The Gadarene Swine
Sourdough with Crushed Tomato Oil
Lemon and Pistachio Kale Chips
Blackened Cauliflower – Puree, Stem Crisps
Peanut Butter and Jelly – Vegan Sourdough, Port Poached Figs, Fresh Peanut Butter, Arugula, Pickled Mushrooms, Balsamic
Roasted Mushrooms with Burnt Sweet Potato – dehydrated pea tendrils, English peas, sugar blistered tomatoes, pickled mushrooms, cinnamon, nutmeg
Buckwheat Banana Pancakes with Almond Froth, Brulee Bananas, Raspberry Puree
Deconstructed Roast Pear Tart – Malt Rocks, Graham
Vegan Tres ‘Leches’ – Grapefruit, Olive Oil, Cotton Candy
Having yet to visit Scratch Bar, but quite intrigued by Phillip Frankland Lee’s decision to take on Vegetarian and Vegan cuisine, it was just moments before my noon reservation that I sat down at a small two-top inside The Gadarene Swine and although I was unfortunately informed the tasting menu could not be accommodated until “2pm, at the earliest” I was assured that most of that night’s menu was included in the a la carte menu, itself quite large and recently joined by a more limited brunch menu offered until 2pm.
Not entirely trending vegan in its offerings, something my knowledgeable young server made sure he addressed immediately on greeting each table, the ‘simple’ descriptions of each plate on The Gadarene Swine’s menu belie the kitchen’s vast creativity and working in full view from a limited space behind the counter at which tasting menus can be ordered the observant diner will quickly realize that this isn’t simply a place where ingredients are arranged and plated, but rather a kitchen hard at work – vegetables being chopped, trimmed, washed, and prepped as ordered to ensure maximum freshness and taste.
Admittedly a bit saddened by my inability to place myself at the whims of the Chefs, but at the same time intrigued by almost every item offered between the two menus – not to mention dessert – it was only after asking a few questions that a large order was crafted, and warned that I’d be receiving “a lot” of food I confidently assured my server I would be okay, only a few bites here and there going uneaten in the interest of preserving space for what was to come not only at The Gadarene Swan, but at Maude a later that night.
Eventually filling to perhaps a quarter capacity during the course of my ninety-minute lunch, expediting at The Gadarene Swine follows a sort of ‘tapas’ approach in that plates are delivered as they are readied from the kitchen, and with the first two items obviously requiring less work than others a small bowl of Kale Chips brightened by citrus soon arrived alongside a board of griddled housemade vegan sourdough paired to sugar blistered tomatoes pureed in olive oil to form a vibrant, mayonnaise textured spread.
Just barely beginning to dig into the snacks, it was only a few seconds later that the server again appeared tableside with two more plates, and quickly explaining to him that I was there to enjoy the experience rather than be rushed out the door an agreement was reached, the rest of the menu put on hold until requested as I set aside the opening volley to focus on a plate of warm cauliflower in four bold colors and at least as many textures followed by an open-face PB&J that completely reinvented the lunchbox staple into something at once sweet as well as savory, crunchy atop creamy, and defiant of convention in its use of pickled mushrooms amidst bitter greens to add intrigue and levity without once seeming superfluous or ‘fussy’ in the least.
Rounding out savories with a large bowl clearly intended to ‘hide’ certain ingredients, “Roasted Mushrooms with Burnt Sweet Potato” arrived in a portion more than sufficient to share, and offering a sort of ‘choose your own adventure’ experience bolstered by the vessel a large list of ingredients and techniques were put into play with some bites decidedly sweet and aromatic while others were tinged in acid, smoke, and earth without a single uninspired forkful to be found.
Never one to slight the sweets, in this case two items recited from my server as no actual ‘dessert’ menu exists, it seemed only logical to order both upon hearing a description of ingredients, and adding on the brunch-only Buckwheat Banana Pancakes, which ultimately proved far too heavy so late in the meal despite the toothsome texture and top-notch toppings, suffice it to say that while the deconstructed tart was somewhat ordinary the tableside presentation of ‘tres leches’ was anything but – a hulled out grapefruit with rind pulled into a wick serving as a citrus ‘candle’ from which warm, infused olive oil was drizzled over cotton candy atop the thick and creamy cake.
http://www.thegadareneswine.com/
