Vermilion Goes Vegetarian

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, September 11th, 2009

Chef Anthony Chittum is no stranger to working with fresh vegetables (that’s some of his farm-to-table handiwork below):

(Image: FoodieTots)

But he’d now like to make the leap to full-on friend of the meatless masses by adding a dedicated, four-course vegetarian tasting menu to Vermilion’s seasonally inspired carte.

Chittum said carving out a degustation experience for vegetarian guests just makes sense, particularly since the kitchen has begun fielding requests for alterna-preparations (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free) with more and more regularity.

“Any type of request that’s physically possible, we’ll try to do,” he said of staffs’ predisposition to custom-tailor every meal to the best of their ability.

According to Chittum, the vegetarian menu is unlikely to be published within every menu. But there will be a line urging diners to inquire about the daily offerings and staff will routinely relay the most current tasting configuration.

Chittum said his menu will include a quartet of “composed dishes”–i.e., a carefully choreographed meal rather than a slapdash arrangement of culinary afterthoughts and warmed-over sides–drawn from the freshest produce of the day.

Check this space next week for a report from Chittum’s 9/16 preview dinner–a feast poised to include: spicy pimento dip and crispy okra canapes, carpaccio of summer squash accompanied by smoked mozzarella and pureed red peppers, corn-, potato- and smoked lobster mushroom-stuffed pasta, pesto-roasted cremini mushrooms with yukon gold potato gnocchi and a malted chocolate ice cream-espresso-homemade chocolate donut closer.

–Warren

Tags: Anthony Chittum, food, Gut Check, Northern Virginia Magazine, vegetarian, Vermilion, Warren Rojas