Cuisine

Neighborhood

CUISINE: American (Traditional), Health Food
NEIGHBORHOOD: Nolita, Soho

WTF is that? 

photo from keaner.net

66 Spring Street

t. 212 966 0290

Dear Spring Natural,

Oh, how I wish you were good.  I would really like to rate you as "worth it." I so need a healthy restaurant in my life.  I was attracted to you for so many reasons: You are big enough that you rarely have a wait, and the atmosphere reminds me of my childhood. (California upbringing, vegetarian mother, etc. etc.)  You are affordable, and close to my apartment. Thus, you've given me nearly every reason to turn to you as my go-to joint.  BUT NO.  You nearly had it in the bag, buddy, but my fantasies of a beautiful relationship have been destroyed. You've ruined everything because your food is bad. CONT'D

By bad, I mean terrible, and if you want details, I'll sum it up in one word: cardboard. It's as though you intentionally extract flavor from your food.  There is a stereotype that health food tastes bad, and Spring Natural only reinforces this.  In reality, healthy food can be delicious, and a whole lot more than steamed tofu.  Restaurants from Gobo to Chez Panisse manage to blow people away with basic, wholesome ingredients and a commitment to thoughtful cooking. You could at least use some salt.  

Your roasted beets with goat cheese is just that.  Beets and cheese. Nothing else. You couldn't throw some pesto in there? Your salmon served with lentils has no sauce.  NO SAUCE.  Just poached salmon and cooked lentils.  Don't get me started on your veggie burger.

So, I'll end with some advice: change your recipes.  I'm willing to change if you're willing to change, and maybe, somewhere down the line, we can make this work. However, for the time being, we are clearly in very different places, and this isn't working for me.

Best,

Rachel Elizabeth Hochhauser.

Posted in FOOD on April 8, 2010 3:00pm by Rachel Hochhauser | 145 comments

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We are young (early 20's) and hungry (for knowledge! music! art! food!) friends living on (or in areas which border) Manhattan. We moved to the city seeking higher education, and an alternative to frat parties and gin buckets. We prefer a bottle of Chianti to a keg, lunches at City Bakery to a dining hall, Joe's to Starbucks, Frankie's Amatriciana to Batali's. Our uniting factor is our love for food. For detailed, personal information, keep reading.
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