It seems like the streets of Manhattan grab the intense heat and humidity and toss it right back to you, hotter and more humid. Particularly when walking past a bus (New Yorkers, you know what I mean). Brutal.
I had a meeting in Manhattan yesterday. As I parked the car I realized I was blocks from Organic Avenue where just two months ago I attended an advanced raw class with Russell James. The hot walk to the meeting location was more bearable because I knew that later a crisp, fresh, raw lunch would be the perfect smackdown to the heat.
After the meeting my colleague and I walked into the oh-so-beautiful Organic Avenue lower East Side location. My colleague’s first response? “Wow.”
We both felt cooler the minute we walked into the white, bright, open space. As you can see, this is not a traditional restaurant–it’s more like a cafe. Fresh foods are prepared and in the cooler. Grab what you want, pay, and either take it away, or, do what we did, and grab a comfortable chair and sit back and enjoy the meal.
We both chose the arugula salad. I opted for the portobello reuben wrap and she tried the burrito collard wrap.
Sadly, I only keep my little Nikon point and shoot camera in my purse on a daily basis (too much hassle lugging the DSLR) so these close up photos do not do the meal justice, at all. But I think you can still appreciate the light, gorgeous food.
Portobello Wrap: Portobello, cabbage, tomato, spinach, cashew, onion, bell pepper, celery, pine nut, avocado, flax, sauerkraut, garlic, zucchini, psyllium, olive oil, lemon, pickles, parsley, salt and pepper
I’ve had this reuben before and it was just as delicious as I remembered.
Arugula Sprout Salad: Baby arugula, sunflower sprouts, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cashews, red onion, seaweed, acidophilous, lemon, carrot, celery, salt and pepper
The sprouts in this salad had a light crunch and were a nice balance to the wrap.
This meal cooled my body and filled my soul.
Organic Avenue
Boutique and Event Space (Lower East Side)
The Space of LOVE*
116 Suffolk Street
(between Rivington & Delancey)
New York, NY 10002
212 358 0500
