A Michelin-Starred Vegetarian Palace: Dirt Candy, Lower East Side, NYC

Dirt Candy is one of only two vegetarian restaurants in New York City with a Michelin star. Interestingly, chef-owner Amanda Cohen is not a vegetarian. She says vegetables are just candy from dirt.

Amanda is a pioneer, introducing no tipping, a policy that Union Square Hospitality’s Danny Meyer — who is often credited — followed. He reversed his decision when his restaurants reopened during the Covid pandemic. She didn’t. She also pays her staff a living wage.

We were seated by the window and given the menu or the $105 five-course meal, gratuity included. We opted for the $55 wine pairing with each vino from women winemakers. In addition to what’s on the menu, you’ll get a few extra dishes they are working on. We received three: a pea course, an artichoke course and carrot donuts for dessert.

I’m jumping ahead.

A Portuguese bubbly, 3B Metodo Tradicional Rosé, a gift from Amanda, started our meal, as she knew I was starting my birthday celebrations.

Our actual meal began with what looked like key lime pie but was a savory cucumber one topped with teeny cucumber balls. Incredible. We sipped Tonello lo Teti Lessini Durello 2018, a sparking wine from Monti Lessini, Italy.

Next was the spring pea broth with dumplings and pea shoots as an extra treat. That came with spring pea mousse topped with pickled ginger, wasabi peas and pea shoots.

What followed looked like a cinnamon roll, yet it was filled with raw, sauteed and caramelized fennel, plus chopped hazelnuts and Castlevetrano olives. I resisted licking the plate to get preserved citrus puree drops and grated dehydrated blood orange and grapefruit sprinkles. With that, we sipped a wine from Slovakia, a Slobodne Vinarstvo, a Sauvignon Blanc Vronski 2022.

Another treat not on the menu was an artichoke blackened with its own ash and Cajun spices. It came stuffed with hearts of palm and over a remoulade with pickled artichokes.

Our next menu course was asparagus lasagne with layers of herb and cheese bolognese sauce sandwiched between sheets of asparagus pasta and ribbons of fresh asparagus. he sommelier had paired that with an orange Austrian Gruner Veltliner, the Anina Verde 2013 — the only pairing that I didn’t like. I am a fan of Gruners, not orange wines.

Our final course before dessert was a big slice of Romanesco (a cultivar of cauliflower) marinated, battered with cornflakes and deep-fried. The fried slice came topped with salsa verde, sliced avocado, serrano chilis and crunchy green radishes. That was paired with red wine from Valle De Guadalupe, Pijoan, Vino Pelón 2021.

Canelli Moscato d’Asti 2022 was our dessert wine with the unusual bok choy dessert inspired by bahn mi sandwiches. On the bottom was a siracha meringue, topped with a five-spice and a white pepper sesame mousse, bok choy and lemon grass sorbet, all topped with tuile made of baguettes and a birthday candle.