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Must try once for those who love vegan fine dining.
If You go with a companion, you both have to order the same prefix option, cannot mix and match.
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The staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
I was impressed with the flavors. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants. Very unique wine pairings. I loved their vegetarian take on fried chicken.
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This has gone absolutely downhill.
I went 2 years ago and the food was sublime. Every bite was superb.Fast forward to yesterday. Food was dreadful. Every dish that came lacked inspiration or creativity. It was mediocre at best The pizza for example had a soggy crust and loaded with greasy mozzarella. If I wanted this generic pizza I would go to 99 cent pizza.The other dishes were similar though not as bad. Generic food that lacked quality. It wasn't terrible just the food was something I would find in a very casual establishment. Also a lot of the dishes were swimming in salt. Service was decent so no complaints there.
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Stunning vegetarian tasting menu
Vegetables like you haven't seen before. Servers were very attentive. I did not leave overly full but felt well cared for.
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It's not easy to be impressed in a city like New York.
5/5 by
SJ P. on 02/11/2023
Dirt Candy delivers on all fronts with exquisitely prepared dishes that take you on a culinary journey through plant based dining. Each plate is a visual masterpiece beautifully prepared. Some dishes are so tiny they'll leave you wondering if you'll need to stop for a second meal on the way home. But fear not as this journey comes full circle and you're left not only feeling fully satiated, but in total awe. The service is as warm and gracious as you would hope. Dirty Candy is quite simply a triumph.
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First time I dined here I was blown away by the mushroom
First time I dined here I was blown away by the mushroom buche de noel. Had the chance to dine in again tonight and was really impressed with the butternut KFC & frosty dessert. The cooking here is so fun to me I'm looking forward to my next visit.
life changing. i want to eat there every day of the year and then some. AND i'm not even vegetarian or vegan!
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Had a lovely table by the window for the winter vegan
5/5 by
A K. on 01/28/2023
Had a lovely table by the window for the winter vegan tasting menu with wine pairing. Food and wine were both fantastic--especially loved the Kentucky fried butternut squash. My only qualm was that the sour notes in the radish gift course and the rutabaga gnocchi were a little too strong for my liking. Clinton, Michael, Nazif, and Brian delivered excellent, friendly service. Hope to return for the next seasonal menu!
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What was once an exuberant celebration of all things
What was once an exuberant celebration of all things vegetable has blossomed into an exquisitely polished, talented display of them. All dishes, whether subtle, chili peppered, or variations between the two consist of multiple, balanced flavors, well-executed. Chef Amanda Cohen and her talented young team have obviously thought and tasted and tested. Beets that do not blast a one note sugariness, but display a breadth of flavors; fried butternut squash prepared to make you forget its fried chicken inspiration, accompanied by a rich gravy made of kabocha squash, served alongside a creamy, mild yet flavorful slaw made from spaghetti squash--it goes on and it's all a mind-boggling taste delight. And it's all dirt cheap.
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Do you hear that sound? It's me, and that sound is my soul
Do you hear that sound? It's me, and that sound is my soul ascending after every first bite of each dish at Dirt Candy. DC's been on my to-try list for a long time now, but none of the more recent menus have really piqued my interest as much. I saw the brand new Winter '23 menu, and every single dish sounded incredible, so I booked a seat at the bar for the following day. I ordered a glass of the non-alcoholic Muri Passing Clouds, which was surprisingly refreshing, but still reminiscent of a slightly sweet & dry white wine. I definitely tasted the honey and fruits. I'm on the hunt for a bottle now! STANDOUTS: The beet eclair was just absolutely incredible and I could have eaten like 10 of those. I wish I could have ordered more! I was also super impressed by the potato-focused dessert course. Every component on the plate was delicious, and the potato caramel was so perfectly sweet with just the right hint of salt. The Kentucky fried squash was also incredibly good as well, with a super savory kabocha gravy, adorable little biscuit, and some of the best whipped butter that's ever graced my tongue. THE REALLY GOOD: Everything else on the tasting menu, plus the two gifts from the kitchen, were so good as well! The rutabaga croissant-esque gnocchi reminded me a lot of sinigang, and the picked radish app with freshly shaved horseradish was like eating a really good poke or tartare. The onion pizza was also so tasty--loved the layered, different preparations of onion and the seaweed caviar. I don't even like celery, and the celery dish was delicious too! I honestly have nothing bad or even a little negative to say about Dirt Candy. Every dish was a home run and I wish that all vegetarian dishes were this damn delicious, because honestly? I didn't miss the meat at all. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for future menus, because this one was seriously good. Probably my favorite tasting menu I've tried thus far.
