Hot Dish

Yeah, this is just the thing. Drop by an uptown joint to watch the Magic play the Knicks, hunker down at the bar, grab a brewski, and lay into...a veggie burger? Everything about the Uptown Bar & Grill seems like a typical after-work stop-in bar: its dimness, its dull decor, the foosball tables, twin televisions, the wise and friendly waitress. But the big deal-meal here is not the macho fare you'd expect. Instead, the menu star is a veggie burger. It's made of--no, not beans--a mixture of brown rice, nuts, mushrooms, onions, and seasonings, molded into a flat patty and served on a toasted sesame-seed bun with all the trimmings. Plus, it has more flavor than most burgers but only two-and-a-half grams of fat.

--Mary Brown Malouf

The Veggie Burger at the Uptown Bar & Grill, 2412 Fairmount Street. 969-9433.