Vegan at Vast
Dining out as a vegan isn’t always easy. Even with the handful of great plant-based options popping up in our city, it can still be challenging to find traditional restaurants that provide substantial plant-based options without changing a dish from the chef’s original intent, especially in fine dining. Luckily, there is an ever-increasing demographic of diners who are seeking such fare, and one special restaurant is answering the call: Vast.
When Vast first introduced their vegan tasting menu, a four-course menu that changes each month, it was something they only offered one week out of the month. They soon found more and more patrons asking for it and decided to make it a staple. They haven’t just added a few vegan-friendly items scattered throughout their menu; this is more akin to attending a chef’s dinner where the menu is highly curated and each course plays off of the other. Sous Chef Zachariah Storie, who heads up most of their plant-based menu, makes these dishes feel less like a substitution for something that’s missing and more like an elevated experience. While not vegan himself, he looked at creating these menus as a chance to grow and learn as a chef. He’s had fun finding new ways to build flavor in dishes without relying on traditional fats and meats. When I asked him what his favorite item from past months’ tasting menus was, he mentioned their take on a crab cake using jackfruit and an aqua faba aioli.
While Storie draws inspiration for his menus from cuisines around the world, this month’s menu was inspired by his love and longing for a good ole Oklahoma springtime. Our first course was a pulled jackfruit slider topped with a thick cut onion ring and tangy cabbage slaw on a toasted roll. The jackfruit perfectly mimics the texture of pulled meat for a comforting sandwich that truly wasn’t missing a thing. The second course was a black-eyed pea soup with dill poblano crema, topped with a fried beet nest. I’ve had many fine black-eyed pea soups in my life, and this one was much more than fine. Full of flavor, Storie explained how he slowly smoked beets and onions and then puréed and incorporated them into the soup, building a smoky flavor profile similar to bacon or ham in your typical pot of beans. The “crema” was made from finely ground macadamia nuts, and the beet nest added a perfect light crunch. Next on the list was your “meat and potatoes” dish, which featured house-made seitan that was smoked for an hour and a half, sautéed green beans, and a perfect mustard potato salad croquette that was lightly fried on the outside and creamy on the inside. We finished with a dessert that included a white wine poached pear, a bright berry sorbet, and a raspberry mousse. This trio rounded out the four-course meal perfectly.
We left feeling full, satisfied, and looking forward to coming back next month to see what else Zachariah and his team have concocted. Vast has done a beautiful job of creating a fun and approachable, yet elegant plant-based menu that vegans and non-vegans alike can thoroughly enjoy. For the many vegans out there who are looking for some new dining options, I highly suggest giving this a try. Enjoying the great view of our city offered at Vast is just the cherry on top of this vegan cake!
49th Floor of the Devon Tower, Oklahoma City