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This place has been on my list forever and I can finally
This place has been on my list forever and I can finally say it's worth the hype after checking it out last week. They only serve prep-fixe menu with 5 courses (add'l 2 complimentary) for $95. Mushroom mousse crêpe cake was the most impressive one. I could barely taste the mushroom (which is a good news for me) but the flavored mousse in a soft texture. Kale pasta was amazing too. The "sausage" made of tofu was so delicious that I can't tell that was a vegan dish. Dessert was another highlight. Mustard sorbet was a bit spicy but was well offset by the sweetness of caramel apple and pudding.
My husband is never sure when I tell him I’ve booked a vegetarian restaurant but he fell in love with this place on first bite Great 5 course tasting menu and we also opted for the great value wine flight Amazing food, service and atmosphere
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Inventive and delicious food in a comfortable environment
It was a fantastic experience. The food was absolutely amazing and the whole restaurant vibe was down to earth and enthusiastic yet professional and refined. I was afraid it would be too ‘ out there ‘ for my husband but he loved it. A mistake was made and our dessert was delivered before our last savory course so we were treated to sparkling rose and a round of drinks was also taken off our tab. I hope I can get there again someday.
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Fabulous meal at Dirt Candy for our anniversary.
We arrived one day after the restaurant introduced their fall menu and were very pleased. A nice touch was being served sparkling wine in honor of our celebratory occasion once we were seated. In addition, we tried several drinks that were all unique and flavorful: 14 carrot gold, the great wave and leaf peeper were favorites. The menu was phenomenal, as was the staff. Each course seemed to outdo the previous one and each presentation was colorful and artistic. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and rotated throughout our dining experience as they took turns serving the various courses. Everything was so creative and you felt the passion in each delectable bite. We loved everything but the mushroom with the “tea” broth, mini carrot burger and mustard greens dessert were highlights for us.
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Truly some of the kindest most welcoming staff! We had
Truly some of the kindest most welcoming staff! We had subway delays getting there and showed up an hour after our res, and they were so understanding and had kept our table for us. Throughout the meal they were amazing and super kind! The one vegetable showcase for each dish is a really fun way to dine. Very exciting and unique restaurant! And not very expensive given what you get (and considering it is a no tip restaurant).
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I couldn't believe my tastebuds! All of the dishes in the
I couldn't believe my tastebuds! All of the dishes in the tasting menu were so beautifully and thoughtfully crafted, it truly felt like a creative, delicious "vegetable centered restaurant" as opposed to just labeling it as "vegan food." I could go into so much detail describing all the taste experiences of the different dishes, but that would be a whole dissertation. All i have to say though is that they make you question everything you ever thought about vegetables and their flavor profiles. Corn can now be corn mousse, tomato can be tomato fruit leather and cake, zucchini can be a soup dumpling, and cucumber and dill pickle (meringue) can be a dessert. But don't be afraid-- your eyes will be opened by the culinary magic happening here. This is an amazing experience for any special occasion, and totally worth the price. Plus no tip required (written on the menu), only tax, as they pay their staff fairly without relying on tips. Amazing establishment that I hope becomes an NYC icon!
Friendly, welcoming service and divinely refreshing food. Recommend the wine pairing.
