For the record, I will state that I am not a vegetarian and absolutely not a vegan. I love fish and meat and will never ever give up cheese or ice cream. But at the same time I love my vegetables. And with all of the eating out that I do, somethings a meal of just vegetables is what is desired. I can be boring and steam vegetables at home or I can go out and enjoy a guilt free meal of comfort food at Vegetable.
Located in Studio City, Vegetable is a small restaurant tucked along Cahuenga Blvd, just south of the busy intersection of Lankershim and right across the street from the entrance to the 101 freeway. Inside, the space is cozy and minimalist with exposed brick walls and dark wood table booths. And the menu is all about vegetables.
Owner Jerry Yu, himself a vegetarian, opened Vegetable to offer fresh farmer's market produce, simply prepared. Serving season, local and all-organic produce, the menu changes daily, based on what is available at the farmer's market. There are no soy products on the menu. There is nothing vegan trying to mask itself as a carnivore dish. It is about the vegetables.
It is easy to find a cocktail bar, a wine bar and even a brewery in just about any town these days. What about a cider bar? In New York there is one - Wassail.
Cider was once the primary drink in colonial America. But after industrialization and then Prohibition, apples were left for eating and if it was made into drinking form, it was for apple juice or non-alcoholic ciders. While cider has been popular in the UK, Spain and France for years, it is only recently that cider has had a renaissance in the United States. And personally, I think that is a good thing.
Wassail NYC is celebrating this renaissance. As they explain on their website, "Cidermakers are fermenting juice again to create a diverse array of dry, still, and flavored ciders; orchardists are planting heirlooms and "spitters," the highly tannic and bitter apples suitable only for fermenting; foragers are finding abandoned trees and reviving long forgotten varieties; urban homesteaders are making cider in their apartments and backyards." At Wassail, they feature 90+ ciders on draught and by-the- bottle, as well as apple-based cocktails. They also have wine, beer and cocktails.
Chef Bill Corbett made a name for himself as a pastry chef in San Francisco. He studied under some of the best pastry chefs and served as executive pasty chef for Michael Mina, The Absinthe Group and Coi, to name a few. He was named "Best Pastry Chef" by San Francisco Magazine in 2011, "New York's Rising Star Pastry Chef" by StafChefs in 2007 and named one of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America by Dessert Professional Magazine.
Now Corbett is living in Los Angeles and serving up savory vegetarian dishes at a weekly pop-up throughout the summer. The pop-up is located at Lamill Coffee in Silverlake. You can still get a great cup of coffee at Lamill but every Thursday and Friday night, you will enjoy the food of Corbett.
The vegetarian tasting menu will change weekly. And it is very affordable. For $40 you will get four courses, and for another $20 you can get the wine pairing.