Pure Fare: Puff Daddy’s Assistant Opens Healthy Eatery

Puff Daddy’s Old Assistant Gets it Right 

Photos by Reuben Wilson

 

BY MARISSA OSWALD After spending all winter moseying past the golden PURE FARE sign on 21st St., the words “Opening Winter 2011″ remained a cruel bluff.  But a few weeks ago, I finally entered the humbly dressed cafe. To my surprise, I found the cases of prepared salads and sandwiches along the walls completely empty.

Co-owner Kunal Sehgal offered the explanation, “We’ve been selling out of our prepared foods every day since we’ve opened,” calmly reminding himself of their need to rethink their stocking plan – and fast.

Not a modicum of stress could be detected in the cozy cafe, a European-style family table snuggled between a coffee counter and breakfast/soup/cashier bar.  Although not much seating was available, the main focus is on grab-and-go dining.  Decorated by the owners themselves, one customer described the space as “very Brooklyn-esque,” which is a good observation, since the New Yorkers’ plans were to bring a little taste of the Brooklyn coffee shop scene to Philly.

With the voguish obsession and the clash of culture and food, Pure Fare’s gleaming storefront on 21st and Walnut is a material marriage of technology and organic food, while doubling as a downtown upgrade of traditional fast food joints. A refreshing change, in my mind, than the rank-and-file of healthy chains, all offering the same Caesar salad.

Pure Fare’s grub is all locally-sourced and delivered fresh from rural PA farms daily, with the exception of their unique coffee selection.  They serve up a mean cup of San Francisco’s Blue Bottle coffee, preparing it each cup in the authentic Blue Bottle drip method.  As for iced coffee, they brew Nola, a New Orleans-style chicory roasted coffee made for cold-brewing, then topped with your choice of milk or Pure Fare’s homemade almond milk.

Brother and sister founding team Kunal and Kriti have two goals: to feed people the right way by using locally-sourced foods while engaging customers through a program called My Fare, a website designed to track customer’s daily meals.

Through My Fare, customers can educate themselves on the nutritional details of each of Pure Fare’s dishes before placing an order.  And, after getting a My Fare card at their first

visit, customers can track their progress by adding their daily intake of not only Pure Fare foods, but by choosing from a database of over 500,000 foods, which Kunal aims to build upon.

With such nutritious options as the chopped kale salad (recommended by Kunal himself), quinoa muffins, and a fresh juice bar, it’s sensible for Pure Fare’s customers to stick to Pure Fare; all this, and Kunal,  a recent NYU grad, possessing no background in diet and nutrition.  With a degree in Film and Music media,  Kunal worked at a bank and as a personal assistant to none other than Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs.  Kunal’s sister, Kriti, graduated with a Health and Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and currently works at CHOP.

So how did his establishment become so accessibly health-conscience?

“Karen Pollins, Head of Nutrition at Columbia, has been working with us for the past 9 to 10 months – working to put in the right amount of calories, salt, and everything,”  said Kriti.  By providing the nutrition facts and ingredients online, there are no secrets. People have the right to know that information,”

Kriti and Kunal both aspire to be entrepreneurs, and plan on Pure Fare as being their first in a legacy of others.  On their site, they even file the 21st and Walnut streets location as “our first store.”  But even if Pure Fare were to transform into a national chain, the original concept will always remain as a joint venture between brother and sister, from the revolutionary technology down to the vintage lighting fixtures.

Dust Off the Fedoras and Slick on the Rouge: Scott Shuman’s in Town!

The Sartorialist Is In Philadelphia!

BY MARISSA OSWALD Scott Shuman, author and photographer of The Sartorialist, a street fashion photography blog voted one of Time Magazine’s top 100 Design Influences, announced that he would be traveling to Philadelphia and Boston during the month of April.

A far cry from the cachet and couture of Shuman’s usual rotation (Paris, Milan, New York, etc…) Shuman asked his readers where he could find equally stylistic peeps in the less prominently fashionable cities.  Guess he doesn’t want his visit to be wasted like last time.

In 2006, Shuman visited Philly, resulting in what he could only describe as a “bust.”  He left the city without one photograph.  Awarded a second chance, Philadelphia has a lot to prove.
And step one in finally getting some stylish Philadelphians on the site.  So please, unless you’re actually a nurse: take off those darn scrubs.

Is it possible to be inspired by us?  Last time, Shuman left without anything.  Let’s hope he leaves with at least one usable shot this time.

