One redeeming joy of a hyper New York life is the discovery of an oasis of serenity amidst the maelstrom.  Located at one of those sometimes-threatening five-way intersections, and kitty-kornered from Eighth Street, oft-referred to as Shoe Row, Gobo is precisely the kind of restaurant you wouldn’t expect to find on the lower reaches of Sixth Avenue.  But almost as soon as you open the large wooden door and step into the well-proportioned vestibule with its stone floors and mahogany reception desk, a wash of calm disarms you and you realize you’ve left the crowded Village sidewalks far behind.

With an interior design by Tony Chi and Associates, the abundance of warm woods and fabrics, and a soothing palette of amber, cream and brown go a long way toward creating a zenlike space in which to showcase the cuisine of Yuki Chen, one of the founder/creators of Zen Palate, another temple of haute vegetarian cuisine.  “Food for the five senses” is Gobo’s mandate and the look of the room, a kind of high-end airport lounge, prepares you for the flights of fancy awaiting you on your plate.  Emphasizing nori, seitan, soy, tofu, and konnyaku (a Japanese root vegetable flour), as well as an abundance of root vegetables and mushrooms, greens and rices, this is food which smells delicious as its prepared to order in the open kitchen, and which goes down easily with the well-chosen wines and beers.  It’s no wonder there seem to be a profusion of happy people surrounding you – and not only happy but exceptionally attractive.  Which makes you consider yet again the value of a vegetarian cuisine and its role in good skin – as well as the rumors you’ve heard about a certain few neighborhood celebrities who consider Gobo their kitchen away from home.  Given Gobo’s stylish setting and pleasing atmosphere and the many pleasures of its food, you might consider making it yours as well.