Pure Food & Wine
(212) 477-1010
54 Irving Pl
New York,
NY
10003
40.736
-73.9871
Neighborhoods: Midtown, Gramercy Park
What People Are Saying About Pure Food & Wine
The Editor
Allison Austin
Citysearch
Energetic servers whip about the dining room, describing dishes--"the crust is made from dehydrated cashews; the noodles are made from squash"--to a curious and somewhat skeptical audience. Fuchsia high-backed chairs punch color into the dimly lit room. In seasonal weather, the outdoor patio, a gorgeous expanse surrounded by thriving herbs, captivates. Because everything on the plate is organic, dairy- and meat-free, and--gasp--entirely raw, dining here can be distracting; it's difficult not to analyze each bite. What's surprising is that everything is delicious. Standout starters include lettuce wraps filled with mango, cabbage, ginger and cashews and an outstanding tamarind-chili sauce. Ambitious entree creations, like squash pasta in truffle sauce with shaved truffles and lasagna with a striking basil-pistachio pesto and ricotta made from pignola nuts, are worthy of a return visit. A blueberry tart with lemon verbena ice cream is a summery finish.
User Reviews
Lobsterman27
May 29, 2009
Went here for an anniversary dinner with my wife--I should have read further into the reviews on this site before making that mistake. We arrived enthusiastic and ready to have a great meal. The waiter recommended the tasting menu, telling us that it would be a "very filling experience." The first course on a "5-course tasting menu" was literally one bite! I'm no glutton, but I'm not anorexic either. Honestly, a one-bite course (no exaggeration) is just insulting. While waiting for our next famine-sized portion, the wait staff seated another couple literally elbow-to-elbow with us. When I made the reservation, I had mentioned that it was our anniversary and specifically requested a romantic setting. We then proceeded to watch our neighbors get much larger portions of food, and snack on a huge bowl of olives, even though they did not order from the tasting menu and surely paid less than we did!! Seriously, we sat there green with jealousy watching other patrons in the restaurant eat larger-than-elf-sized portions--served much sooner--and all the while I was thinking "this must be the most expensive snack I've ever had." We waited at least 20 minutes for the next few bites. I know some restaurants think that slower service is good because they are not hurrying their customers out the door, but how hard is it to leave something on the table to eat? If you can't do bread, because you're a raw-food restaurant, just leave some olives like you did for the couple sitting two inches to our right. At any half-worthwhile restaurant, this would just be automatic, especially with the tasting menu. And forget the wait staff. At a restaurant with a $70 tasting menu, you should get excellent service from experienced and attentive waiters. These guys seemed like they were just plucked from Frat Boys R Us. We didn't know what we were being served, because the kitchen picks your courses for the tasting menu. This would have been fine, except our waiters mumbled the descriptions of the food, leaving us totally in the dark. Also, they served different menu items to my wife and me with each course. This would have been OK, too, except the courses they chose for my wife were typically about half as much food as they served me. The tiny portions separated by interminable waits continued for over an hour during which we literally got about 7 bites of food. Finally our last course arrived--a huge dessert. Now, why would I go to a raw food, health-oriented restaurant just to fill up on sugar and fat? But that's exactly how they structured it. So the vast majority of calories at our meal were devoid of nutrients. If you must go here, DO NOT ORDER THE TASTING MENU!!! It is a total rip-off. Also, make emphatically clear to the wait staff that you are interested in EATING. That you came here for FOOD, to EAT not to look trendy while pretending to eat. Unless, of course, you're not interested in food. Then this place would be pretty much perfect for you.
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sweets509
March 09, 2009
First, I'm not the type of eater who has a weak stomach, nor do I have any food allergies and I have never gotten sick from food in my life. I went here for dinner with some friends who highly recommended this place. For some reason, right after my meal and in the middle of my dessert I got really really sharp abdominal pains. I ended up running to the restroom and throwing up! It was so bad that I had blurred vision and couldn't get up. I wasn't able to walk or move for a good hour and a half without getting dizzy. I have no idea what in the food gave me such a violent reaction. The food wasn't prepared well since I do not have any allergies. I ended up being sick for 2 days. Beware of this place since the food is raw and if its not prepared well, you might get sick. I am never going back here again. It was expensive and they should be more stringent with the sanitation on the preparation of the food since its served raw.
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msgeminig
January 11, 2009
sorry to say...i went to pure food and wine to have an interesting, amazing nice dinner..i am an experienced raw foodie....at one time i ate raw for 5 yrs..now i still do..but i also eat cooked vegan. i also have created my own recipes...so i'm very familiar with the raw food world. * the "tamales" were a joke...i mean give me a break..it was cashew paste in corn husk. * the food is soooooo over priced * the salad was tiny * the dessert wasn't special * a true disappointment the service was good..no complaints there its a cute place....to many tables...you can clearly hear conversations from across the room.
read full reviewThe Details on Pure Food & Wine
The Extras:
Drop by Pure Juice and Takeaway for ice cream, fresh smoothies and juices, and selected menu items. The small takeout shop is around the corner on 17th Street, between Irving Place and Third Avenue.
What to Drink:
The namesake Pure mojito ($13) is made with tons of fresh mint, lime and sake instead of rum. The wine list features many good options ($25-$45), including refreshing Adelsheim pinot blanc ($35) from Willamette Valley.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Family-Friendly Dining, Outdoor Dining, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Notable Wine List
