Conscious Cuisine
By Maggie Busser
All too often restaurants relegate vegetarians to pasta, pizza or a combination of sides and steamed vegetables. Even the options that initially appear meatless on the menu – soups, risottos, even mashed potatoes – sometimes actually contain chicken or beef stock. And, while many upscale establishments offer a solution to this monotony by agreeing to create an entrée that is not offered on the menu, vegetarians very rarely have the opportunity to delve into multiple courses of meatless dishes. However, at least once a month at Parker's New American Bistro, vegetarians can rejoice and relish in a five-course Vegetarian Dinner, which features the freshest and most flavorful locally grown vegetables and fruits of the season. (Non-vegetarians, please keep reading. This meal is for you to explore and enjoy, too!)
Known as a trend-setter in the conscious-cuisine arena, this Ohio City neighborhood restaurant has blazed the trail for sustainable local seasonal food for years. Chef and co-owner Parker Bosley travels near and far to close the gap between farmers and consumers in the local food shed. (In fact, many of the chefs I have interviewed for our Conscious Cuisine article have cited him as one of their primary influences and educators.) The bistro's menu itself includes a letter from Parker. With fondness for the products and admiration for the farmers, Parker's words educate his diners about our need to connect to the earth and its cycles.
Parker's passion is not lost on his staff. On the contrary, the chef de cuisine Andy Strizak and the servers embrace the conscious-cuisine concept and exuberantly discuss details with the patrons. Not only can they explain the intricate flavors of a particular product but also the intimate details of its source. The folks at this restaurant are not afraid to say, “I'm sorry, that is not available tonight.” Whether something is out of season or just not in the pantry that day, Parker's will never sacrifice its mission. You will not be served watery strawberries or tasteless tomatoes from some far-away source because Chef Andy makes a special trip twice weekly to the local farmers' markets in order to purchase the freshest produce.
The preparations at Parker's New American Bistro focus on the food. While this at first may appear to be an obvious concept for a dining establishment, Parker's takes preparation to a whole new level. The pure beauty found in the flavor of the latest local bounty takes center stage – not the sauces, roulades, rubs or marinades. With the Vegetarian Dinner, the diner is immersed into a colorful, flavorful palette of seasonal vegetables – a masterpiece in five courses. Parker describes it as, “a menu that follows a flow and builds to the main course, balancing different products and flavors. This dinner not only includes high quality products but also great preparations – often different or unusual. Flavors are brought out to make the dishes really interesting.”
In preparing the menu for the monthly five-course Vegetarian Dinner, Andy has the vegetarian diner in mind. He peruses the market offerings and discusses anticipated harvests with local farmers. “My inspiration comes from the market,” he explains. “Seeing pounds of asparagus and many types of lettuces make me wonder how many different preparations I can make, which preparation will be the best one and what flavors will taste good with it.” However, he has the challenge of selecting products that will be in plentiful supply during the week of the Vegetarian Dinner so that he can serve about 25 guests. In addition, he must create dishes that can be served efficiently all at once, thus keeping everything at the right temperature.
During my late spring Vegetarian Dinner experience, each of the five courses revealed preparations of quintessential spring foods that richly showcased the gems of the season. The meal began with tender, crisp chilled purple asparagus drizzled with a lemony, lightly creamy buerre blanc sauce (wine butter sauce) and sprinkled with a pinch of fresh flavorful chives. The divine combination highlighted the garden-fresh flavor of the vegetable which was complemented by the delicate tang of the sauce.
As the second course was served, I experienced an interesting and delightful aspect of sharing a big meal with lots of folks at the same time in one room: as the servers brought forth bowl after bowl from the kitchen, the scrumptious, savory aroma of its steaming contents filled the air. Each inhalation heightened my anticipation for the next course. Finally reaching my table, the soup bowl brimmed with a speckled potage in a delightful shade of green. I was pleased to find its flavor to be as appealing as its aroma and color. Slightly salty and decadently rich, the cream of cress soup had a tiny hint of bitterness as one might expect in a cream-of-broccoli soup.
The third course featured an equally dazzling display of spring green. The natural peppery flavor of the warm, wilted arugula was accented by a lemon dressing. Earthy roasted potatoes and crisp asparagus graced the top of this dish and a rich, salty, melted aged provolone cheese sat atop it. This hearty dish provided ample opportunities to create endless full-flavored bites, each a unique sampling of its ingredients. Next I was presented with an individual quiche filled with heirloom spinach, leek and wild mushrooms. This was the fourth and main course of the meal. The custard aroma of the eggs and cream were tantalizing, and each bite imparted creamy earthiness in a flaky, buttery crust.
Dessert, of course, was the fifth and final offering of this superior Vegetarian Dinner. The sampler dessert plate presented a trifecta of petite rhubarb preparations. The moist rhubarb pound cake had crunchy, buttery edges, each bite crowned by a bit of the dollop of fresh whipped cream. The rhubarb ginger granite reminded me of juicy, tangy, snowy sorbet with a wonderfully concentrated tang and bite to the flavor. The flaky crust of the light, little rhubarb-almond tart was filled with a delicious spoonful of rhubarb cream. Each of the small desserts utilized this ephemeral spring vegetable in a unique, delicious way.
Throughout the meal I observed that a delightful din of table-to-table chatter had taken over the room. People seemed to feel quite comfortable leaning over to the neighboring table to discuss the food, the weather or quite possibly anything else. Andy confirmed that this behavior is common at these meals, and Parker elucidated, “This type of meal creates community, just like at the farmers' market.”
Parker and Andy both advocate daily for the fresh products and the local farmers who grow them. Just as Andy creates his dishes based on what is available at the market, he encourages our readers to do the same. “Don't go to the farmer's market with a shopping list,” he offers as guidance. “Instead, be open-minded. Don't overlook what's there.”
The Vegetarian Dinner at Parker's New American Bistro truly features the freshest of produce from the local market prepared to beguile vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike in an affordable five-course array. Andy notes, “Too often, the vegetable gets pushed to the side and neglected. I have a respect for what has been done to grow it and what I can offer in its preparation.” You, too, should take the opportunity to pay homage to the bounty of the season by dining at one of Parker's New American Bistro's Vegetarian Dinners.
Parker's New American Bistro also regularly offers other five-course dinners including ones that focus on seafood, pork or lamb. For more information, visit www.ParkersRestaurant.com or call (216) 771-7130. Sign up for its e-newsletter for updates on special dinners.
