Purely Amazing
The smell of a warm turkey pot pie with a nice flakey crust gives me goosebumps… not raw beets and eggplant puree. However, I stopped drinking my Haterade (yes, I said Haterade) and took a trip last year to Pure Food & Wine to explore the world of raw cooking (is that an oxymoron?).
Pure, located at 54 Irving Place, is a raw vegan restaurant where nothing is heated above 118 degrees to preserve vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Listed five years in a row by Forbes magazine as one of their ”All Star New York Eateries,” you barely notice that the food is untouched by the heat of an oven or stove top. With a 100% plant-based menu, you won’t find any processed ingredients including tofu, tempeh or seitan. I love the Asparagus Sushi Rolls with Mirin Soaked Forest mushrooms ($16) and Thai Coconut Noodles in Galangal Red Coconut Curry ($24). The wine and cocktail menu rounds out the entire experience, made with fresh-pressed organic juices and agave nectar, like the Purple Rain ($15) which has fresh raspberries, blueberries, yuzu and sake.
Although the plates are small and prices high, the quality of the ingredients and cooking experience behind the stove…err…blender…leave you feeling well satisfied and practically refreshed.
