Candle Cafe

06/26/2008 Posted by lellen1

Number one rule in the restaurant business, when a customer finds an insect crawling in their food, they should be given a full refund and a sincere apology.... A good, well trained manager should know exactly how to handle these situations when they happen because word gets around and when you loose regular customers, that is really bad for business. If i was treated properly i would not be writing this review. Where is the kind and friendly customer service. I have eaten there dozens of times and i'm afraid after what i experienced tonight (thur 26th June) i will not return - i go to restaurants where customers are appreciated and treated with a little bit of respect... I'm so disappointed in Candle cafe..... Also, Candle cafe need to spend a little extra money and hire a few more delivery people because 1 hour wait when you only live around the corner is a little ridiculous. So as much as i hate to say it, i just would not recommend this restaurant anymore. Awful, just plain awful....

12/05/2007 Posted by vda

Due to the lack of Vegetarian/Vegan restaurants on the UES (or in NYC) when I want the convenience of ordering take out after a long hard day, I have little choice but to order from Candle Cafe. The entire take out process is truly a test of ones patience. I understand being put on hold, due to the sheer volume of take out calls. I do not however understand the borderline rude, devoid of personality staff taking my order in a rushed, annoyed fashion after I have waited patiently to place said order. Cut to me recieving luke warm, mediocre, food 45 min. to 1 hour later. Not only is the food sub-par, there is, more times than not something incorrect about my order. Okay so mistakes happen, but at Candle Cafe do not expect inept management to care, or to go out of their way to take care of the problem. They will resend your order, but just because they screwed up does not mean you will not be waiting another 45min to 1 hour for the replacement, which will usually be missing a sauce or condiment. This restaurant cares little for their clientele and it shows. I suppose the reason they get away with running a customer service based business this way is the lack of competition. Ordering takeout from this restaurant is a major (expensive) inconvenience, and I would recommend you think twice before you decide to chance it.

Pros: Fresh Organic Ingrediants

12/02/2007 Posted by pvahabzadeh

Food is great and very tasty; although the menu could use some updates. Unfortunately, the excellent food is marred by very poor customer service. I recommend going to the restaurant rather then ordering in. Phone waits can be up to 20 minutes long with no apology for the wait. Should any problems arise at the restaurant, management is very nonchalant and not eager to help.

Pros: Great food

Cons: Poor service

08/13/2007 Posted by lwilson00

I go to Candle Cafe several times a year for special occasions. (birthdays, wedding anniversary, holidays). I've never been disappointment by the high quality of delicious food, service and staff.

Pros: Always good

Cons: take public transportation - not a car

08/03/2007 Posted by mysteron

A definite must-try. I'll begin by saying that I'm not a vegetarian, but greatly enjoy veggie-only concoctions on a regular basis. Yesterday, looking for some savory-yet-healthy options in Manhattan, I was able to pull up Candle Cafe in a quick search. I was excited to try it as the menu looked instantly tantalizing, sans the guilt factor. Our carry-out order: corn chowder soup and crystal rolls for appetizers, and the Indian plate and the Beluga lentil and watercress wrap as entrees. I asked the woman who took our order on the phone if she had any of her own recommendations, and she assured me that the Indian plate was "really, really delicious." In fact, most of their menu items, especially the creative daily specials, looked mouthwatering. All in all, we enjoyed how flavorful and fresh our food was. The corn chowder was great, but not heavy/creamy the way you see in many other places. The crystal rolls were truly divine - they packed in a huge amount of flavor while still tasting light, and the sesame miso dressing was an instant favorite. My boyfriend absolutely loved his wrap, and said it was the perfect-sized portion as it left him feeling comfortably full. However, the Indian plate was a huge disappointment. It came with chickpea masala, tofu-spinach saag, date-raisin chutney, basmati rice and paratha bread. While we happily munched away at the bread, the rest of the dish simply didn't deliver. We are huge fans of Indian cuisine, and found that everything on the plate was far too dry (barely any gravy), and even worse, BLAND. It was terrible. Indian food is supposed to have a distinctive, spicy flavor! However, I'm willing to be forgiving as everything else we tried was truly yummy and gratifying. I'm looking forward to an actual dine-in experience next time - one where we also get to indulge in their smoothies and desserts, too! Try it out, even if you don't think you'd enjoy vegetarian food - you may be sweetly surprised.

Pros: Healthy without sacrificing flavor, creative menu items

Cons: Pricey ($9 seemed a bit much for an appetizer with four small rolls), but this is to be expected with most healthy/organic options these days.

09/09/2006 Posted by mklknyc

Yummy vegetarian food. The seitan dishes are great. I have been to this place 3 times and will go back again. I could eat there anytime.

Pros: Casual atmosphere

Cons: Gets crowded

10/23/2005 Posted by ajain

I went to this place first about a month ago and was a little wary because it was all vegatarian, but the food was absolutely amazing. We had 4 appetizers, 2 main courses, and dessert- and nothing was a disappointment. The servers are also really helpful in explaining the menu (like seitan- never heard of it before I went to this place). I've been back once already and definitely will continue to go. If the cafe on 75th is busy, they have another location just up the street on 79th, which is huge.

Pros: ambiance, service, food

Cons: slightly expensive, smaller portions

07/11/2005 Posted by carlislelinny

I just got back from The Candle Cafe and the food was exellent! Nice sized portions with great flavors. The staff was okay--they were very helpful and friendly if I asked a question--but they don't stop by too often. The only downsize is the price--way expensive. Lunch specials hover around $13 or so, but go as hight as $18. I understand the reason for this, but I will definitely eat there many more times! Good to have such options on the UES.

Pros: healthy, fresh, delicious

Cons: expensive, long wait for food, shy staff

06/12/2005 Posted by debdevine

i can't tell you how much i love this place and the people who work there. you feel so good while you're there, the food and wine is organic and fresh and tasty, and the staff is warm and helpful. just eating there makes you want to be a better person, or at least eat like one.

Pros: everything

06/12/2005 Posted by sarewi

And so do thousands of other New Yorkers and travelling vegans from around the country and world. It's always packed, so you know they have a good thing going on. But taste for yourself -- it's absolutely delicious!!