July 29 (apple onion chutney) -- ``Tooks Court Never heard of it, mate,''the London cabbie said as I asked for Vanilla Black, a fine new vegetarian eatery. His satellite-navigation screenspotted an unmarked alley off Chancery Lane, where many law firmsare based.

    A vegetarian restaurant is hard to find, especially a good one.Diners at this hideaway might feel they are being let in on asecret. Vanilla Black won't get passing trade: Nobody walks by,apart from people in legal jobs. Even then, a barrister I know withan office nearby said most of her colleagues are men who loveburgers and would rather starve than eat vegetables.

    My guests included a risk consultant who describes herself as ``adiehard carnivore.'' She found plenty to keep her happy, and ravedabout the sweet-potato vindaloo and saffron risotto.

    Not that Vanilla Black competes with Indian vegetarian chains suchas Rasa. It's more up against gourmet restaurants with garden menussuch as Morgan M and Roussillon. Think vegetarian haute cuisine.

    If you consider that a contradiction in terms, it's time to stopviewing ``veggie'' eateries as bland, boring, and favoring quantityover quality: Vanilla Black's artfully presented creations are morefilling than they may seem.

    One caveat for diet watchers and those with milk allergies: You'dbetter like British cheese. If not, as Brits might say, ``hardcheddar.'' There are alternatives, but there's a lot of cheese onthe menu.

    Apple Galette

    Starters include aged Feta and toasted-orange cake, peach chutneyand green olives; or red-Leicester toastie with homemadepiccalilli. Mains include steamed cabbage and Longmans-maturecheddar with braised beans, port and raisin and potato; or bakedblue Vinney cheese and Bramley-apple galette, with celery crisp andspring onion. Dessert-wine marinated Cornish blue could completethe meal.

    What these dishes have in common, apart from cheese, is anenthusiasm for spicy combinations. Lovers of plain grub may find ita bit too fussy and might like to keep the menu to hand as anaide-memoire, though the friendly staff are happy to elaborate.

    Take, for example, the Hickory smoked duck egg and DuckettsCaerphilly. This turns out to be a lampshade-looking pudding withpomme puree croquette, a work of art that looks too good to eat,served with a pineapple pickle.

    At least the cep creme brulee was simple, and so good I had ittwice. It's a cup of mushroom custard with biscuits and chervilsalad.

    The desserts also pile on the flavors, where one might suffice(typical dish: chocolate parfait, candied pineapple andblackcurrant sorbet), though the brandied apples and crumbleshortbread with vanilla pod ice cream was a delight.

    Girly Place

    ``Maybe Vanilla Black's more of a girly place,'' one of my guestscommented as we left. ``Somewhere to go with girlfriends, orimpress a vegetarian. It's beautiful, just a bit chi-chi.'' Mydictionary defines this as ``ostentatiously stylish; deliberatelychic,'' so she has a point. The menu works best when flavors don'tclash, and combinations are innovative.

    The modern decor is cool white, as if the decorators had just movedout. It's cozy enough. Too bad there's no open space to add to theromance, like the Bleeding Heart's courtyard.

    On my first visit, at 6:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, our table was theonly one taken, and you could hear a pin drop -- a potentialconversation inhibitor.

    The next time, staff were delighted to see a return customer, whichsuggests there weren't many in the first few weeks. I suspect thiswill change. By the third visit last week, the room was gettingbusy. Things need to be warmed by a buzzy atmosphere of the sortyou'll find at the north London vegan restaurant Saf, which also opened recently.

    Good Bottles

    The wine list is impressive, with some good bottles at the lowerend, such as a crisp organic Chilean Sauvignon Novas, CasablancaValley at 17 pounds. Leclerc Briant champagne is 36 pounds abottle.

    After my last anonymous visit, I telephoned the head chef, AndrewDargue. His first Vanilla Black in York, northern England, wonenough acclaim to regularly book out its 28 covers. After he soldit, it became an Indian restaurant. The loss to York's veggies isLondon's gain. He now has 54 covers and feels recommendations willoutweigh the location. (Vanilla Black is closed on weekends.)

    Dargue persuasively describes the food as ``British classics with atwist.'' It's a complicated, seductive case that might lure JamesKavanagh, the crusty lawyer from the television series ``KavanaghQC,'' or wean Rumpole of the Bailey, another stodgy TV character,off his favorite steak-and-kidney puddings.

    Vanilla Black, 17-18 Tooks Court, EC4A 1LB. Telephone+44-207-242-2622 or click on

http://www.vanillablack.co.uk.

    The Bloomberg Questions

    Cost Two courses for 24 pounds, three for 30 pounds for dinner.

    Sound level Can be a little too subdued.

    Date place Yes, for a quiet romantic meal. Not for a livelyouting.

    Inside tip Find it on the map before heading over.

    Special feature No meat in sight.

    Private room No.

    Will I go back Yes.

    Rating ***

    (Mark Beech writes for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

    To contact the writer of this review: Mark Beech in London at mbeech@bloomberg.net.Last Updated: July 28, 2008 20:29 EDT