Can vegan food be fancy?  It sure can be.  Can vegan food be tasty? Yes.  Can vegan food be fancy and tasty?  Sometimes.  So was the case at Pure Food and Wine in New York City.  My friend Angela and I went there to celebrate her birthday.  The restaurant specializes in raw food and nothing is heated above 118 degrees so that the enzymes, minerals and vitamins in the ingredients are preserved.  It was a typical Tuesday night and the place was rather barren at 7 o’clock, but half an hour later, it was almost a full house.

Out of the four dishes ordered, 2 were pretty good, one was just ok, and one managed to get an “interesting” from the both of us.

The appetizers (first course) started out strong, so we were looking forward to the main course (second course).  Unfortunately, the appetizers out-shined the main dishes, which were rather disappointing.  I have to admit though, it was my first time eating many of the ingredients so I did not know what to expect.  Going in with an inexperienced vegan palette might have put me at a disadvantage as an food reviewer, but it allowed me to be as objective as possible.  Dessert is classified as a third course, but we didn’t order any.

King Oyster Mushroom Scallops – This dish was well done.  The texture of the mushroom went really well with the chive crème fraiche.  The tomato broth was a bit light on the flavor and the flavor the black caviar was masked by the crème fraiche.  The wilted watercress was cooked with black garlic, but I couldn’t taste the black garlic.

Green Papaya Salad – Crunchy, spicy, and tangy.  This was my favorite dish of the night.

Beet Ravioli – While it might not look like ravioli in the traditional sense, it’s basically a soft cheese sandwiched between two thin slices of pickled beets.  The flavor of the cheese reminded me of the crème fraiche.

Enchiladas – The term enchilada is loosely used for this dish.  The different layers of flavor hits the tongue at all angles.  First comes the hints of Mexican spices, then the flavor of cinnamon and the pumpkin seeds takes over.  It’s a bit of Mexico, and a bit of Autumn.  The flavors seemed to clash a bit.  As Angela put it, this dish would be better used as a spread than an entree.  The texture is soft with the occasional soft crunch of pumpkin seeds.  Interesting.

Final Thoughts

This type of food isn’t for everybody, but I suggest you go and try it out for yourself.  Don’t forget, this is a vegan restaurant.  If you’re a full-time carnivore, I don’t think anything on the menu is going to give you the satisfaction that you’re looking for.  It’s going to be hit or miss when it comes to the food, and your palette will either be in for a treat or a shock.  The place has the atmosphere of fine dining and the food isn’t cheap.  There’s nothing special about the ambiance.  Dimmed lights, small votive candle…been there, done that.  Going in too hungry might result in searching for a heavier meal someplace else afterwards.  I left barely satiated and my stomach still had vacancies for more.  Reservations are recommended.   Three out of the four items we ordered were not on the online menu, so choose your dishes when you get to the restaurant.  Recommended for vegans, vegetarians, and those who can keep an open mind.

Pure Food and Wine
54 Irving Place
New York, NY

Food: 3.5 out of 5

Service: 4 out of 5

Ambiance: 3.5 out of 5