South Street's Lovash

Authentic Indian Cuisine for Unauthentic Visitors

BY MARISSA OSWALD If you’re seeking massive amounts of authentic curry dishes through which to dredge endless disks of naan, then Lovash on South and 3rd streets is certainly where you’ll find it.

As I walked through the abundantly curtained entrance of Lovash for the first time, I was greeted by a very chipper host.  His enthusiasm at first seemed strange, but I soon found that his happiness springs from his pride in his employer.  Offering us suggestions and happily catering to vegans, the entire staff was incredibly hospitable and nice.

Most of the dishes tasted and looked very authentic. Each curry is served with basmati rice; and there is a long list of Indian flatbreads available, such as parantha, naan, and thali. The standouts of the meal, however, were definitely the flaky coconut and raisin-filled basket of warm naan and Aloo Dum Banarsi – a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce covering lumps of potatoes.  The menu explains that this dish is from Banaras – a “Holy Place,” – and eating it could be described as only slightly short of a holy experience.  The recognizable classic Aloo Gobi, a dish of curried cauliflower and potato, fell short with too dry a sauce and overcooked potatoes.

Despite the incredible selection of samosas, soups, salads, tandoor-fired meats and flatbreads, the lunch specials are well portioned to price.  From 11 am to 3 pm on weekdays, Lovash offers regular menu items for about 5$ as well as platters for 7 dollars that include an entree, chana masala (a heavy dish of spicy tomato and chick peas) and naan.  With a meal like this at your lunch hour, you may find yourself nodding off at work in the afternoon.

Stop by Lovash for weekday specials or a casual weekend meal.  The variety of authentic Indian dishes is decently priced and caters to your tastebuds.

New York's Blossom, Wilted

An article I wrote for Philly Broadcaster.

Horizons > Blossom?

BY MARISSA OSWALD New York’s Upper West Side hosts brownstones, above-average incomes, and the artiest folks in the whole city.  And perhaps the culinary prowess of Blossom vegan restaurant on 9th Ave. illuminates this part of the city for its overpriced but artfully executed face-free food.

This vegan gem is high up on the list of animal-product free gourmets popping up across the eastern seaboard.  California has long been known for holding a vast number of fine-dining venues for vegans and vegetarians; but New York City’s Blossom and Candle 79 are sharp competitors in the world of vegan gourmet.  Our own Philadelphia – city of cheese steaks and Italian cuts – possesses renowned vegan establishment; Horizons, for one,  which is elevated as a top dog among the New Yorkers.

But Blossom falls far from the Big Apple tree, for as you walk in, it’s impossible to tell you’re in New York City.  Nestled away in a dimly lit, romantic townhouse, Blossom’s black-curtained lower dining area makes you feel as if you’ve accidentally busted into some secret society of devil worshipers.  But by the time the menu arrives, you’ll forget about any preconceptions as you peruse through the extensive list of American wines and multi-cultural appetizers.

Everything on the menu is animal product free, meaning butter, eggs, cheese, honey, and milk are absent, as well as meat.  But dishes such as Cape Cod Cakes, raw Sweet potato Rolls, and Seitan Empanadas seem satisfying enough to entice any meat-eater’s palate.  The meatless menu scans the globe, and the helpful but not overbearing waiting staff is well-versed in guiding picky customers to their perfect dish, even if they have never heard of seitan or tempeh before.

When my appetizer arrived, the Parsnip Cappelleti appeared as two little deflated, dry pockets.  I realized it looked more like defrosted pierogies than “fresh, hand-rolled ravioli” and no taste of savory whipped parsnip or truffle oil could be detected.  Though unsatisfied with my appetizer, the Porcini Flutes compensated for my loss.  The porcini mushrooms, almonds and ground tempeh were wrapped in truly “fresh, hand-rolled” phyllo dough, set afloat in a shallow pool of  a cashew pesto, which tasted like buttery, herb-filled heaven.  The creaminess of the pesto drenching the crisp phyllo dough highlighted the savory taste of the ample filling.  While the porcini flutes will rock your taste buds, opt for the richer but well-reviewed Ravioli with Cashew Cream – a savory mixture of smoky tempeh, spinach, pine nuts, and white mushrooms in a genuine pasta coating.

And the main course proved to match up to the previous hors d-oeuvres.  While my tofu dish proved excellent, light, but satisfying, the other dish failed to wow a vegan and probably would be spit out by someone not used to faux meats.
The subtle flavors of the Pistachio and Pepper Dusted Tofu were enhanced with the coating of tangy, creamy lemon truffle emulsion.  The tofu was cut into two triangles set atop a cold crepe that was stuffed with root vegetables, which ended up tasting like soft carrots and maybe a few pieces of sweet potato.  While the crepe wasn’t all that spectacular, the pistachio-encrusted tofu drenched in the citrus cream was to die for.

