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Restaurant Review: VegiTerranean serves tasty alternatives
BY Saimi Rote Bergmann
REPOSITORY FOOD WRITER
AKRON It's not a doppelganger. That chef peeking out of the kitchen at the new VegiTerranean in Akron is the same chef you'll see at Fedeli restaurant in Canton. Scot Jones is juggling both jobs, but instead of looking tired, he looks energized.
It might be his diet.
“I became a vegetarian in my personal life. I've lost about 25 pounds,” he said, grinning.
In fact, it was Jones who pushed for eliminating all animal products, including eggs and cheese, from the VegiTerranean menu.
“I said to Chrissie (Hynde), let's go all the way. Let's do it vegan,” Jones said. “It's more of a challenge for me and that's what I like.”
Hynde, best known as lead singer for The Pretenders, is a partner in VegiTerranean, along with Fedeli owner Dan Duplain. The restaurant is on the first floor of a condo building in the Northside District of Akron, with a view of the Cuyahoga Valley Railroad.
Fellow food writer Jennifer Mastroianni and I visited VegiTerranean for lunch. Here are our reactions:
WHAT WE LIKED
SB: The menu. Inventive and varied.
The Gardein “chicken” is better than any faux fowl I've tasted. I challenge anyone to discern this white “meat” from the bird. I especially enjoyed the “chicken” and artichoke pizza on a perfectly crisp yet chewy crust ($13).
My favorite menu item was the addictive edamame appetizer ($7). Whole pods are sautéed in olive oil with chile pepper flakes then dressed in aged balsamic. When the bowl arrived I was perplexed, wondering why the chef hadn't taken the edamame beans out of the pods, which are inedible. Once we dug in with our fingers and started shelling the peas with our teeth, I realized it's designed to be fun. Like shelling peanuts. Shelled edamame in a bowl is a side dish. In the pod, it's an activity.
JM: The concept. This is no earthy greens 'n granola eatery. This is a chic urban scene with a vegan and kosher menu. The theme “Vegetarian fare, Italian flair” is so skillfully executed with an adaptation of fruits, grains, tofu and Gardein brand protein, you won't miss the meat, milk, cheese or eggs.
Dan Duplain is especially amazed at Chef Jones' meatless reinvention of Fedeli's veal picatta. “I was skeptical,” Duplain admitted. “But I like the vegetarian version as much as the one at Fedeli's.”
The dessert menu is all-out wizardry. Cheesecake without eggs? Jones pulls it off, along with a Key lime concoction made with avocado and topped with an ultra silky whipped cream made from boiled raw cashews sweetened with agave.
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
SB: The hard-edged, industrial decor with cold metal tables. The only color in the place was a single pink bloom on each table. Striking, yes, but not warm.
Also, I felt the menu had a bit too much emphasis on the faux meat. I'd like to see a couple more traditional vegetarian dishes focusing on beans, legumes and grains.
JM: Soy milk in my coffee. Cream from a bean just doesn't compare with cream from a cow.
Also, only whole-wheat pasta is served, so don't be surprised with the dull grayish hue of some of the pasta dishes.
RECOMMENDATIONS
SB: Vegetarians and vegans — shout hallelujah and beat a path to this door. Carnivores — I promise you'll find many dishes to love on this menu. First-time visitors — order several dishes and share. It's a great way to dabble your toes in a new cuisine.
JM: You know the salads will be good, so go outside the box. Try the edamame for sure. Or whole grilled artichokes with faux Parmesan for $10, or Tuscan fries with rosemary soy butter and tofu ricotta for $6. Want to sample lots of things? For $16, you can choose four sides. Also, make reservations on weekends.
VEGITERRANEAN
Northside Lofts, 21 Furnace St., Akron, OH
www.vegiterranean.com
(330)374-5550
Hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner, Monday-Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; bar open until 1 a.m.
Menu:
Italian banana peppers filled with fresh herb risotto and soy mozarella with fresh basil lime sauce, $8.
Fresh vegetables in tempura batter served with sweet basil chili sauce, $8.
Field greens, sundried cherries, candied walnuts, vegan cheeses with warm balsamic and orange blossom vinaigrette, $8.
Penne gratin with cashew cream, leeks, wild mushrooms and asparagus, topped with toasted pine nuts and rawmesan (non-dairy Parmesan), $12.
Chicken picatta with lemon white wine caper and soy butter sauce, served with braised greens and olive oil white bean mashed potatoes, $16.
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