Imagine a conversation with a friend that starts thusly: "I just went to this restaurant in the East Village. It's down a flight of stairs. And it's vegetarian, vegan-friendly, in fact! Oh, and they're involved in some mess with Con Ed, so they don't have any gas in the kitchen and are relying on induction burners and hotplates." Sounds like the worst meal I could imagine, actually. The reality: It's great. Whether or not you're a vegetarian, you will enjoy Dirt Candy. And I think that's exactly what head chef Amanda Cohen's going for. --Jeff Harris