Spread

I just got home from Spread and holy quinoa...it was fantastic. I have been waiting for this dinner all week and have been stalking their website in class all day. We finally got to the restaurant at about eight, a bit past our reservation, but it didn't seems to be a problem because there were only a few other parties there. The exterior is very unassuming tucked between a neon lit chinese restaurant and a beer bar. If you didn't know where you were going you might miss it. 

The interior is simple with moss covered branches flanking the main dining space and white fabric swept across the ceiling. Its almost as if you are underneath the root system of a tree.

Every morning they buy the ingredients for the food they prepare at the farmers market and the entire menu is a mix of vegetarian and vegan dishes. They bring the menu; a chalkboard with the nights spread (it was just too easy), right to your table. There were seven of us so we decided to get everything on the menu, guess I can cross that off my bucket list. 

I ordered a apricot, guava, and pomegranate cocktail and we began our tasting menu. We started with a red and chioggia beet salad with hearts of palm, cucumber, shallots, and arugula with a thyme shallot vinaigrette. The sweetness of the beets was complemented with the tangy vinaigrette and fresh basil.

Then came a panzanella salad with cherry tomatoes, maple croutons, avocado, and romaine with a dill yogurt dressing, the crowd favorite. The maple croutons were divine little bursts of rich sweetness that paired with the creaminess of the avocado and yogurt dressing  didn't overpower the salad

Next was an assorted cheese plate drizzled with olive oil and served with vegan bread. The creamy brie was my favorite and was perfect on the oiled toast.

After that, rosemary and black sesame roasted heirloom tomatoes, morroccan spiced quinoa with fava beans and the sauteed broccoli. The quinoa was toasted so it had a nice crunch with a earthy spice flavor but was paired really nicely with the sweet roasted vegetables. The broccoli was simple but so flavorful. I asked the sous chef what the sauté sauce was later and he wouldn't give up his secret but I tasted curry and lemon.

Then came the last two savory dishes of the night, a mushroom, thyme, potato, and almond cream ragu and a fettuccini with spinach, white wine, capers, and tomatoes. The ragu has so many layers of flavors the earthiness of the mushrooms with the sauteed tomatoes and cream was so rich and hearty. The fettuccini, which i had to fight to get a bite of, had the most fantastic little pops of capers with a creamy and full flavored sauce. 

Every new course that came I thought couldn't be topped, and then the next thing came. Every dish could stand on its own as a great meal, but one after another was almost too good, if its possible. The two stand out dishes of the night were the ragu and the panzanella salad with maple croutons, simply divine.

Then desert came...

Strawberries, apples, mandarin oranges, and guava covered in grated chocolate with dark and white chocolate pretzel and butterscotch toffee spread. There are no words....

I left the restaurant pleasantly full, with such an appreciation for the level at which they prepare vegetarian meals. Each ingredient is fresh, organic, and highlighted in all the dishes and while the tastes are very complex the ingredients are so simple. We were happy to hear that Spread is branching out and opening a peanut butter bar in Times Square and a restaurant on Melrose. Spread you get a 10, and will be damn hard to beat.