Sweet Corn and Cashew Tamales with Chili Spiced Portabella,
salsa verde, cashew coconut sour cream, avocado, raw cacao mole
This was FABULOUS! Not like real tamale, mind you, but a refreshing, sweet corn taste, with the texture of a true tamale. The cashew cream tasted like nutty throw up, but let’s forget that shall we? The cilantro cucumber salsa verde was so delicious, vibrant, and herby with just a touch of spice, and the mole was thick, sweet and went so well with that fresh and creamy corn tamale. I would order this again and again.
Three Pizzettes in the Style of Southern Italy with Almond and Rosemary Crust
spinach pesto with arugula, pizza margherita, crimini and kalamata, black garlic
Can’t say the same for these.
The pizzettes were just not great. The crusts were oddly chalky and stiff, the toppings were bland and flaccid, and for the love of DAIRY, people…don’t make nuts into sour cream. It just tastes BAD. So, yeah…these were a miss. Even the olives and mushrooms, which I totally love, were weirdly limp and kinda slimy.
But the dessert…was…divine.
Mint chocolate sundae.
Minty, sweet, cooling, sharp ice cream. Deep, chocolaty, rich ice cream. Dense cookies, reminiscent of thin mints. Sweet, creamy whipped cream.
All made out of cashews and coconut.
But this time…it works!
So sour cream – no.
Ice cream – yes.
I liked vegan food a whole more than I thought I would! The food was plentiful, interesting and totally delicious…well, except for that weird cashew sour cream. But the salad was to die for and the ice cream was SERIOUSLY delicious. I would go back there for that alone. Pure Food and Wine is a beautiful, celebratory restaurant with great service, and I would head back there in a heartbeat.
That said…
I’m not giving up bacon anytime soon.
Hi! This is Sarma owner of Pure Food and Wine… these things pop up in my google alerts sometimes. Nice post, really glad you liked the restaurant!!! I have to say… there's always a dish or two on the menu that are at the top of the queue of dishes to be replaced with something new and the pizzettes is that dish for sure.. so hopefully if/when you come back we'll have something awesome like stuffed squash blossoms which should be coming back into season soon to replace it. Can't wait for Spring menu items. Anyway… loved the post. We had a waiter once who said he used to get high and eat foie gras with Doritos… so probably pretty good with Fritos too? I not much of a foie consumer anymore but I can't say it isn't pretty damn tasty.
Cheers! Sarma
I was thrilled I was able to convince one of my favorite gals to join me at Pure and I will definitely be back for the stuffed squash blossoms….and another one (or three) of the sundaes! Amazing.
I've heard SUCH good things about Pure Food and Wine and REALLY want to go at some point in my life! I've eaten at other vegan restaurants in the city and sometimes the fake dairy works…but sometimes it crashes and burns. It happens.
You, my dear, have turned eating into an art form. =)
@Sarma – Thanks so much for the post kudos! I would probably eat that snack when I was perfectly sober…foie and anything is delish! Look very much forward to coming back to try those fabulous squash blossoms!!
@Lauren-3 sundaes. Definitely 3 sundaes.
@Joanne-you really have to go there and PLEASE get one of those sundaes!!!!
@V Spot – what a fabulous compliment!!! Thank you SO much!!!
I am curious to know how those who have posted here (especially Sarma) are not bothered by the unimaginable tortue inflicted upon ducks in order to produce foie gras.