Squid & Ink seems a little like a flashback, reminding me of the gone but not forgotten Gravity Bar. Except this free-standing cafe isn't in the Pike Place Market or on Capitol Hill but smack in the middle of red-hot Georgetown, a neighborhood that's more hippie than hipster.

This makes the area ripe for a vegan restaurant serving whimsical versions of diner classics. Biscuits and gravy ($5.50) is subtitled "goo-covered fluff" and chicken-fried steak ($7.50) is made from seitan, the meat-like wheat gluten. The menu also features faux sausage, ham that's not porky and mock fish and chips.

When Sarah O'Neal and Jarrod Ducat opened Squid & Ink last summer, they were determined to infuse a different flavor into the animal-free dining scene, introducing dishes that weren't available anywhere else.

Done and done!

The setting seems to match the laid-back vibe -- basically some booths and a few tables in a small dining room. When I wandered in for lunch the place was empty, but the music was blasting. A friendly server -- who was doubling as dessert maker -- considerately turned down the volume to allow for conversation.

Start by sharing an order of the stuffed mushrooms ($6.50), which are marinated and then topped with seasoned risotto and tempeh sausage. Other apps that can be passed around include a vegan poutine (gravy-topped fries and "cheez," $7) and golden sweet potato fries ($4.50). I'd make the drive south just for these beauties.

Everything -- even the dinner entrees -- is less than $10, and portions are generous enough to split. That's what I found when I ordered the mondo-size "steak" seirtare ($7.50), featuring strips of seasoned seitan, sauteed onions, green peppers and cabbage tucked into a flour tortilla. Like most entrees, it comes with a choice of fries, soup or a salad. That's a lot of food.

My lone beef about Squid & Ink is the skimpy selection of greens. It would be nice to see a few more meal-size salads at this vegan restaurant.