Ed U.
Yelp
Oh my, when I chose this spot for a light brunch. I had no idea it was part of a high-end wellness retreat business. In fact, Jamie W. and I thought we were in the wrong place when we walked in because it looked like one of those Goop-like stores where they had lotions and creams organized on white back-lit shelves. When we started walking out, we noticed a little stand and then the cafe laid out behind the retail store.
I asked the woman if there was a free table, and she kindly showed us one even though it looked like most people made reservations. There were lots of blonde people and lots of tanned people, sometimes both at the same time. There were also several young people busily tapping on their laptops. Next to us were a couple of young turks talking about the post-COVID business plans of their respective start-up ventures. Ah, youth.
The menu was full of the healthy-sounding dishes which attracted us here in the first place. Jamie ordered the $17 Autumn Harvest Salad which consisted of roasted squash, Brussels sprouts, red quinoa, arugula, pickled onion, shards of cheddar cheese, and a maple-mustard vinaigrette (photo: https://bit.ly/3FcVZn9). It was tasty and definitely a creation that announced fall - even though pumpkin was conspicuous by its absence. I went for the $19 Cauliflower Fried Rice.
It was a hearty mix of maitake and oyster mushrooms, heirloom vegetables, pickles, kimchi, chili oil, and cilantro chutney topped with a fried egg for an additional $4 (photo: https://bit.ly/3TAMEKm). It was just what I wanted without the carb guilt of rice. To wash it all down, we ordered $4.50 Flat Whites with almond milk for an extra $1.50 (photo: https://bit.ly/3N3p2eJ). Let the finger tapping on the laptops continue. Let the young turks blather on. We decided the route to our wellness was through our stomachs.
FOOD - 4 stars..healthy dishes in reasonable portions that turned out tasty and filling enough
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...like sitting in Gwyneth Paltrow's dining room
SERVICE - 4 stars...the young staff was quite attentive
TOTAL - 4 stars...a wellness emporium that acts as a magnet for ladies who lunch and start-up success wannabes
RELATED - Hungry in NYC? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2YS9ELs