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My first dining experience with Dirt Candy was Winter 2022
My first dining experience with Dirt Candy was Winter 2022 and I was delighted by the creativity. After two experiences, I'm of the thought that they open up with their strongest dishes and end on maybe not their best ones. However, I'm willing to return every time because I love seeing creative veggie dishes and they pay their staff appropriately (no tip needed!). My favorite kind of place is one that creatively transforms food without breaking your budget or leaving you hungry and Dirt Candy really hits the spot.Sure, some dishes can be misses, but I don't see myself passing up the opportunity to try their seasonal menus any time I'm in New York.This most recent one (Spring 2022) wasn't a hit with the guests I invited; they said most of the dishes were too strongly sour and didn't feel varied enough. I would've liked more variety, but I also don't mind when tasting menus have some common flavor through the courses. (I also quite like sour foods.)I am, however, confused by why sour--a flavor I usually associated with pickling and suggests preparing food for the winter--ended up as the main flavor of the Spring menu. Maybe because sour tastes kind of "fresh" too?--My personal notes:Winter 2022--Caviar & potato pie: Solid in taste and feel, love seaweed caviar.Kale hand-pulled noodle: So soft, so good. Who knew cumin and kale could be good in broth?Mushroom mousse: Super intense and rich, you can't eat more than one, good if a little salty. Complex flavors (pears didnt carry enough, maybe better a bit more pickled?).Delicata five spice riblets: Too saucy, too spicy, but batter reminded me of tempura.Black garlic sticky toffee pudding: No notes.Spring 2022--Onion: So freaking good. I love their bagel tower. I could live off everything from their bagel tower. I love the fun of caviar but not the taste so I'm hoping seaweed caviar will catch on everywhere.Cauliflower: Yummy, maybe a bit too much on the pickling.Celery: Delicious. I love the Thai-inspired flavors. This made me wonder if lemongrass could be a great addition.Fennel: A miss mostly because it was literally really tough to chew/eat.Asparagus: 3 out of 4 people in my group panned the asparagus dessert. There wasn't enough sorbet to balance out the overwhelming grassy-tasting asparagus mousse. Woe to whoever mixed the mousse, sorbet, and crumble up thinking it'd all taste better together (my sister made that mistake and it didn't).
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Exceeded my high expectations!
5/5 by
Ann J on 07/05/2022
I love food and this place did not disappoint. Each dish was not only a piece of art, but the flavors were fabulous and unique. Will want to come back next time I am in NYC.
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This place is fcking delicious all around.
I'm a total carnivore myself but I hate when people blindly bash on vegetarian or vegan based cuisine cause that doesn't mean jack shit, especially cause it's often harder to make vegetarian cuisine taste good, which this place really does an amazing job at. This review is pertaining to their Winter tasting menu which I didn't get to writing until now but I look forward to trying their other seasonal tastings. Caviar and Potato Pie- 8.2/10Crispy shell is basically the best version of a McDonald's hash brown. Slightly salty, crunchy seaweed umami from caviar. Lemon mash is good too, slight acidity from the pickles, also slight tartar sauce flavor. Micro chives add some earthiness but could take em or leave them.Kale Pulled Noodles-7.9/10Strong peppercorn, cumin and cilantro taste to the broth. Hand pulled noodle has slight stringency from the kale kneaded into it and is a lil past al dente which I prefer. Really tasty and slightly warming. Lotus roots are crunchy but not a lot of flavor. Buche de Mushroom Mousse-8.5/10Slightly sweet cake, paired with salty mushroom mousse, earthy mushrooms, and a burst of freshness from the onion. Really good pairing. A ton of umami in the overall dish and pretty design. Cherry purée adds a lil acidity partway through the meal which is a really nice touch. Delicata Spiced Riblets-9 for the Riblets themselves, 7 for the noodles The most aromatic one out of all of them. Buttery, savory and spicy squash noodles in a sauce that builds up heat. Noodles are a lil too crunchy though, I think it would be much better if they were cooked just a little longer. Squash Riblets are wonderfully fried, and sweet from the squash as well as smoky and spicy from the five spice glaze on it. Noodles are a lil lackluster but the sauce and Riblets with glaze are wonderful. Black Garlic Toffee Pudding- 8.4/10Ginger meringue is fresh, slightly bitter, and acidic. Caramel sauce is incredibly rich and buttery. Goes really well together. Yuzu crisp on top feels kind of out of place and the texture is a little weird though because it's not really crispy and kind of chewy. Cake is slightly bitter and stinky from the garlic with the sherbet being yogurt like and tart which all comes together really well as a dessert. I didn't review/ rate any of the little additional bonus dishes they sent to the table but they're relatively good too. Overall, very tasty, and would definitely want to come again!
Well worth a visit. Would love to return and sit at the tasting bar to watch the chefs. The most interesting and innovative approach to vegetables that I've ever seen or tasted. Each course was a tasty blast. No reason to call out the specific dishes, as they will have changed, but I will comment that the between official courses little dishes are some of the best. Loved a pea and crispy ring of potato as an amuse bouche. Perhaps my favorite little dish was the Nashville fried chicken beet. Adorable, crunchy, delicious heat, I wish we could have taken a box of them home with us. Vegetable forward cocktails are also great; did a Japanese whisky one that was fabulous. Service impeccable, and very much a team approach. Love what Dirt Candy is doing, from the theme, to the execution, to their treatment of the staff and of the offerings. I will say that we didn't leave stuffed. We didn't need to stop for a burger after or anything, but the overall meal is a bit on the lighter side. Wonderful.
