Where to Eat: Elizabeth's Gone Raw

This is not what we had, but an incredible looking tiramisu 

I like to consider myself somewhat experienced with quality dining, at least for a 24 year-old, but being at Elizabeth's Gone Raw made me feel like a country bumpkin. I can honestly say that I have NEVER had a dining experience even close to this level. Firstly, the decor of Elizabeth's Gone Raw, located in a converted town house in Thomas Circle, is elegant and beautiful. I mean, there was more than one fork--classy stuff. Secondly, and most important, all of the food is raw vegan. As in not cooked. But you will not encounter one item on this menu that is bland or boring.

For $75, Elizabeth's offers a 5 course tasting menu, which is based on local and seasonal produce and changes weekly (wine pairings are an additional $45). This is not the caliber of meal that I spring for often, but since I had class on Valentine's Day, Andrew and I decided to celebrate the Friday after, and have this meal be our gift to each other. Since this was a very expensive meal, I was nervous that my very high expectations were not going to be met. Oh, was I wrong.

We started with kale chips, which were inhaled in under two minutes. They were perfectly crunchy and delicious, and had a slightly spicy crust on them. It was the perfect snack to start our meal.

We were then brought a beautiful salad of forest mushrooms and baby arugula with a truffle vinaigrette. I don't usually like raw mushrooms, but these were so flavorful, and the dressing was the perfect complement. At this point, I knew that there was no longer any worry of not meeting my expectations.

Just a note that due to a) forgetting and b) being self conscious since we were by far the youngest people in the restaurant, I did not take pictures of the food. All of the pictures in this post, aside from the kale chips, are not what we actually ate, but other dishes that Elizabeth's serves.

So after our delicious salad, we were brought our appetizer, which was hemp flatbread with shaved fennel, green olive tapenade, and tarragon sauce. Our waitress informed us that this was their take on pizza, and it was fantastic. The flavors were so rich, and every bite just melted in your mouth. Another big hit.

Again, not what we ate but a mushroom tart that looks fantastic

However, little did we know that the best was yet to come. The main course was a butternut squash lasagna with kale salad. When I first saw this on the menu I was imagining some shaved butternut squash with some marinara, but dear lord was I wrong. I can easily say that this was the most incredible lasagna, raw or otherwise, that I have ever had. Fresh butternut squash was layered with creamy cheese made from nuts, and paired with pistachio pesto. The kale salad was light and zesty, and the perfect pairing with the creamy lasagna. It was truly amazing, and I'm really mad that I didn't snap a picture before diving in.

I was very satisfied at this point, but when the dessert came out I got my second wind. We were served a beautiful vanilla almond panna cotta with raspberries and warm cacao sauce. This was truly the perfect dessert--light and smooth but still plenty flavorful. I loved the vanilla and the dark chocolate together, and the raspberries added a lot of flavor and texture.

Overall, Andrew and I were both blown away by this meal. I really can't think of a more unique and delicious meal that I have ever eaten. I cannot recommend enough that you splurge on a special occasion and try Elizabeth's Gone Raw--I promise you won't regret it. The staff is friendly and welcoming, the decor is elegant, and food is outstanding. It was a perfect way to spend our first vegan Valentine's Day!