Inside V Street in Rittenhouse

Perhaps as soon as Saturday, Oct. 18, Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby will open V Street, the couple's vegan bar off Rittenhouse Square (126 S. 19th St.), next to Zama.

Where their Washington West vegan restaurant Vedge is more of a dinner destination, they envision V Street as more of a drop-in - a stop during a night out. No reservations. You're on your own.

The narrow space, a former salon, is set up with an eight-seat bar in front, followed by a 20-seat dining room with white-painted brick walls and bare-topped tables. Two high-tops and six seats at a counter in the open kitchen should be the "fun" spot. You can chat up sous chef Jeremy Scullin and try to place his accent. (He's from New Zealand. You know, Kiwis are vegan.)

The small-plate menu (here) is all about street-food dishes from all over the world - some with modifications to make them vegan. Lángos, the Hungarian fried bread, is not topped with ham here - they use smoked beets with sauerkraut remoulade and dill.

Be prepared for bold flavors, and neat drinks to wash 'em down. The Cruz Control, which blends tequila, horchata and house-made tepache, is a riff on the pina colada. Lokum at the Bazaar has bourbon, jelab and Turkish coffee, and it's whimsically served in a porcelain, New York-y "We Are Happy to Serve You" coffee cup.

Landau suggests about five plates per couple, so you're talking $25 to  $30-ish person, plus drinks.

It will be open nightly. Watch this space or @phillyinsider for the opening date.