On the other hand, the intriguing Feijoadinha with Smokey Tempeh was not at all a “lighter version” of Brazil’s national dish; that of hearty beef, black bean, squash, and sweet potato stew in a cilantro-lime broth.  Tempeh stood in the beef’s stead, which seemed cold and uncooked amid the sweet yet scant barbecue-like broth.  The vegetables were mediocre, but what cretin can’t cook up some sweet potatoes and pour a can of black beans into a dish at home?

With such a multi-cultural list of delicacies, Blossom seems to execute about half of them correctly.  Instead of indulging in dessert on the spot, I decidedly trekked across 9th Ave. to Cocoa V, their sister restaurant, which is a vegan and fair-trade chocolatier and wine bar.

There, I found more success with a not-too-sweet soy mocha latte and three truffles: vanilla berry, puffed rice marshmallow cluster, and peanut butter.  They were all creamy, rich, and dark, although the peanut butter truffle tasted so smooth that it could have been mistaken for a rich milk chocolate.

Whether Blossom flourishes or wilts, it remains one of the winning titles in the vegan dining world.  Preferably, I would choose Philadelphia’s Horizons over Blossom, proving you don’t have to travel to the Big City to dine glamorously.  However, I would suggest making a trip to Cocoa V, which is the only vegan chocolatier heard of on this side of the states, truly making it a match made in herbivore heaven.

Philly’s Most Eco-Friendly Fast Food Chains

Greenopia Ranks Unlikely Green Grub

BY MARISSA OSWALD In the midst of the rise of all-organic, locally-sourced food sold in Wholefoods and farmer’s markets across Philadelphia, going out for a burger at a fast food joint seems very last century.  Surely, buying a sandwich from Panera or some fries from McDonald’s is giving in to the “evils” of the corporate food industry.  Think again.

Greenopia, Philadelphia’s comprehensive online source for green places and products, ranked the city’s most sustainable chain restaurants using a leaf system- 4 leaves being the most sustainable, and 0 being the least.

The top three choices were EVOS, a burger joint, Le Pain Quotidien, a brand spankin’ new internationally-owned french bistro located on Walnut St, and Pizza Fusion, a pizzeria with vegan options.

These rankings are based on how extensive and well-cared for each chain’s sustainability reports were for the year as well as other elements such as green building design, supply chain, recycling, and stocking.

A newbie to Walnut St., Le Pain Quotidien, is an upscale, sustainable, and progressive version of Panera, complete with a gourmet menu, use of local and organic ingredients and green fixtures and appliances.  Le Pain even composts it’s food to use as bio diesel and marks each of the vegan options (which are shockingly plentiful) on it’s menu with a little green leaf.

As for sustainability reports, one of the most detailed reports this year came from what is known as the baddest boy in the sustainability game- McDonalds.

Yes, McDonalds.  Although they are known for acquiring their “meat” from sketchy sources, processing their food until it changes flavor, texture, and color multiple times, and maintaining an image of artery-clogging but pocket-friendly calories, they produced a report that gave promising outlook for the company as a whole.  They are improving their standards of meat, purchasing fair trade coffee and seafood, and recently opened 2 all-green stores.  This caused McDonald’s to come into a whopping 8th place above Panera Bread, Subway and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Starbucks seems as though it would be a consistent runner-up, but winning only 3 out of 4 stars slid it only one slot above Mickey D’s.  They scored well in all arenas except one: they have a mysteriously non-existent recycling policy.  One worker admitted, “They made me throw out an entire stock of plastic cups just because the design changed slightly and they got a new shipment in.”

Restaurants around the city are breaking through their images to produce unexpected improvements to their eco footprints.  While Le Pain Quotidien rules Center City as the most sustainable choice, the green appeal of Starbucks plummets to the bottom of the list and McDonald’s makes conscious steps toward turning over a new leaf.

Get Sprung

Spring fashion tends to change the least out of all seasons with hot whites, light ripped denim, and sunnies.  But this year's trends are popping the buttons off nautical-inspired stripes, cutesy flats, and capris (dry heave!)  Long skirts, sun hats, cropped corsets, and slips galore- look at these pieces featured in Spring Collections from Free People, Urban, and more.

Cut-off Levi's: still in, but paired with sheer button ups, cropped tops, and floppy hats instead of last spring's skinny belts and v-necks.

