I’m planning a fine dining night for my friends after Christmas, focusing on vegan dishes. It’s usually a 5-course meal, and I want to do something special for my vegan friends. I don’t eat vegan often, so I’m not sure what would impress them. Any suggestions or ideas? I print out a menu for the evening and want to make it unique. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Ohh nice! Here’s what I would do:
Start by greeting them with a sparkling mulled wine (mulled wine + ice + prosecco), then serve:
- Carrot ginger soup, topped with roasted nuts or kale chips
- Salad with a dollop of hummus, pickled red onions, and lemon vinaigrette
- Primi: homemade pasta alla vodka, or lemon + silk tofu, or sage butter (use vegan butter of course)
- Secondi: nut roast mushroom wellington with mashed potatoes (bonus: truffle oil)
- Carrot cinnamon cake with vegan buttercream frosting
@Ashwin
This sounds great! 
@Ashwin
I’m drooling
@Ashwin
Make sure the alcohol is vegan! You can check out the website Barnivore 
Jo said:
@Ashwin
This just seems like a regular dinner, not fine dining. Seems yummy, but like the salad is just a regular one, and hummus on a salad can be too thick in consistency.
Well, of course, you have to be creative and make it fancy. The carrot cake could look something like this for example:
I don’t have specific recipe recommendations, but maybe check out the menus of well-liked vegan places like Crossroads Kitchen for inspiration?
There are a few cookbooks put out by fine dining restaurants.
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Acorn (Pacific Coast fusion)
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Crossroads (Mediterranean, with lots of pasta)
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Dirt Candy (Also fusion, but East Coast)
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Eleven Madison Park (kind of difficult to follow at home, but inspiring)
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Nobu’s Vegetarian (Japanese fusion)
There’s also an anthology book called “Great Chefs Cook Vegan”.
I’d suggest getting one of these books that appeals to you the most and flipping through it for ideas. This will give you more relevant inspiration than random recipes.
Look at Meera Sodha’s recipes. She’s got Indian-influenced dishes and they’re amazing. Her cookbook East changed the way I cook: I don’t think of protein + 3 veg anymore, I focus on flavors and how nuts, beans, lentils, tofu, or whatever protein I have works with those flavors.
How thoughtful! If you decide to go with an Italian menu, I made this vegan basil ice cream for a few dinner parties over the summer, and it’s elegant and unique.
Are you accepting applications for new friends? 
Derek Sarno has lots of great ideas! This one is awesome, I made it for a date night and it was a hit.
Well, if I suggested what’s really fine dining, I just don’t think you’d easily be able to find the ingredients. But if you can, I’d be happy to help you figure it out!