I love Italian food! We ate it so often growing up, I was pretty sure I had Italian lineage somewhere. Of course, it was a laundry list of all things NON vegan: chicken parm, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, stuffed shells. Today my Italian looks a whole lot different, and I love it just the same.
Just the other night I met one of my best friends, Lisa, at Fortina in Armonk, NY. It's right in our backyard (though now they have a location in Rye, NY and one opening in Stamford, CT at the Harbor as well) and the food is consistently good. Not only that, the service was fabulous! I am so grateful when I 1) don't feel like I need to apologize for being vegan, and 2) when people go out of their way to cater to me. I know, who doesn't love that, right? So this was poised for a great night.
That gorgeous salad, which was in the most incredible, oversized bowl, was full of tender bibb lettuce, thinly sliced radishes and avocado in a delicious vinaigrette. It was like springtime on the table. To accompany that, we ordered three vegetable dishes to share as well, which were so plentiful, I went home with a lovely care package.Sunchokes. Perfectly cooked and crisped, with what I understand was a very yummy but non-vegan sauce carefully placed to the side for Lisa to enjoy.
Heirloom carrots, roasted and served atop a vegan walnut crema. Beautiful to look at and so tasty. That crema would be good atop so many things...I actually spread some on the sunchokes as well.Roasted cauliflower with a hazelnut romesco sauce. I don't even like peppers - of any kind - but I can't get enough of that sauce!And yes, you did see a photo of a pizza. A thin, perfectly seasoned, crunchy crust topped with sauteed onions and fresh flat leaf parsley. Seriously fabulous and a special vegan gift from the manager ~ how sweet was that? I was going to "be good" and avoid the carbs, but that was so worth changing plans over.
If you live nearby, definitely find time to dine here. Bring kids or not, go on a weekday or weekend - I am sure you will find it a worthwhile trip!
