Heirloom (Closed as of 4/06)

Pure Food And Wine owner Matthew Kenney has added another establishment to his rapidly expanding vegetarian empire: Heirloom. Open just a week, Heirloom already seems to have its formula down pat. The servers are knowledgeable and friendly, the semicircle banquettes are comfy, and the food is artfully presented and sometimes startling in its creativity.

The restaurant is upscale, but it aims to comfort. Tonight, my companion and I were delighted to receive a complimentary basket of jalapeno hush puppies. Although I would have liked a bit more jalapeno, I did get the requisite kick from the accompanying spicy creme fraiche. (There was also a maple mustard butter.)

Although the portobello "foie gras" appetizer sounded appealing, I decided on the carrot soup. A spiral of creme fraiche, a hint of chive oil and a few chewy carrot dumplings had me tilting the bowl to collect the last few drops of soup. But I was especially enthralled with my companion's "tempura sushi." Gossamer slices of persimmon, artichoke and chayote were colorful stand-ins for sushi fish, and tempura haricot verts provided some crunch in the maki.

I enjoyed my entree, but my heart belonged to my companion's "seafood trio." This assortment of trumpet royale and bluefoot mushrooms was disguised as seared scallops, fried calamari and grilled fluke, which were served on a bed of garlicky sauteed spinach. The scallops in particular were eerily authentic. I ordered the moqueca, which is a Brazilian shrimp stew usually served with rice. Heirloom's veggie interpretation showcased delicious chunks of flash-fried housemade tofu, but excluded the rice; I missed it. (The accompanying banana pepper empanadas were a nice touch.)

My dessert was an impressive, cocoa-dusted tableau of chocolate-syrup-drenched black cocoa cake, espresso ice cream and crunchy roasted coffee bean bark. A layer of sweet chestnut spread inside the cake balanced the strong chocolate and coffee flavors. My companion ordered the raisin-studded, white-chocolate-iced spice cake. (I ate all of the caramelized walnuts on the side.) And in the interest of providing the most comprehensive review possible, I also tried the chocolate parfait, which was really a nut-sprinkled chocolate mousse atop some jelled grapes... I suppose I'm more accustomed to a cake foundation, but you'll never catch me complaining about chocolate.

Heirloom: 191 Orchard St., (212) 228-9888.