 

Re-using maxi dress trend from a few springs ago.  Didn't really work then, but side slit skirts, sheer slips, a light, tightly fitted fabrics add sex appeal to the thick linen and Hawaiian novelty of Old Navy maxi dresses circa 2008.  Convert a skirt into a dress or vice-versa to add mileage to each piece.

 Even bandage skirts go long in this mint green floral print.

Remember the last time you wore a slip being when you wore Easter dresses to Sunday school?

These babies get subtly seductive and obviously flirtatious when wearing them sheer and layered or on their own.

Fringe adds intrigue to each of the 3 outfits below

Jewlery- still feathery, but odd trends such as singular big earrings (80's novelty plus rugged west?) and the evergreen long necklaces add weight to a slouchy sweater

 

Crop tops- my favorite trend due to my short torso.  Instantly adds sexiness to anything- even to overalls. yes, overalls and suspenders are on the racks.

 M.IA.-era graphics make a come back in black and white. These Urban dresses are more classy cut-outs in lieu of the skanky, muffin-top bearing cut-out and bandage dresses we've been seeing.

 Psychedelic prints that are beautiful, not campy.

 Rompers 2.0 means more feminine styles such as the one below down to the right or funkier details as seen in the pink tie-back.  The novelty of the romper has long gone, so some added swag reboots the comfy trend.

Big statement necklaces are still kickin' it after a nice long ride through the fall and winter.  Native American elements such as rows of natural stones (turquoise, faux bone, brownstone) and feathers are earthy and sensual.  The chunkier the better, as long as it's not make of diamonds.

 Forget fedoras; they've been spotted on boys and girls heads for years, and they don't tend to flatter.  Floppy hats are more feminine and really do block the sun; just be careful you don't walk into anybody.  Wear em with short flowy dresses or long skirts with a tied t-shirt for a casually elegant look.  Do NOT wear these babies with overalls: those are two trends that do not blend uh UH.

Look like an Egyptian princess by placing bangles on the upper arm or forearm.  They're annoying when they dangle as your wrists- for you and everyone around you.  Free People layers them up- maybe start with one for a more subtle snake-charmer look.

 For wayfarers... these Jackie glasses add instant chic to any outfit, whether it be a maxi dress, black bikini and straw hat, or suit jacket and dress..

 

And the only reason I'd be happy about this chilly weather sticking around a bit longer would be to wear to slanky dress. POW.

xoxo,

Jane

I Loove New York

Last weekend I took a 2-day trip to NYC to catch some of the Big Apple's vegan offerings (as well as the Colbert Report!)  And what I found happened to be amid the coldest, rainiest 48 hours of spring the big city has probably ever seen.  

The first joint I hit up, and probably the most anticipated for me, was Babycakes Bakery.  Which in case you don't know- is the best vegan bakery I've experienced.
Granted, Vegan Treats is truly top dog when it comes to vegan sweets, but while the white sugar, flour, and food coloring may make the treats look lovely, their nutritional content doesn't match up.  So here to save the day for junk food-loving vegans as well as those allergic to gluten or sensitive to refined sugar and flour is Babycakes!
I've been watching their videos, reading their menus, and following them on Twitter for quite some time now, so seeing the bakery in real life was like bumping into Jennifer Aniston.  And the assortment of cupcakes, sweet loaves, doughnuts, brownies, biscuits, and breads was unreal- it took me about fifteen minutes to decide as I stared at the humble pastry case packed with goodies. 
I chose a two-fer deal on day-old pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top (which tasted incredible despite being a day old) and a miniature donut coated in dark espresso chocolate chips and a bit of frosting.  My boyfriend got the strawberry jam and "cream" biscuit I was eying up, which was something I haven't eaten since the pre-herbivore days.  Overall, Babycakes was one of the biggest highlights of the trip, especially with the adorable but humble inside of the shop- think 1950's diner without the kitschy roller blades, but girls dressed in retro dresses and aprons, homemade tip jars clad with pictures of Michael Jackson, old fashioned Christmas lights glittering in the background, and the daily baked goodz scrawled on chalkboards.  If I could live anywhere for a while, I'd pick New York just to be able to walk to Babycakes every day.

As day turned into night, one of the destinations I got to hit up was Blossom, which is one of the two top fine dining vegan establishments in New York- Candle 79 being the other.  The dessert menu wasn't quite up to par for me, but thankfully Cocoa V was located right across the street.  And what's Cocoa V, you say?  It's a 100% cruelty-free and free trade chocolatier.  That's right- as a vegan, you could eat everything in the store, from the rich, dark truffles to the creamy "soy" version of milk chocolate.  So without further ado, Here's mah completely objective review of the renowned restaurant and chocolatier.

