I spent all of last week in New York City for work. After working a full day at the trade show each day, I was free to do whatever I pleased at night. On my second day in the city, I met two of my friends for dinner at a place they recommended called Community Food & Juice. They had been the week before to celebrate a college graduation and were already craving a return.
I was looking forward to meeting up until they said where the restaurant was located - Broadway and 113th Street. 113th Street! I was coming from 37th. Despite my hesitation, I trusted their choice and hopped in a cab.
The outside of Community Food & Juice reminded me of Cafeteria in Chelsea.
Inside the restaurant is very airy and open.
We were seated at a community table that had a great view of the open kitchen.
To the left, we had a view of the street. It was a beautiful night and the people watching was excellent.
Community Food & Juice had a very large menu and I was thrilled to discover the plethora of vegetarian options.
To start, I ordered the iced green tea with honey. I first tried this concoction at a cafe in New Orleans and whenever I see it on a menu I go for it.
Having been to the restaurant the week before, my friends had plenty of opinions about what was best on the menu. They insisted we order the appetizer called the trio of breads and spreads. It's exactly what it sounds like - three kinds of breads with three kinds of spreads.
The first was a sourdough loaf with sweet, garlic confit. The spread is so rich and addicting! We literally wiped the bowl clean. My friend said, "Don't you just want to bathe in this?" Ha!
Next up was a sourdough baguette with ricotta spread and cheddar cheese. I loved the sharp cheddar on the side. I was more interested in that than the ricotta spread.
The third option was curry flatbread chips with edamame hummus. The chips left a residue all over your fingers and they tasted a bit odd. If I went back, I would skip this one.
As if the breads and spreads weren't enough, we also ordered the zucchini and scallion pancakes which came with black vinegar sauce for dipping. These were less greasy than the scallion pancakes I've had in Chinese restaurants, which made them easy to gobble right up!
At this point, I was already starting to feel full. We basically ate three loaves of bread! But, we had ordered entrees, so we had to press on.
The first dish to be delivered was the grilled pizza which was topped with goat cheese, fontina, grilled artichokes and olives. The friend eating this said, "The cheese is awesome and the crust is thin and somehow sweet. My only qualm is that the olives are a bit too salty."
Next up was the chickpea bowl. The bowl was packed with chick peas (of course), lemon, oregano, feta cheese, extra virgin olive oil and arugula. This dish was so light and refreshing. It is perfect for summer!
The friend who ordered the chickpea bowl also ordered a side of sweet potato fries. These were some of the best sweet potato fries I have ever tasted. They had crispy skins, but hot, soft centers and were topped with sea salt. Yum!
I ordered the house ravioli after seeing it at someone else's table. Each ravioli pouch was stuffed with a delicious, bright green puree of peas. They were swimming in the richest lemon butter sauce and the whole dish was topped with micro greens and grated parmesan cheese.
After our entrees, our waiter returned and asked if we'd be interested in dessert. Out of curiosity we took a peek. The options were fantastic - cheesecake, a cookie plate, fruit tarts - but we were just too stuffed.
Though it's all the way up in Harlem, if you have the time, Community Food & Juice is worth the trip. The decor is elegant and no fuss, and the food is positively delicious.
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