The Candle Cafe

1307 Third Avenue

(between 74th and 75th Streets)

After visiting an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art one hot summer day, I decided that I was in the mood for a good salad.

My friend recommended going to The Candle Café, a popular vegan hot spot on the Upper East Side.

To satisfy my salad craving, I ordered their Aztec Salad ($18), which was comprised of field greens, quinoa, black beans, corn, carrots, grape tomato, pumpkin seeds, and BBQ tempeh. It also came with a cumin vinaigrette on the side.

It was good, but a bit too grain-y for my taste.

Luckily I had also ordered the Buffalo Cauliflower with a bleu cheese dipping sauce ($10) as an appetizer. It was delicious.

I washed it all down with their Strawberry Confection smoothie ($10). It contained strawberries, bananas, almond milk, vanilla, shatavari root, and maple syrup. The menu touts that the drink helps with bone growth.

The menu notes that the drink is supposed to help with bone growth. Don't know about that, but it is refreshing!

Pros:

Buffalo Cauliflower!

Cons:

Pricey.

Service is slow. Waited over half an hour for the salad.

Final Thoughts

Though the food might be good for my health, it’s a bit too rich for my budget.