    New York’s Upper West Side hosts brownstones, above-average incomes, and the artiest folks in the whole city.  And perhaps the culinary prowess of Blossom vegan restaurant on 9th Ave. illuminates this part of the city for it is over-priced but artfully-executed face-free food.
This vegan gem is high up on the list of animal-product free gourmets popping up across the eastern seaboard.  California has long been known for holding a vast number of fine-dining venues for vegans and vegetarians, but New York City’s Blossom and Candle 79 are sharp competitors in the world of vegan gourmet.  Philadelphia, the city of cheesesteaks and Italian cuts, even possesses a renowned vegan establishment; Horizons, which is elevated as a top dog even among the New Yorkers.
    But Blossom falls far from the Big Apple tree, for as your walk in, it’s impossible to tell you’re in New York City.  Nestled away in a dimly lit, romantic townhouse, Blossom’s black-curtained lower dining area makes you feel as if you’ve accidentally busted into some secret society of devil worshipers.  But by the time the menu arrives, you’ll forget about all any speculations as your peruse through the extensive lists of American wines and multi-cultural appetizers.
    Everything on the menu is animal free, meaning butter, eggs, cheese, honey, and milk are absent as well as meat.  But dishes such as Cape Cod Cakes, raw Sweet potato Rolls, and Seitan Empanadas seem satisfying enough to entice any meat-eater’s palate.  The meatless menu scans the globe, and the helpful but not over-bearing waiting staff is well-versed in guiding picky customers to their perfect dish, even if they have near hear of seitan or tempeh before.
    When my appetizer arrived, the Parsnip Cappelleti unguised itself as two little deflated, dry pockets.  I realized it looked more like defrosted pierogies than “fresh, hand-rolled ravioli” and no taste of savory whipped parsnip or truffle oil could be detected.  Extremely discontent with my appetizer, the Porcini Flutes compensated for my loss.  The porcini mushrooms, almonds and ground tempeh were wrapped in truly “fresh, hand-rolled” phyllo dough and set afloat in a shallow pool of  a cashew pesto, which tasted like green, buttery, herb-filled heaven.  The creaminess of the pesto drenching the crisp phyllo dough, these decadent textures highlighted the savory taste of the ample filling.  While the porcini flutes will rock your taste buds, opt for the richer but well-reviewed Ravioli with Cashew Cream, a savory mixture of smoky tempeh, spinach, pine nuts, and white mushrooms in a genuine pasta coating.
    And the main course proved to match up to the previous h’oerderves.  While my tofu dish proved excellent, light, but satisfying, the other dish failed to wow a vegan and probably would be spit out by someone not used to faux meats.
    The subtle flavors of the Pistachio and Pepper Dusted Tofu were enhanced with the coating of tangy, creamy lemon truffle emulsion on the plate.  The tofu was cut into two triangles set atop a cold crepe that was stuffed with root vegetables, which ended up tasting like soft carrots and maybe a few pieces of sweet potato.  While the crepe wasn’t all that spectacular, the pistachio-encrusted tofu drenched in the citrusy cream was to die for.
    On the other hand, the intriguing Feijoadinha with Smokey Tempeh was not at all a “lighter version” of Brazil’s national dish of hearty beef, black bean, squash, and sweet potato stew in a cilantro-lime broth.  The stew’s beef was traded in for tempeh, which seemed cold and uncooked amid the sweet and scant barbeque-like broth.  The vegetables tasted alright, but who can’t cook up some sweet potatoes and pour a can of black beans into a dish at home?
With such a multi-cultural list of delicacies, Blossom seems to execute about half of them correctly.  Instead of indulging in dessert on the spot, I decidedly trekked across 9th Ave. to Cocoa V, their sister restaurant, which is a vegan and fair-trade chocolatier and wine bar.

There, I found more success with a not-too-sweet soy mocha latte and three truffles: vanilla berry, puffed rice marshmallow cluster, and peanut butter.  They were all creamy, rich, and dark, although the peanut butter truffle tasted so smooth that it could have been mistaken for a rich milk chocolate.

  

Whether Blossom flourishes or wilts, it remains one of the winning titles in the vegan dining world.  Preferably, I would choose Philadelphia’s Horizons over Blossom, proving you don’t have to travel to the Big City to dine glamorously.  However, I would suggest making a trip to Cocoa V, which is the only vegan chocolatier heard of on this side of the states, truly making it a match made in herbivore heaven.


Next post will highlight a few other "things" I found in New York... including one ancient fruit (oo, ahh!)

xoxo,
Jane