A Plant-Based Feast: Knife Pleat’s New Vegan Menu

I was a little unsure when I saw seaweed caviar as the first course on Knife Pleat’s new plant-based dinner menu. My husband had once ordered a similarly named dish at a fancy restaurant on a cruise we took through the Mediterranean last October, and it tasted a little too much like the sea than either of our palates could take. 

This was nothing like that. It should have come as no surprise, though, considering we were dining at Knife Pleat, a Michelin-star restaurant and a jewel in the crown of South Coast Plaza’s culinary offerings. It’s driven by a brilliant powerhouse couple, Chef Tony Esnault and Yassmin Sarmadi. Every time I walk into this place, I feel as though I’ve stepped into a little corner of heaven. It’s a big statement, I know. But there’s definitely a bit of magic happening here. 

In full disclosure, I’m a little late to Knife Pleat’s table—although it opened in 2019, my first in-restaurant meal was only back in May. (I’d sampled Esnault’s culinary creations at various events but hadn’t dined at the restaurant until then.) But I’ve visited twice since the spring, and each time has been more enchanting—and delectable—than the last. The most recent served a dual purpose: to celebrate my wedding anniversary and, as noted earlier, to sample Knife Pleat’s new Flora vegan menu. Hence, the seaweed caviar, which delighted with a range of flavors and textures on the tongue—bright and cool, smooth and crunchy, with cubed avocado, tomatillo marmalade, and a pine nut crumble. My husband, who sampled the Fauna menu, was treated to a similar first course, but it featured the real deal—osetra caviar. The meal didn’t begin there, however. 

Before that, we were presented with a trio of amuse bouches—a Champagne soy milk crema with cashew and apricot chutney; a tartelette of chanterelle and porcini mushrooms with truffle; and panisse served with romesco. They served as wonderful preludes to the courses that followed. For me, that meant a dish dubbed Sungold Tomato, which pairs jackfruit and gooseberries with a delightful tomato gelée, carefully arranged in a ring around a generous dollop of creamy cashew emulsion (without the cream). 

There were six courses in all, each presented with aplomb by a well-versed staff. (There are also four-course and wine-paired options.) And watching the team in action is a sight to behold—it’s like a well-choreographed stage show, with a procession of servers taking hold of domed plates from the gleaming display kitchen and then strolling in unison into the bright, elegant dining room, a space befitting the culinary art that’s created here. But the vibe is far from stuffy or snobby. It’s refined without attitude. 

But let’s get back to the food. Introduced in July, the plant-based menu is inspired by seasonal produce. Although meatfree, the dishes are full of flavor and bite. Some of the Flora and Fauna dishes match up with ingredients, but with slight variations. The Sunflower Risotto, for example, can be found on both menus, but the Fauna version comes with a few flakes of Parmesan. Either way, it’s a standout. The menu is full of standouts, for that matter. The Legumes de Saison is a winner. Colorful baby vegetables—broccoli, zucchini, parsnip, purple cauliflower, radish, celery (12 different varieties)— are served in a bowl, chopped and prepared individually (yes, each vegetable is prepared separately) to enhance their unique flavor profiles and ensure nothing ends up under- or overcooked. The dish is a symphony of tastes and textures—some bites are rich and buttery, others are light and zesty.

There wasn’t a single dish that I didn’t like. A few of them—beyond the seaweed caviar—I found surprising. The black truffle entrée, for example, is constructed around tofu. I love truffle, but I don’t usually care for tofu. Here, the preparation makes the dish sing. Marinated for at least two hours and grilled, the tofu takes on a firm texture with the right bit of char from the grill and a nicely seasoned but mild infusion of flavor to balance the natural pungence of the truffle. I’d order it again, even though I’m not vegan or vegetarian. Dessert serves as the finale. On my visit, it was a choice of berry sorbet with basil and tarragon granité or lemon verbena sorbet with peach, nougatine and a little almond cake. And, here, there’s always one last treat—or, rather, three: a macaron, a petit pâte de fruit, and a gold-topped mendiant. A sweet ending, indeed.