Ithaca, N.Y. — Leave it to the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca to break convention with its black bean burger ($17), making one that is actually juicy. Crumbly and dry is usually the result when you mash black beans together into a patty and fry it, but not so much here.
I couldn’t really tell how the patty was treated to get its juiciness — my guess is coconut oil, since the item is listed as vegan — but it was evident in the runoff from the burger. On top was a cilantro-spiked slaw that mixed together with chipotle aioli to add some earthy, tangy depth. We detected cumin and paprika in the burger itself, which lent itself to a smoky and spicy, but not hot, flavor. If there was a complaint with the dish, it was the paltry portion of roasted potatoes served as a side. They were good, but few.