Dinner Saturday night was at Virgil?s, just opened for about 6 weeks, in urban hot Bellevue.
I had seen a little note in the Enquirer in a front page sidebar, hadn?t followed up with the story inside – which turned out to be perfect, because Polly Campbell, former Enq food editor, had evidently panned it.
We were running later than we wanted to be, needing to be at the play Vigils at the Know in OTR at 8, and it was already nearly 6:30. Driving slowly, we found Virgil?s. I hopped out of the car and around to the entrance on the side (to leave more room for diners – an excellent idea, since it?s a smallish place). I threw myself on the hostess? mercy – it was Saturday night, exactly dinner time, the place was packed, no reservations, we didn?t have time to wait.
She was great, sat us at the bar, where Mike took great care of us, while giving the martinis he was making for others just the perfect number of shakes.
I fell in love with the menu. Three vegetarian entrees (out of eight), without a single mention of that fact. Lots of other yummy vegan / vegetarian / omnivore choices on the menu as well, in every category. Ingenuity abounds in the ingredient pairings.
I ordered pearl couscous with all kinds of ingredients – and maybe that undertone was just a hint of nutmeg. It was pretty on the plate, fresh vegetables everywhere, as good as it sounded. I tried the empanadas on a friend?s plate – also yummy.
I was scarfing down the couscous at a rate that caused two other people to order it as their entr?e. No time for dessert or all the appetizers I wanted to try. So we?ll be back.
Then came a dash to Vigils.