Fine Dining Goes Vegan
DC's vegan community has been steadily growing, and Todd and Ellen Gray--the husband-and-wife team behind fine dining staple Equinox--are taking heed. They've been playing with vegan menu offerings for years, and lately have expanded them significantly. Ellen has been vegan off and on for 19 years, and can't get enough of the lifestyle's physical and mental benefits. Certain that she couldn't be the only one in DC who felt that way, she convinced Todd to add vegan and vegetarian options (like the vegan chili pictured here) to the menu at Equinox.
Next, she talked him into offering monthly vegan brunches at their Muse Cafe in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. After just six months, the house was packed and the Grays had to turn people away. So that's now a weekly affair, offered every Sunday with a side of live music. The pair also now offers a vegan tasting menu at Equinox, and are happy to serve those menu items a la carte if you want to try one particular dish. During winter restaurant week, they offered a vegan menu alongside their regular one, and will be offering parallel menus on Valentine's Day too. Todd tells us that he and his team really enjoy the challenge of elevating vegan cuisine to the fine dining level using all-natural ingredients--you won't find any fake meat or Boca burgers on their vegan menus.