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After re-reading my review from last time, a real magnum
After re-reading my review from last time, a real magnum opus (sorry to anyone that read through that TLDR be damned), I've decided to be more succinct. My friend and I go out to dinner once a month. We've been doing this once a month for about three years. We alternate choosing. Dirt Candy is the only restaurant we've chosen to return to for our main event. (We have been guilty of returning to a pizzeria or taco truck for a second course) We were excited by the opportunity to taste what they would do in another season and we weren't disappointed.I promised to be brief. Highlights included the magic of turning slivers of onion into two different types of "lox", a beet standing in as Nashville hot chicken, and asparagus that was deconstructed into a delicious mousse before being reformed into an asparagus spear.Those were the highlights but everything that came in between was just as whimsical and flavorful. The staff is bright, professional, and friendly. Really can't ask for anything more! We'll be back. We're already considering booking back to back reservations, we didn't want the meal to end!
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Absolutely incredible, staff was so knowledgable of all the
Absolutely incredible, staff was so knowledgable of all the dishes and very friendly. Our server Brian was so great and very helpful. I'm vegan and my boyfriend is vegetarian, and they made it a point to remember to give me the vegan dish for every course. The dishes are art. You can tell every dish was carefully planned, love that they give credit on the menu to the chefs that created the dish. We went to Dirt Candy for a graduate school graduation gift to my boyfriend, and as we walked out the staff were saying congratulations- so thoughtful, really great place, we'll definitely be back!!
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Absolutely one of the top places for me.
The inventiveness of the dishes, its order and the wine pairings are masterfully planned. I was surprised on multiple occasions with what they did with some ingredients as I've never even thought that to be possible. It felt like reading a good book or discovering your new favorite artist..the rollercoaster and then ultimate satisfaction. The wine choices were extraordinary and I had saved a few names since I liked them so much. They were also curated by a theme.Worth the price 100%.Also women owned! Love to support that!
I cannot imagine travelling to New York without a reservation at Dirt Candy. The food, the service, the unique courses and presentation are special. Expensive, but there is no better splurge I can think of.
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Exceeded every expectation
Dined last Saturday with my son and his girlfriend who are almost vegan vegetarians, and although my wife and I are basically omnivores, we all really were blown away. There is no a la carte menu so everyone gets the 6 course (plus a few little surprises) tasting menu, with the only option being whether to order vegetarian, as is, or the get the totally vegan version, which is almost identical except for some small dairy replacements. I won't go into a course by course description because the whole new spring menu is available on their website with photos, but let me say that the first course, the "lox & bagel tower" and the dessert course featuring several asparagus (!!!) preparations were the highpoints. My wife and I also included the wine pairings for an additional $50. each which were interesting and delicious and all from women wine-makers from around the world. Gratuities are fully included in the $90.00 prix-fixe price-tag and every employee we came into contact with were so enthusiastic and seemed genuinely happy to be there. A wonderful, entertaining and luscious evening. Oh and BTW the Tripadvisor listing says the restaurant is not currently open for dine-in but our recent experience in the buzzy, crowded dining room contradicts that fact.
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We went here for our anniversary and honestly couldn't have
We went here for our anniversary and honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience. It truly was an "experience." The tasting menu is sincerely an art. We opted to do the wine pairing as well, and honestly Jackie was one of the highlights of our evening. I loved the way she is able to speak to wine! The dessert wine was just so delicious. Our favorite from the menu was the caviar and potato pie. We are both vegetarian, so when we go to a restaurant that is aaaaall foods we can eat, it is especially a thrilling adventure. It was a great place to kick off a night out. We ended up going to bar after and this was a nice lead in, since we weren't overly so full (the plates are quite small), but had a nice base and of course had a gorgeous meal to talk about. Great place for date night! And there was a bachelorette party next to us, which also seems like a perfect idea.
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The courses were either a huge success or a unmistakable
4/5 by
Ab G. on 03/30/2022
The courses were either a huge success or a unmistakable failure. But I must say, I do not regret coming here. For the courses that didn't out of the park: at least I got to try something novel. The only reason I am giving this 4 stars instead of 3, is because of the fact I was sitting at the chefs table. I saw how diligently the sous chef was preparing the mushroom logs. There is something to be said about dedication.