Angie Carducci
Google
I’ve been to EYV a couple of times now and always with omnivores, so you don’t have to be a lifelong vegetarian like me to appreciate this beautiful, creative, thoughtful and seriously hearty, vegetable-forward food. Their awards bear that out, including being named one of the 26 Best Restaurants by Pittsburgh Magazine this year.
On this occasion I was treated to the Chef’s Counter tasting experience ($150). It was awesome and I would recommend it to anyone who loves food as a special occasion experience, or just a special treat. A recap of what we ate:
🥦 Welcome Snacks: Broccoli “chicharrons,” hummus fritters, crispy new potatoes with seaweed caviar
🥗 Farmer’s Salad with ranch mousse, tater tot and pistachio
🫑 Charred Shishito Panzanella
🌽 Charred Corn Pierogi
🌱 Summer Squash Roulade
🍅 Tomato Parmesan
🥬 Cabbage Pastrami
🍫 Chocolate PB Mouse: Banana bread, pickled grapes, banana “bacon”
🍋 Tomato-Lemon Curd: basil ice cream, candied focaccia, strawberry
Many things on the menu are already GF, but those that aren’t can be made that way. You can add on a wine pairing to the tasting menu for $60.
We also tried all five of the mocktails from their mocktail menu, which I really appreciated! My runaway favorite was So Juicy with rosemary, lime, pineapple and grapefruit. Second favorite was The One With The Blueberries In It (no really, that’s the name). My guest and I both really love beets but found the beet mocktail to be a bit too intensely like straight beet juice, so might recommend passing on that one unless that’s what you’re looking for.
Everything was so delicious and beautifully presented. You will not go home hungry from this tasting experience, and I’m so thankful that a restaurant like this exists in Pittsburgh to show what a talented chef can do with plant-based ingredients.