Rosh behavior: Grins celebrates the Jewish New Year veggie/kosher-style
by Dana Kopp Franklin
Grins, the vegetarian kosher cafe on Vanderbilt campus that is also part of the Bongo Java empire, has a festive seasonal dinner coming up. It will mark two different new-year celebrations — the start of the school year and also the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah. Chef Rusty Johnson has come up with a creative menu that is both vegetarian and kosher (and a pretty good deal as well) with four courses for $30, tax and tip not included.
The meal will start with house-made focaccia with fresh herb butter, followed by chilled sweet corn soup with basil, mint and chili oil; cornmeal-battered okra and Vidalia onion fritter with heirloom tomato, green goddess dressing and sumac; stone-baked pizzetta with baby lima puree, Juliet tomato, garlic confit, parmesan and parsley; and for dessert, a dark chocolate-clementine pot de crème with vanilla bean whipped cream.
Vegan versions of all courses are available on request. For beverages, organic Bongo Java coffee and Numi Iced Tea will be served. You may bring your own bottle of wine, as long as it is certified kosher. Make reservations at amanda@bongojava.com. Grins is in Vanderbilt's Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life, at 25th Avenue and Vanderbilt Place, across from Memorial Gym.
