Dirt Candy Brings Sweet Veggie Dishes to the East Village

Dirt Candy, cleaner than it sounds.Photo: Melissa Hom

Angelica KitchenandPure Food and Winealum Amanda Cohen opens her appetizingly named veg house, Dirt Candy, in the East Village today. Though we’re wary of cutting flesh from our diet, we daresay the menu sounds appealing. Cohen doesn’t hate meat (she even cooked buffalo wings on the line at Diner Bar in Harlem), she just abides by the cute philosophy that vegetables are “candy from the earth” (our own mother used to say that about grapes). What we love: the sound of dishes off her starch-heavy menu that starts with jalapeño hush puppies and maple butter and ends with grits topped with pickled shiitakes and a tempura poached egg, as well as lemon-sage gnocchi tossed with Brussels sprouts and brown butter. Desserts like popcorn pudding and sesame-caramel cake by pastry chef Debbie Lee might be enough to lure us in. Check out the full menu below.

Snack
Jalapeño Hush Puppies
served with maple butter

First Course
Portobello Mousse $13
fennel pear compote

菠菜汤熏豆腐饺子11美元
lemon confit water chestnuts and pistachio oil

Greek Salad $12
trumpet royale mushrooms and preserved lemon mayo

Mixed Greens with Grilled Cheese Croutons $11
roasted garlic vinaigrette and candied grapefruit pops

Kimchi Doughnuts $12
watermelon radish kimchi and almond hoisin sauce

Goat Cheese Flan $11
beet and pear slaw

Second Course
Paella Crisp $17
asparagus saffron broth

Pinot Grigio Papardelle $18
roasted cauliflower and pine nuts

Crispy Tofu with Green Ragout $17
kaffir lime beurre blanc

Carrot Risotto $16
carrot drops and carrot curls

Stone Ground Grits $18
pickled shiitakes and a tempura poached egg

Lemon Sage Gnocchi $17
Brussels sprouts, brown butter