Best Vegetarian Dishes of 2017

Delicious entrées with veggies, potatoes, and pasta — no meat required

When I started thinking about breaking down my top dishes into categories, the first one was easy (because, biscuits!). But, the rest of the list was so disparate, it was a little difficult to really find a common thread. Then, I noticed that many of the dishes at the very top of the list were all missing one thing…meat!

Now, if you’re an avid reader of Tiffany Tastes, you know I have a predilection for fried chicken and most things pork, but last year, the veggie dishes are the ones that seem to have stayed top of mind.

Best Rice Dish

I love standard Chinese takeout fried rice. I have a wok specifically to make fried rice at home. I usually keep it pretty simple, but I couldn’t help but order Pretty Southern’s (RIP) version with Carolina Gold rice, fried Brussels sprouts, and pickled vegetables. It was salty, crispy, crunchy, and tangy. An incredible mix of flavors. I’m super bummed that the restaurant closed late last year, because even though the Greenpoint, Brooklyn location was a bit off-the-beaten-track, I would have definitely made a point to revisit for this rice dish alone.

Fried Brussels Sprouts with Carolina Gold Rice and Pickled Vegetables — Pretty Southern, Brooklyn, NY

Best Pasta Dish

I’ve already written my love letter to Lilia, Missy Robbins’ pasta-forward Italian restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Her sheep’s milk agnolotti with honey, saffron, and dried tomato wasn’t just my favorite dish that evening — it is the best restaurant pasta dish I have maybe ever eaten (and I spent 10 days in Italy last year.)

Sheep’s Milk Cheese Filled Agnolotti with dried tomato, saffron, and honey — Lilia Restaurant & Cafe, Brooklyn, NY

Best Veg-Forward Dish (Just the Veggies Ma’am)

I went to dinner at ABCV with my good friend, and author, Rebecca Brooks, who happens to be a vegetarian. I’m always intrigued when restaurants make vegetables taste delicious and interesting. We picked a variety of small plates, but my favorite, by far were these carrots. The description sounded a little strange — seed and nut butter, chiles, limes — I didn’t know if these things would work with heirloom carrots. But, this dish was outstanding.

Market Carrots with Stone Ground Nut and Seed Butter, Chiles, & Lime — ABCV, New York, NY

Best Fries (because, duh!)

I live for NYC Restaurant Week. Twice a year (summer and winter), restaurants offer special three-course menus for crazy reasonable (for NYC anyway) prices — $29 for lunch and $42 for dinner.

I’ve now made three Restaurant Week trips to Park Avenue Spring/Summer/Autumn Winter (named as such because every season the restaurant goes through a complete overhaul, from menu to decor). Last year, my culinary partner in crime, Rachel, and I ordered an extra side off the Park Avenue Summer menu — waffle fries! But, these weren’t just ordinary waffles fries. They got a generous dose of black truffle, grated tableside, making them luxurious and indulgent.

Parmesan Truffle Waffle Fries — Park Avenue (Summer), New York, NY

If you missed the meat, never fear. I’ll return to my carnivorous tendencies in the next installment of this blog series.