Unlikely Vegetarian Eating plants and living to tell about it

It’s August and every seasoned Bostonian knows what that means: Restaurant Week. The literature major living inside me would like to point out that it’s technically Restaurant Fortnight. From a marketing perspective, I understand why they keep it simple. Name it truthfully and patrons might show up expecting whist and an opportunity to take a turn about the room with Mr. Darcy after dinner. Regardless, the important takeaway here is that we all have TWO weeks rather than one to dine in style for shockingly low prices.

For the uninitiated, Restaurant Week typically entails fancy restaurants offering prix fixe menus for a discounted price. I  took part in Restaurant Week in New York several weeks ago. Look for Restaurant Week in your city if you’re not in Boston or New York. It seems to be catching on nationwide: Indianapolis and Nashville each have their own.

Boston’s two-week culinary celebration started on August 15 and runs through August 27. Some restaurants extend their menus, so you may even find prix fixe menus going into September. This year, a two-course lunch will run $15.10 and a three-course lunch $20.10. For dinner, you’ll find three courses for $33.10. Don’t forget to tip your server on what the food normally costs. Nobody likes a Scrooge.

New for this year’s Restaurant Week is a partnership between the Greater Boston Convention and Vistors Bureau and the Sustainable Business Network of Boston (SBN). The SBN, which is also sponsoring the first Boston Local Food Festival later this year, worked with the organizers to highlight restaurants serving local food. Restaurants with Massachusetts-grown food on their Restaurant Week menus have a MassGrown logo next to the information. For those interested in finding local-food options, the search function at www.bostonusa.com/visit/restaurantweek offers a filter for these restaurants.

Here are a few top picks for vegetarian meals at restaurants with MassGrown food:

• Via Matta: Bruschetta of roasted local vegetables / Potato Gnocchi with sweet corn, basil, roasted mushrooms and parmigiano / Fresh Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with local berries
• Henrietta’s Table: Native Field Greens with Maine Tasty Tomatoes / Anson Mills Stone Ground Polenta with Sautéed Summer Vegetables, Heirloom Dried Beans, Farro, Wilted Greens in White Wine / Taza Chocolate Pecan Mud Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Aquitaine Boston: Arugula Salad / Summer Quinoa / Peach Tarte Tartin
• Bistro du Midi: Mixed Green Salad / Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Haricots Verts and Pistou / Peach Clafoutis with Verbena Cream

We’ve got an entire fortnight to eat as much as we can. Let me know what’s good. And make sure to ask about local ingredients and confirm the dishes are definitely vegetarian. Send the demand signal. Let them know we care! Bon Appetit!