Community Food and Juice
2893 Broadway (between 112th and 113th Streets)
(212) 665-2800 (Reservations not accepted)
My humblest apologies for having disappeared for two weeks. My job search has begun in earnest and it’s been a little distracting. There really are no good excuses though. I also forgot to charge my camera on the night I dined at Community Food and Juice so there are no pictures from that dinner. I fail at life. Anyway, back to business.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of dining at Community Food and Juice with two good friends of mine, Tara and Kyle. They recently moved into a new neighborhood (Morningside Heights/Columbia University area) and a visit to their new apartment was long overdue. After I ooh-ed and ahh-ed at their 12 foot ceilings and large kitchen and they ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the Levain cookies I brought them as a housewarming gift, we went to dinner. Community Food and Juice is just one of many examples of the latest restaurant trends in NYC today, the trend of earth and farm conscious, organically minded, and locally oriented menus enhanced by wooden communal tables and menus made of recycled paper, a little pricey and a little self righteous. But churning out delicious, fresh, seasonal dishes generally excuses them of those flaws.
Community Food and Juice is no exception, although it takes this concept a step further being one of a few restaurants certified by the Green Restaurant Association (along with others such as Fiamma Osteria and all branches of Le Pain Quotidien).
On this evening (a Thursday, I believe it was), the three of us arrived at approximately 8:15pm and were seated right away toward the end of a long rough-hewn communal table (one problem with such an au natural table: when the waitress sloshed my overflowing cocktail it dripped through the porous slab and onto my lap).
To start Kyle and I shared the zucchini scallion pancakes. Tara the resident nutrition/health nut had the farmer’s chopped salad. If you’re expecting/wanting your corner Chinese restaurant’s scallion pancakes, you may be disappointed in Community’s. I, on the other hand, was thoroughly delighted by them. Unfortunately, the zucchini gets a bit lost in a sea of onion-y scallions and the vinegary sweet dipping sauce. The dough binding the cake together is crisp on the outside, similar to a classic scallion pancake, and sticky on the inside. The cakes were satisfyingly savory, tart, crisp, and gooey.
The chopped salad was hearty and crunchy with sunflower seeds and radishes among many other ingredients, all chopped and sprinkled finely over the greens, so while it sounds like there’s a lot of junk in/on it, the flavors are well balanced.
Tara also had the rice bowl, which had that Ahab-and-the-whale elusive quality of tasting both healthy and incredibly delicious. Carrots and bean sprouts provide crunch. The brown rice provides filling, fiber-y warmth and the vinaigrette provides a necessary tang.
Kyle and I both had the cheeseburger. Community does a fabulously precise job of melting the traditionally difficult to melt Cabot Vermont white cheddar. The caramelized onions can be had on the side. I love onions so I smothered my burger in them. The fries were of the typical crispy, brown, skin on variety that some are fanatical about, but I am merely tolerant of. The meat was juicy and the bun was a buttery brioche. A burger worthy of praise and attention in a town full of burgers worthy of praise and attention.
All in all a healthy (except maybe for the burgers), well priced, organic meal that was delicious enough to drag me up to 112th street again sometime in the future. As for those who live around there? Well, Kyle’s already been there two other times since then. Does that answer your question?
Dinner (for Three):
- Zucchini Scallion Pancakes - $5
- Farmer’s Chop Salad - $10
- Rice Bowl - $9
- Cheeseburger ($13 x 2)- $26
- Total (excluding tax and tip) = $50
