interesting white wines and lighter red wines. As General Manager and Wine Director Jason Mosley explained, “a good wine list is not the same everywhere. It is important to know the cuisine and pair it accordingly.” The Gadarene Swine is not about making a moral statement, fitting a niche or appealing to a particular audience. It is about elevating vegetables and placing vegetables in the center spotlight.