Five of us had dinner at Viridan last night, and we all found it excellent. It appeals to diners who cares less about gimmicks than about fresh, high-quality, unfussy food. The restaurant calls itself "vegan friendly"; apart from several selections of appetizers and entrees, the food (including desserts) is made without any meat, fish, or dairy (butter, milk or eggs). On last night's menu, the non-vegan dishes were an appetizer of chicken liver terrine and an appetizer of a lambchop, and entrees of chicken, skirt steak and rockfish, each simply prepared to bring out their essence. (our table enjoyed both the chicken and the steak.) The only milk-based items were a dessert cheese and milk for coffee. The menu is divided into appetizers, entrees, and sides. Skipping the meats may be best, given how wonderful the other dishes are (including a squash tart entree). Highlights include the green lentils (perfectly cooked with some kind of mustard and wonderfully crunch) and brussel sprouts with pickled ginger: both dishes appealed even to those of us who are brussel-sprouts and lentil haters. The roasted mushrooms with thyme were flavorful if a tad oily. Only the beet salad with horseradish was bland. The desserts were all fabulous - one of our guests said that his carrot cake with coconut "ice cream" (made of soy milk) was the best dessert he'd ever had. The wines, and food, were extremely well-priced. The space is minimalist yet warm.
