With a title like New Stars Vegetarian, one might expect an extraordinary and brilliant dining experience within the walls of the laid-back restaurant. Too bad the service outshined the food.

Upon entrance to the restaurant, located on the corner of Champlain and Perrin, our waitress Betty was full of compliments and extremely pleasant, while Chef Alvin came out of his way to make our dining experience as enjoyable as possible.

While the service was exemplary, New Stars itself also holds enchanting secrets inside. With traditional tan walls, a brown ceiling with drop lighting chandeliers, and a spotlight on artwork in burgundy and gold, New Stars retains a classy feel with an earthy backdrop.

Unfortunately, the appeal of New Stars ends there.

While the restaurant stands as a favorite among many vegetarians who are seventh day Adventists (a denomination that requires all things that touch the tongue to be clean and pure), I found the menu lacking.

Though it was nice not to scrutinize the menu for unclean foods, I first noticed the number of fried foods, each with an extremely high content of fat.

I skipped the fried foods and instead opted for a spring roll appetizer for $5 and, for the main course, a house salad with salmon (about $7), the only familiar food on the menu.

The spring rolls, wrapped and stuffed with vegetables and brussel sprouts, was wrapped in a clean manner. The veggies, paired with croutons and other mixes, was of a healthy flavor.

The mixed green salad, dressed with onions, tomatoes, and a light dressing, was simple but original.

However, the salmon came as something of a shock. At New Stars, they serve substitutes instead of authentic meat or fish. Instead, I was met with tofu. After I braved the fish substitute, I decided I would never reccomend the meal to a friend.

The restaurant is a great option for not only vegetarians, but stern vegans. The menu caters to both preferences as well as others searching for a simple and healthy dinner. However, each plate seemed to forget flavor.

Though I considered the food bland and unimpressive, I was pleased to discover that a customer can eat a healthy, large amount of food and not spend the family fortune. Each appetizer and lunch plate costs from around $4-$8, while the dinner portions are mid-priced at around $15 for the meat entrees. New Stars also offers various drinks, from the typical soft drink to vegetable juice and green tea, all priced around $3.

For interests in a clean, health-conscious meal the vegetarian restaurant guarantees, call New Stars Vegetarian at 559-434-6363.