MenuPages

My husband and I were really excited about splurging on brunch and after reading about Vegetate on Vegnet we thought it was a sure thing. We went on 7/22/07 and while the service and decor were acceptable, the food (for the price) was not. I ordered a vegetarian grilled cheese and was shocked when she brought my sandwhich out to me. For nearly $10 it had a few tiny slices of tofu (sliced razor thin), an equally small amount of spinach and an even smaller amount of tomato tapenade - and this after just telling us they have fresh, ripe, heirloom tomatoes in the back! It was a slap in the face. If there is any time one might expect to get a juicy ripe tomatoe on their blt, it is mid-July. My husbands scrambled tofu was delish, but again too tiny a portion for the price. He was given dry toast with nothing (no jam, butter, cream cheese or otherwise) to put on it. They charged $3 for coffee. Our bill came out to be nearly $40 and we were so pissed we complained about it all the way to the National Gallery of Art. Maybe the dinners are better? I shouldve sent the sandwhich back and insisted on having a slice of tomato on it.

Finally a place where a vegan/vegetarian can go and have a proper meal and not have to eat with plastic cutlery or out of a paper bag. the place needs work, but i also understand how hard it must be to survive without a liquor license. hopefully that will change soon and vegetate can do all the things that they aspire to do. in the meantime i will be supportive and not be too critical of things that may not be perfect. the food is good, fresh and creative and they use all local purveyors. that may not be important to some, but to me and my friends it is. plus you have to give them credit for having the guts to do something so different for dc.

I have never dined at Vegetate in the evening, but I have been to their weekend brunch many times. Vegans and vegetarians will find a short but rewarding brunch menu that, so far in my two years as a DC local, offers quality gourmet-veg dishes on a level that can't be found anywhere else in this city. Highly recommended.

My first visit to Vegetate was Thursday 9/14/06. The restaurant is located in a neighborhood that is not for the squeemish. So if you go, make sure you're not alone. The restaurant definitely has the trendy NYC atmosphere and appearance with rooms dimly lit and hip music being played. Very nice place for a first date if you want some peace and quiet. The big problem is the food and the price. For an appetizer I had the Lemon Risotto Croquettes (3 small tasteless croquettes for $10...bummer), Sesame Crusted Tofu w/ a side of sauteed spinach. Tasted ok, but three 1-inch cubes for $17? The spinach was not tasty at all unless you like it boiled with chunks of garlic. With a very limited menu with no soy protein related options in combination with the price, you are better off going to Sunflower, Harmony, Java Green, Food for Thought etc. DB

Being an avid vegetarian, I was all enthused to patronize a high end vegetarian place in a gritty neighborhood. But the place was a big disappointment. The restaurant was out of one of the main entres in the menu. The food was quite average especially considering the price they were charging ($17 for two large pieces of tofu). The dessert- a chocolate cake with vanilla icecream ($9) seemed straight out of a 711 store. The ambience was a saving grace- minimalist yet colorful, but again cheaply done (tacky photographs and cheap cutlery). I won't recommend it.