SHO Shaun Hergatt vegan diners out there?

[gargupie]

I'm going to visit SHO Shaun Hergatt for lunch this week. Has any vegans been there? I looked at the menu, there aren't a lot of choices available. Would the chef accomodate to special diet? I've already made a note on opentable. Hopefully, this would be read.

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SHO Shaun Hergatt
40 Broad St, New York, NY 10004

[Wilfrid]

I disagree with some of the views posted here. I have requested and been granted vegan menus at some top restaurants including Bouley, Cafe Boulud and March (when it was open and good). Many restaurants, including SHO, prepare plenty of dishes without dairy in any case, so the jump from vegetarian to vegan may not be as big as it seems. Bouley in particular sent out a superb vegan tasting menu.

So ask. The answer may be no.

As for concerns about cross-contamination, etc, you might as easily worry about standards at casual restaurants offering vegetarian/vegan options around the city as about. If this is an overwhelming concern, you probably aren't going to eat out much.

[gutsofsteel]

It really depends on how strict the vegan in question is also. This has to be part of the discussion with the restaurant. Some vegans don't eat honey, gelatin, etc.

[thew]

if you eat honey, you aren't a vegan.

[gutsofsteel]

Whatever. My point is that these details need to be conveyed to the restaurant, according to the vegan's requirements. I would not assume that the restaurant, even if they said they would accomodate a vegan, would know enough to refrain from using everything that the vegan doesn't want to eat. Maybe they would.....but check.

[gargupie]

Thanks everyone. I went for lunch today. A very 'cold' space, but very good service. Actually, might be a little too attentive because there were servers everywhere. The restaurant recognized my request on Opentable and I had a market vegetable as an entree part of the prix-fixe. I had the heart of palm for my appetizer as well. SHO likes to incorporate a lot of pickled vegetables in the dishes. Peach soup was one of the dessert options, but didn't realized there was dairy (a dollop of cream) involved, but just ate around it then. I thought SHO did a better job with a creative vegan entree than the one I had at EMP.

[gutsofsteel]

It's one thing to ask for a vegetarian accomodation, but I'm not sure it's reasonable (or possible) to ask a restaurant like this to prepare a vegan menu. And also, you are simply not going to have the culinary experience that this restaurant offers if you impose these restrictions on the kitchen.

Would you expect the kitchen to use for example pans and utensils that had not been used to prepare dairy and eggs? Would you expect the restaurant to fully understand how strict a vegan you are and accomodate to your specific needs?

I think this is not a worthwhile endeavor.

[bookhound]

I don't know any vegan that would expect seperate pots, pans, china, or flatware to be used in the preperation or service of their food. That having been said the OP should call SHO immediately to make this inquiry.

[gutsofsteel]

Yes, you really should call the restaurant and discuss it with them as soon as possible.

[RGR]

gos, Sounds as though you are confusing vegans with those who keep kosher. LOL

I agree with you completely that it's asking way too much for a restaurant like SHO to cater to a vegan. And leaving a note on OpenTable is definitely not the way to handle this. We all agree that gargupie should call them asap!

[kathryn]

Some vegans are very concerned about the risk of cross contamination with animal/insect products but some vegans are not, so gutsofsteel's concerns are relevant.