Mezcal

If you have a craving for authentic Mexican food, you must head to Mezcal, a gem of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant off State St. in New Haven. The flavors are pure and fresh, and even a vegan can navigate a decent meal off their extensive menu.

Yes, there are a lot of meat dishes. And I witnessed plenty of the meals arriving at tables swimming in cheese. But eliminating these two ingredients did not make the end result any less spectacular.

Because I can't eat gluten, I have to avoid the complimentary bowl of crispy wheat tortillas served with a delicious avocado, cilantro and jalepeno dip (although I do generously spoon out some of that dip onto my plate). I also must forgo the burritos, which look hefty and satisfying.

My standby meal is the Vegetarian Fajitas, served with beans and rice, soft corn tortillas and I always get a side of guacamole and pico de gallo. Normally I'm not a huge fan of onions and peppers, but fortunately, their sizzling platter of veggies also includes thick slices of zucchini and yellow squash as well as fresh avocado, and everything is caremelized to perfection. Their mole sauce is also outstanding, with a depth of flavor and richness that feels like a Mexican sunset.

I also must highly recommend enjoying a Pina Colada with your meal. While I'm not much of a drinker, I decided to give theirs a try because it's made with real coconut milk and fresh pineapple juice, rather than those syrupy sweet artifically flavored mixes. The difference is immediately apparent, and oh so satisfying.

New York, NY

I just got back from a combined social visit and research trip to New York. The morning we left New Haven was dreary and rainy, and clouds hovered in the sky during the entire train ride, threatening a gloomy day ahead in the city. But I never lost hope that the sun would peek through and brighten the day.

We arrived at Grand Central around 3:00 Saturday afternoon -- tired, hungry, disoriented, and in desperate need of some comfort. Curly's Vegetarian Lunch was the perfect ticket out of the miasma.

Me out front with my brand new Stella McCartney bag (thanks, Dianna!!)

The restaurant was tiny and cozy with an inviting diner flare and the welcoming manifesto: "Where Vegetarians, Vegans and Sympathetic Omnivores can always find something good to eat." Who could go wrong with that kind of promise?

It took awhile to study the extensive menu filled with vegetarian versions of All-American favorites like sloppy joe's, BLT's, crabcakes and breakfast all day items. Plus, we were distracted by the placemat artwork decorating the walls (as well as the bright sun beaming through the window!).

I finally decided to "go faux" by ordering the Tofu Rancheros - two big slabs of grilled tofu on top of 3 slices of "Sham" (faux ham slices) and corn tortillas, slathered by black beans, warm salsa and a heaping mound of tofu sour cream and shredded Follow Your Heart Cheese. To balance out the meal, I opted for the side salad instead of the Curly Fries. I think that's what kept my energy level up the rest of the afternoon.

In the evening we had dinner reservations for Counter. I love the atmosphere: dark, moody, chic, yet unpretentious enough that an older couple in jeans and fanny packs seemed right at home seated at the bar sipping wine.

I apologize for the pictures - our secluded little corner was lit only by a solitary tea light that just didn't do the food justice. Nonetheless, it all tasted fabulous. They start the table off with a plate of olive bread and dipping sauce made of hot chili oil, tofu bits and various herbs & spices (our waitress said it was a melange of rosemary, oregano and Ethiopian berbere spice mix).

We chose the Mezze platter of 3 appetizers: Corn Beignets with Remoulade, Zaalok (roasted red pepper and eggplant spread with toast points), and the special of the evening Buffalo Mushrooms with Vegan Ranch dressing. These were all outstanding, particularly the beignets which were delicate little fritters that had been lightly deepfried then dipped in a decadent cream sauce scented with fresh rosemary. Even my non-vegan dining companion was impressed.

For our entrees, we selected the pasta special which was a handcut Papardelle with Baby Asparagus, Snap Peas and Trumpet Mushroom in a Light Lemon Sauce, and the Cauliflower "Risotto," which didn't have any rice at all but was instead a finely chopped mash of cauliflower studded by snap peas and shiitake mushroom in a cream sauce (which, alas, was more pastey than creamy, to my chagrin).

