Ubuntu

I'd say I just about fit that description! I mean, I did love Ubuntu. I'd read about the restaurant in the Times a few years ago and had had it on my must-eat list steadily since then. Finally, a reason to go emerged! We were invited upstate (as I like to call it) by some friends to do a photos hoot and after an exciting day of picture taking, it seemed all too perfect to go grab ourselves a plate of vegetables.

Ubuntu is a restaurant, garden, and yoga studio. And, while we didn't go check out the garden or yoga, the restaurant itself provided for a very zenned out environment. And the food was just fabulous. I liked that, though they serve only vegetarian cuisine, it's not really "about" that, per se. It's more like going to a fun, sexy restaurant and the food just happens to be veg (or, vegan upon request). We started with Chickpeas in Romesco Sauce from the bar and then devoured a Carrot Salad that had been seasoned with ras el hanout, a spice I recently learned about while doing cookbook testing. It's a gazillion sweet and savory spices all mixed into one - sort of like a curry. We carried on with a tangy pasta, a sweet corn steamed bun with burrata and an amazing yellow bean chili. We were on the fence with the chili but it ultimately ended up being one of the favorites of the evening. The crispy toasts afloat in the middle of the bowl did the trick ;-)

As if things weren't going yummy enough.. when the dessert menu arrived, I had a mental break down - literally everything looked good. The best thing ended up being the corn pudding- Ambrosial! I could have dove into a swimming pool of the stuff. It was laced with popcorn which tasted like butterscotch and sweet peaches and blueberries from outside. Left a very very good taste in my mouth. I think a return visit is a must.