sprig and vine

sprig and vine
450 union square drive
new hope, pa
(215) 693 1427
www.sprigandvine.com

type of cuisine: vegan
culinary excellence: 9
vegan friendliness: 10
*recommended*

having heard about the opening of spring and vine, an all new vegan restaurant about an hour outside of philly, i was delighted that the opportunity to meet ms. lenya gurevich near doylestown presented itself last weekend. the restaurant was created by a former horizons chef and the buzz was alright! so i headed out into the night until i found myself in the lovely waterside town of new hope. lenya arrived in a flowing white dress and showered me with gifties. i got a handmade mug and soap bar and gave her a little purple maniac in return. we got french wine in the neighboring town of lambertville (it's byo) and began our culinary journey.

for appetizers we got edamame falafel and watermelon gazpacho, pictured below:




both were outstanding! the falafels packed a punch of flavor and the consistency was divine. totally crunchy on the outside and sumptuously soft and inviting in the middle. the zen presentation turn this middle eastern junk food into mindful haute cuisine. the gazpacho was even better. in fact, i think that was the best gazpacho i've ever had. the thing that made it really extra special was the dollop of basil sorbet in the center. this cool sweet creamy addition made each bit of tangy summer soup sing in ecstasy.

for entrees we shared coconut risotto cakes and cornmeal crusted tempeh:




lenya preferred the risotto cakes and i the tempeh, so it worked out perfectly. actually, i really liked the risotto cakes themselves, but i wasn't crazy about their plating on a base of lentil dal and those twiggy things on top were a little off-putting. the bok choy and mushroom stir fry on the side was insanely savory and delicious. the tempeh was generously portioned and doused in this exquisite smoked maple-mustard sauce. it also had a nicely crisped outer layer. here again, the sides were inconsistent. the smashed potatoes were decent enough, but they were kind of heavy for a summer meal and i didn't care for the cabbage at all.

dessert was olive oil cake and chocolate mousse pie:




these hit their mark! the olive oil cake tasted like a really gourmet muffin shaped like a slice of cake and topped with with creme fraiche. my mousse did not disappoint either. totally luscious and smooth - maybe the tiniest bit too heavy - served with a refreshing and complementary portion of peanut butter ice cream.

i hope to return to new hope with lenya again soon and for the rest of our lives.

bonus pics of new hope: