Vegetarian dining in meat-centric DC restaurants

Initially, though, the menu at Range has us worried. Among its 10 sections, only four include vegetarian options: a couple of pizzas, a few salads, baked goods and “accompaniments.” Our ruddy-faced young waiter seems to read our minds: “We’re pretty protein-driven.” But after a quick conference with the kitchen, he returns with ideas. A kimchi linguine that normally comes with uni and bay scallops gets maitake mushrooms and little wisps of kale instead, and an off-the-menu lasagna layers thin sheets of poached Yukon Gold potatoes with a tomato marmalade and garlicky chanterelles. Chef de cuisine Matt Hill gets credit for the latter, a $16 wonder, aromatic with orange zest (and vegan-friendly).

Veganism, of course, raises the bar even higher. So for another meal, we enlist the stomach of someone who has avoided animal products for decades. Saurabh Dalal, president of the Vegetarian Society of DC, joins us for dinner on turf that’s even meatier than Range’s: J&G Steakhouse in the W Hotel.

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Hearty vegetarian recipes for meatless meals: These meatless dishes can be made into main courses for vegetable-based meals. Click on the title of the dish for the recipe.

In his 47 years, the Mumbai native says, he has never knowingly eaten meat; for the past 22 he has followed a vegan diet. But his routine isn’t austere. “I live to eat,” he says. Dalal’s job as a physicist puts him on the road (“New Orleans is tough”), where to avoid the standby baked potato he consults HappyCow.net . Here at home, he eats out four to five meals a week and finds plenty to fill up on: at Science Club near Dupont Circle, Ovo Simply Veggie in College Park, the monthly vegan brunch at Muse in the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Sunflower in Falls Church, which he likes for its vegan “sushi.”

Tonight at J&G, we consult our astute server, because all of the entrees and grilled items are off-limits, and ask for the kitchen’s help. Dinner begins with salads, initially a letdown only because salads are so predictable. But these are a breed apart, an elegant mix of beets, olives, minced basil, red chilies (executive chef Philippe Reininger loves heat) and more, modified from the market salad (hold the cheese) on the menu. For main courses, Reininger thoughtfully weaves together components already listed in other dishes on the menu to create fashion statements. Pan-seared tofu on a Malaysian-style ginger and chili sauce is cooled down with diced celery and basil oil. For a second dish, he arranges root vegetables and tiny mushrooms with parsnip chips, olive crumbs and a swipe of parsnip puree made with fresh coconut. Our server couldn’t be more conscientious about detailing each plate. We aren’t eating meat, but he makes us feel as welcome as the guys ordering the 20-ounce, $54 bone-in rib-eye.

Testing France and Spain

Fast-forward to Marcel’s, where we have to look past courses one, two, three, four and even five on the French menu before seeing any meat-free options (in the cheese and dessert sections). Chef Robert Wiedmaier is known for his boudin blanc and rack of lamb; could he be as masterful with vegetables? After we make our desires known to the gregarious waiter, we find out.

While other diners are greeted with an amuse bouche of short ribs and foie gras in a tiny twist of pastry, we receive a “bonbon” filled with pureed butternut squash and set on a sassy chili glaze. Nice. A wavy black bowl in the shape of a shell holds slow-cooked lentils, caramelized onions and butter-roasted dates in a cup of brik pastry, an Indian-inspired appetizer dusted with cayenne and turmeric. Next up: a timbale of sweet pea puree captured in a tent of steamed bibb lettuce, and feathery-light egg noodles draped in a light pesto and curled around roasted vegetables. A four-part garden party follows: sunny yellow squash gratin over spinach, truffle-treated asparagus and artichokes, a tiny skillet of Peruvian and other potatoes, plus a divine saffron risotto (of course) dappled with chive oil.