Pure Food And Wine

54 Irving Place, Gramercy, NY

8.6

map & more

Neighborhood
Gramercy

Cuisine
Raw Food
Vegetarian

Nearby
Gramercy Theatre
Irving Plaza

212-477-1010

Official Website

By Chris Stang
January 19, 2010

You obviously know by now that we’re not vegetarians. At times, this site feels like little more than a lengthy discussion about skirt steak and pork parts. Why then, are we giving so much love to a restaurant serving only raw food? Because while we may not be vegetarians, we are devoted hedonists, and Pure Food and Wine is all about pleasure. That and every musician we know talks about the place like it’s the Carnegie Hall of restaurants.

A few years back, Sarma Melngailis decided to show New York that a raw food restaurant doesn’t have to mean serving carrot sticks and lentils to a soundtrack of Ben Harper songs. Pure Food And Wine opened, and in the process she’s become an icon among those passionate about the raw lifestyle. Her restaurant, cookbooks, and One Lucky Duck takeaway business have all been extremely successful, and it’s because, raw or not, the food is incredible.

What makes the restaurant particularly special is that, as we mentioned before, it’s a place dedicated to pleasure. The food is obviously meant to make you feel good, but there are also some slammin’ cocktails, a solid wine list, and a ridiculously large garden out back that ensure that you’ll be feeling it on all levels. You’re going to be surprised at how much you like what you’re eating, and even though your bank account will be the one thing feeling less healthy after your meal, you’re going to want to come back. Don’t be afraid. Eating at Pure now and again doesn’t mean you have to give up your burgers and steaks. It just means you’ll look like sh*t compared to all the hot, healthy people in there if you don’t.

Food Rundown:

Salad of Frisee, Wild Arugula, and Belgian Endive in Banyuls Vinaigrette
A really nice salad, put together with a cashew “cheese”, pear slices, and a sweet and tangy vinaigrette made from dessert wine.

Asparagus Sushi Rolls with Mirin Soaked Forest Mushrooms
At first glance, this is a pretty straightforward sushi roll with some very tasty veggies inside. What you might not notice is that the “rice” is mostly jicama with some pine nuts.

Zucchini and Local Hothouse Tomato Lasagne
This one seems to be the perennial favorite on the menu. Fresh and delicious, this has a sun-dried tomato marinara and macadamia pumpkin seed ricotta that gives it the flavor of a traditional lasagna. Could be the best thing we had all night.

Wasabi Sesame Cabbage Salad with Cashew-Black Sesame Crunch and Wasabi Aioli
This salad is a new addition to the One Lucky Duck takeaway menu, and it’s really, really good. We’re already petitioning for a One Lucky Duck midtown so we can get this into our daily lunch rotation.

Sweet Pickled Tri Color Beet Ravioli Stuffed with Golden Raisin and Pistachio Cheese
Half dollar sized beet “ravioli”, these again use the nut cheese to trick you into thinking you’ve got some dairy on the plate, and they’re excellent.

King Oyster Mushroom Scallops with Hijiki Seaweed Caviar
What looks like a scallop is actually a mushroom, and it tastes good, especially with that tomato broth that’s on the plate.

Mint Sundae
Another house favorite, coconut serves as the substitute for dairy, and the result is something that tastes like mint chocolate ice cream with Thin Mints on top. Nice.