One Unlucky Experience

After yoga class the other day, I decided to eat healthier than normal. For me this means avoid the Baked by Melissa cupcakes, Mr. Softie truck, or savory crepes and opt for a much healthier options. So I decided to go to a raw and organic eco-happy take-out spot near Union Square. As much as I want to be a part of this whole raw/organic revolution, I was so disappointed with my entire experience from start to finish, that it really turned me off. You know how it is when you go to a restaurant you have a bad experience; it makes you never want to go back and tell you friends to never eat there.

Without mentioning the name,I really wanted to like this restaurant. The décor was sort of bohemian with hippiesh-crunchy, granola, tatted up employees who seemed eager to talk about their organic t-shirt collection. I ordered Thai lettuce wraps and some sort of re-energizing juice spritzer. I ended up waiting about 15 minutes before the cashier yelled to the kitchen asking to make sure they’re actually making the food this time as there were 2 other customers semi- impatiently waiting for their food. This is never a good sign. Make sure they’re making the food this time? We all fiddled around with our respective IPhones and Blackberrys to pass the time as we eagerly waited for our late lunches on this very glooming rainy New York summery day. I sat and checked my email as I wanted to savor every last bit of my $7 juice. The bags of take-out trickled in one by one, my food coming last about 30 minutes later! My $20 lunch that was RAW, took 45 minutes to make. And honestly the food was not worth the wait. Of my 3 wraps, I ate about half. The cashier, who seemed more like a manager, was very apologetic saying that the kitchen staff forgets to make the food sometimes. For a restaurant that’s so highly rated and considered innovative for being a premier organic/raw restaurant in New York, how can the kitchen staff forget to make the food? What are they doing back there?

Thinking that my overpriced lunched pretty much sucked, I thought I might make it up by getting a decadent somewhat healthy dessert. I overheard a customer order a moonpie, which looked like a dark chocolate covered brownie with vanilla cream in the middle. This looked like my kind of treat. I’d get 2, one for now, one for tomorrow. To my surprise my two little brownies cost $20!! Are you serious? The manager went on to explain that they’re really difficult to make, lengthy cooking process, etc. Nooo no no, I’ll get one then and even that was a lot for me. After my first bite, I couldn’t hold it down. Waaaaay too sweet. I needed water or soy milk to get rid of this bitter after-taste. I should’ve gone with Pink Berry or Red Mango.

This was takeout, not a sit-down restaurant. Where was I? I thought I was doing a good thing for myself by eating healthy, but instead I got bad service and overpriced bad food! I left feeling dehydrated, robbed, and still hungry. This whole industry needs to be re-worked. It’s one thing if you’re going to charge a lot for food that isnt’ cooked. The supply/demand thing I get, but at least give your customers a good experience so they feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. I won’t eat there again, but I’m still willing to try other options. If anyone has other options here in NYC, let me know. I won’t give up just yet. This was just One Unlucky Experience…..