By Maya Konings
As a vegetarian who considers eating out to be one of my favorite activities, I always get excited to go to restaurants that prioritize a thoughtful plant-based dining experience. Enter PLANTA: an entirely vegan restaurant serving a menu of exciting gourmet fare, ranging from sushi rolls to pizzas and (spoiler alert) a “Bang Bang Broccoli” appetizer that has since appeared in a number of my dreams. PLANTA’s co-founders CEO Steven Salm and Executive Chef David Lee believe that dining should be an “unguilty pleasure,” and they strive to celebrate the “power of plants” through their menu and values, according to their website.
After opening its first restaurant in South Beach, Florida in 2016, PLANTA now operates 10 restaurants in three states and Toronto, with more locations across the country set to open in the near future. Lucky for D.C. residents, PLANTA’s newest addition is just a short jaunt on the Red Line to Bethesda, MD. As soon as I learned about its opening, I knew I had to grab my roommate and make the trip for dinner.
Walking into PLANTA on Elm street in the heart of Bethesda’s town center, I felt like I was dining in a lush, green, jungle-esque environment. I couldn’t help but think of an upscale Rainforest Café fit for adults (minus the jungle noises, of course), though that barely does it justice. The service was friendly and prompt, and we were quickly settled into our pink velvet chairs in view of the beautifully decorated bar.
Though PLANTA is definitely on the pricier side, visiting on “Maki Monday,” which offers $8 maki rolls (or $27 for unlimited if you are really coming with an appetite), allowed us to significantly reduce our bill. We opted to try three different maki rolls, one nigiri, and one additional appetizer to share. Each item came out individually as it was ready, allowing for a delightful and well-paced tasting experience.
Spicy Tuna Roll
The first plate to arrive at our table was the spicy tuna roll, and it truly started our meal off with a bang. The dish uses watermelon and coconut to mimic the classic flavor of a spicy tuna roll with none of the fish. I have been a vegetarian my entire life, so I honestly have no idea what a spicy tuna roll (or any meat/seafood for that matter) actually tastes like, but my omnivorous roommate claimed that the PLANTA experience was nearly identical to the real thing. All I know is that this dish tasted pretty freaking good, especially with a generous dip of the spicy (vegan) mayo served on the side.
Dragon Roll
Next up was the Dragon Roll, which is filled with tempura broccoli and spinach, and then topped with avocado and a sweet & spicy unagi sauce. This was probably the dish I was the least crazy about, which is just to say that it was only *good* rather than outstanding like everything else. The flavors felt pretty simple and predictable, and the texture of the filling was a tad too dense. I still enjoyed the Dragon Roll, but I would skip it next time to save room for some of the more innovative and exciting menu items.
Unagi Eggplant Nigiri
I know this will sound dramatic, but after taking one bite of the Unagi Eggplant Nigiri—which features thinly sliced eggplant coated in a rich truffle miso sauce in an attempt to mimic eel—my life was forever changed. The miso truffle glaze has a deep, decadent, umami flavor unlike anything else I’ve ever tasted, and while it sounds cliché, the eggplant itself literally melts in your mouth. Ask any of my friends, parents, classmates, random passersby in Kogan: I have sung the praises of this two-bite dish to anyone who will listen. It’s really that good.
Bang Bang Broccoli
Unfortunately, photos of this dish don’t do it justice, which is a shame because the Bang Bang Broccoli was one of the clear standouts of our meal. While it is technically only an appetizer, the dish comes with a very substantial serving of tender broccoli fried to perfection in crispy yet light tempura batter, coated in a generous helping of gingery peanut sauce. It is often easy for tempura to become soggy, but the broccoli inexplicably remained crisp the entire time, even with the sauce on top. No matter what else you decide to order, the Bang Bang Broccoli is not a want, it’s a need.
Torched and Pressed
It was an extremely long and stressful process to decide which one dish of the night was my favorite, but I have finally settled on this one. The Torched and Pressed is a maki roll that has a miso truffle sauce similar to the Unagi Eggplant Nigiri, but is served over avocado instead. Everything about this dish is pure perfection: the flavor of the sauce is rich and indulgent, but the bites are small enough to keep it from becoming heavy. I don’t know where PLANTA sources their avocados from or what they do to them, but the texture of the thin slices on top of the rice were creamier than any I’ve ever bought off of the Whole Foods shelves. Words fail to describe the beauty of this dish, so you’re just going to have to trust me that it’s unequivocally worth the trek up to Bethesda.
All in all, PLANTA was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. I feel ecstatic having an upscale dining experience where plant-based food is the star of the show rather than an overpriced afterthought. However, PLANTA is not just good for being a vegan restaurant, it’s just good food, period. Next time you have a special occasion or just feel like treating yourself, it’s 100% worth making the visit (and don’t forget to go on a Monday for the best sushi deals!).
