One of the most important skills to master as a vegetarian with meat-eating friends is the art of ordering off of a non-veg-friendly menu. True, plant-based diets are more the norm than ever thanks to healthy eating movements and fears about obesity and diabetes risk. And usually, the restaurant’s chef is ready with a backup option available upon request, or is willing – and able – to alter a dish to omit meat. But every once in a while, in conversation with the waiter, you’ll find yourself faced with either an apologetic “sorry” or a resolute “no.”
What to do in situations like this? Why, order off the appetizer and salad menu, of course! (And always check with the restaurant, whether via phone or a peek at their menu online, before leaving the house.) Not only can this help you go easy on the size of your meal, but it often ends up easy on your wallet, too.
I employed this tactic one cool Saturday evening at Ethos – U.N. (905 First Avenue, NYC), a restaurant specializing in Greek cuisine that a close friend had chosen to celebrate her 25th birthday. Named after its location near the United Nations, the atmosphere is upscale/professional, although there were a few families with children present who seemed right at home, which is exactly the level of comfort that Ethos-U.N. strives to present. On their website, they explain that “the Greek way of life is centered on family, friends and great food” and that at their three New York restaurants, they serve patrons as if we are family.
Personally, I didn’t get that vibe, and neither did my friends, but we decided that the long wait for our reserved table and the crispness of our service could be overlooked since we already had our family – each other – and were more concerned with the food, which was delicious. The menu consists of cold appetizers, hot appetizers, soup, salads and seafood/meat entrees. I focused on the “orektika,” or hot appetizers, ordering two dishes: the fresh artichokes in lemon sauce with peas, potatoes and herbs ($9.50) and the imam – baby roasted eggplant stuffed with vegetables and baked fresh tomatoes ($9). I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was told by the waitress that the portion sizes were substantial. Boy was she telling the truth.
The artichokes came in huge, soft yet firm (like well-baked potatoes, but denser), de-leafed form, bathed in a creamy lemon sauce along with chunks of potatoes, carrots and peas. Sitting in a wide bowl, it looked like a stew, which made me happy because I adore stews. The sauce was tangy from the herbs and lemon, yet creamily chunky because of the softened vegetables.
As great and unique as the artichokes were prepared, it was the roasted, stuffed baby eggplants that stood out for me. If any of you have had eggplant before – whether in parmagiana, stir-fries, on its own, or in sandwiches – you’ll know what I mean when I say it can get pretty boring and is a difficult vegetable to prepare well. It’s usually either overcooked and mushy or undercooked and crunchily bland. But this stuffed roasted eggplant was something in-between and had been covered in a tomato-vegetable sauté that made it so easy to eat. 
I would recommend Ethos-U.N. based just on these dishes alone, but fortunately, I won’t have to because the salad and appetizer menus have enough substantially sized and affordably (considering NYC) priced dishes like “spanakopita,” or spinach, leek and feta cheese pie ($8), “patzaria skordalia,” or roasted beets in olive oil and vinegar over whipped potato and garlic ($9), and “manitara saganaki,” or grilled Portobello mushroom with cheese and red wine ($10.75).
Mixing and matching salads, appetizers and anything else besides the main entrees is Tip One for how to eat well as a vegetarian in an omnivorous world, so stay tuned for more!
By Heather Chin, I heart Vegetarian contributing blogger
May 10th, 2010 at 4:01 am
Oh my, another restaurant to add to my list! The artichokes sound delicious.