Upon first impression, John’s of 12th Street looked like a very traditional old Italian restaurant.
Wood paneling, low lighting, white tablecloths, waiters in bow ties: you might even find Frank Sinatra or Tony Soprano sitting in the back room.
And, in large part, it is one of those great old Italian places with hearty portions of spaghetti and big pizza pies. But they’ve also got an ample vegan menu as well… it was quite a surprise!
B and I went to dinner at John’s on Labor Day, relishing an evening in the East Village. We selected dishes from the vegan menu and shared everything, started with garlic bread and stuffed mushrooms. The garlic could have been a little more cooked, but the stuffed mushrooms (filled with puréed vegetables) were quite good.
We ordered two mains: Vegan Ravioli with fire roasted tomatoes, spinach & tofu in alfredo sauce and Grilled Portobello Mushroom with polenta & greens. The ravioli was good, although the alfredo sauce was a little on the thin side. The mushrooms were also good, although we both agreed that the dish seemed more like an afterthought than a $16 meal.
While our dinner wasn’t stellar, it’s a wonderful sign that places like John’s are starting to serve more plant-based menu items! It’s nice to go out to eat and not be limited to the one vegetarian item that’s available (usually plain pasta).
We strolled a few blocks downtown for nightcaps at Stogo, which I was excited to introduce B to. My cup was filled with salted pistachio and soy latte ice cream, B’s with chocolate chocolate chip and salted caramel pecan. Quadruple wins!
Are you an ice cream or a cake person?