We ended the meal with a Hot Fudge Sundae which, of course, was nothing like what you'd find at your average Dairy Queen. A dense little chocolate cake was encircled by a ring of thick, rich dark chocolate sauce, which then was encircled by a caramel sauce. This was topped by a scoop of freshly made vanilla ice cream. You'd have to ask if it was vegan if the waitress hadn't already said so. All in all, an exceptional dining experience.

Dinner for 8

Yesterday I had a request to prepare dinner for a holiday party at St. Francis Hospital's Preventive Medicine Center. Nothing fancy smancy, just the entree (and then I threw in a dozen double chocolate chocolate chip cookies for good measure).

It’s been awhile since I worked at a restaurant, and as a personal chef cooking primarily for families I generally prepare a maximum of 4 servings for each entree. This was a little different from my normal routine, but I quickly relearned the process of completing multiple servings of an identical meal so that they’re all done at the same time. So it was assembly line time in the kitchen of Well on Wheels.

I chose a menu that looked festive with plenty of bright red bell pepper red and mustard greens green for contrast. The flavors were equally complementary, with a sweet and spicy theme from the peppers, caremelized onion and spicy mango sauce and sharp bite of the mustard greens. I think I may have to make this one for myself soon.

This recipe was inspired by one I found in the January issue of Vegetarian Times which called for a sauce made with spicy mango chutney. I’m really loving this shredded mango chutney made by Kitchens of India. It works well in this tofu sautee, and I bet it would be equally delish accompanying a rich coconut curry.

I’m also thinking… I know this sounds kinda weird… a little dollop atop a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream, or better still Purely Decadent coconut ice cream, would be heavenly. oooo… if only the health food store was open past 7:00.

Nataz "Adventures in Eating"

Now, when you see a banner like that hanging on the front entrance of a restaurant, you either think "yeah, sure" or "ok, let's see." We opted for the latter and gave Nataz in North Branford a shot at adventurous dining.

The concept is simple: price fixe four-course meals and BYOB. The catch is... there's no menu. The dinners are different every night, which makes it an adventure for most diners. And a potential hazard for vegans. Fortunately, we spoke with owner and executive chef, Rik, prior to arriving to be sure he could accommodate my no-eggs, no-dairy, no-gluten request, and he went out of his way to do so. In fact, the service here is the best I've ever enjoyed. Waitstaff is pleasant and attentive, and Rik spends half his time out on the floor greeting and serving guests (unless there's a twin doing double-duty in the kitchen... that could be the secret).

He prepared a special appetizer of Fruit Ceviche, a citrus marinated mix of fresh pear, pineapple and tomato, while my companion got a mini Caprese Salad with an assortment of artisan cheezes arranged on a platter like an artist's pallette.

My salad was mixed greens, fresh pineapple and pear slices tossed with a balsamic vinagrette. It would've been topped by a tangle of breaded and fried onion strips, but alas, these were coated in flour so I had to forgo the crunchy treats (and who needs those pesky trans fats anyway?). A basket of warm and toasty bread and a tray of accoutrements such as herbed olive oil, fresh butter and white bean compote accompanied the salad.

For my entree, Chef Rik prepared a primavera with mushrooms in a marsala wine sauce atop rice. It was a colorful array of snap peas, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato and carrot, and flavorful (though I added a bit of the herbed olive oil and fresh black pepper to perk it up - next time I'll remember my vegan Parm!).

My dessert was almost a reprise of my appetizer, minus the pickled flavor. Still, I can't complain about a champagne glass filled with fresh pineapple, strawberries and mango. The perfect palate cleanser.

All in all, I enjoyed my dining experience, mostly because of the effort made by the chef and his staff. I know it's tough for a "regular" restaurant to please a vegan. This kinda reminded me of going to my mom's house for dinner; it's just nice to be home.