My Rawsome Vegan Dinner at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw

Raw vegan dining has arrived in D.C., and Elizabeth’s Gone Raw is leading the way.  I’ve now had the opportunity to taste founder Elizabeth Petty’s vision three times: first, at a catered event on Capitol Hill  when her magnificent grape leaves got me hooked (I reference that experience here).  Next, lucky for me, my birthday fell on a Friday this year. Even luckier, my husband decided to surprise me with reservations at Elizabeth’s (lucky for him too – turns out he had never picked up on my EGR hints and didn’t even know they only serve dinner on Fridays!).  Then this past week, I headed back with some lady friends to try out Elizabeth’s raw vegan happy hour (Thursdays only, from 5:30-9:00pm).

Vegan cuisine is relatively mainstream in D.C. these days, and it’s not too hard to hunt down a good vegan meal.  *Raw vegan food, however, poses a bit more of a challenge (that’s not to say that EGR is the only raw vegan restaurant in D.C. – more on that another day!).  For that, of course, you have the market to blame: there are plenty of vegans, but I’d venture to guess that true raw foodies are few and far between.  The key to Elizabeth’s success is that they have taken a niche market and expanded its appeal to a wider audience.  You don’t have to be a raw foodie to enjoy Elizabeth’s.  The food is prepared in such a way that the focus is never on what you’re not getting, it’s always on what you are: fresh, high-quality ingredients combined with a whole lot of innovation to deliver a flavorful and beautifully constructed dish.

*What is raw food?  That’s actually a fair question.   The raw food movement generally defines ‘raw’ as foods that have not been heated above a certain temperature, but what that number is is often debated – some claim 105 degrees Fahrenheit, while others go by 115 or 118 degrees.  Raw foodies believe that cooking food above this magic number destroys the natural enzymes and vitamins they contain and can even be harmful for the body.  Elizabeth adopted a raw vegan diet after faced with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2009.  She ended up enjoying the lifestyle so much that it became her life’s work to expose others to this way of eating… and I’m so glad she did!

The first thing that will surprise you upon arrival is the venue.  Elizabeth’s is in a townhouse on a very ugly commercial stretch of L St. NW, but the second you walk in, you forget all of this.  The downstairs bar makes you feel like you are in a friend’s home… a friend’s really nice home.  Head upstairs, and you discover your friend must be an art enthusiast.  Paintings adorn the walls in thick gold frames and chandeliers hang from the ceilings.  The lighting is warm and romantic.

You will notice that the menu at Elizabeth’s often references “bacon,” “crab,” “cheese,” “cream,” and other items that clearly aren’t vegan.  Any reference to non-vegan items is only for context.  The entire menu is 100% plant-based.  For instance, the “crab” is actually mushrooms, the “bacon” coconut strips, and the cream and cheese are almost always nut-based.  While you may not be fooled, I am quite certain you won’t be disappointed.

I love that Elizabeth is totally hands-on.  Throughout the evening, she can be found delivering meals (or seconds on kale chips!) or talking with patrons very matter-of-factly about raw food and a vegan lifestyle.  It’s so obvious that she cares about this endeavor.  Our server was also more than happy to indulge my inquisitiveness, which as a budding occasional raw food chef, I really enjoyed.  Finally, the sommelier will stop by your table to discuss the selection of organic beer and wines.  We went with a bottle of bubbly, but they also offer a wine pairing option, should you be so inclined.  Otherwise, your night is marred with no decisions.  Just sit back and enjoy the dishes as they come.  Oh, and be prepared to sit back for quite some time – the courses are served at a very leisurely pace.  It’s more than a meal, it’s an experience.

Stay tuned…  I will also be reviewing Elizabeth’s happy hour!

Johanna