Raw restaurant bummer

[RawShannon]

I am going there on Saturday!

I live in downtown Boston and am astounded that there are no raw restaurants.

I will report back on Organic cafe.

thepalepoet, you sound like you could use a good colon cleanse! I found your statement utterly offensive and unnecessary.

[Ireland]

I've yet to go to a raw restaurant but your post will make me be much more careful when I do. Thanks for posting.

[levamssg]

JMD - Thanks for your post. Sorry you had such an experience! It does help us all be more aware of what we are eating when we are out. I had a similar experience at a place in St. Louis that serves some raw food (tis really mostly vege and vegan). They had beautiful salads with dressings, and some vege "casserole" type of things, but come to find out they used "raw" sugar in the dressings in everything. No one could really explain to me what exactly this "raw" sugar was, so I shied away. When I initially asked if it was 100% raw, the answer was yes. Only when I pressed for the ingredients did it come to lite about the sugar item. Anyone heard of "raw" sugar? What is it?


btw - hey, thepalepoet - what's the deal? Your remark was completely tasteless and uncalled for.

[newyearspromise]

I looked at the website. It makes me wonder if he didn't understand that you are 100%...that he expects most people to be 80% or something.

Again, I would say be nice but very direct and just tell him how you feel and your concerns, and if he cares about raw and you, he will respond...

PalePoet--Maybe you were trying to be funny but because we cannot always tell what the tone of things is in writing, we all try to be extra careful to not say things that can hurt other peoples' feelings.

[newyearspromise]

I have had "raw" ground sugarcane...but it is not raw. I am at work right now and cannot look at the packaging to tell you why I came to this conclusion, but there was something on the box that indicated that it was cooked.

I think when they say "raw sugar", they mean unbleached, unrefined...large granules...like sucunat...minimal processing.

Agave tastes just like sugar--suggest it to them!!

[rawpriestess]

Oh HOW dissapointing, I would say to NOT go there again, or at least I wouldn't, and I certainly agree with others here, that say to contact this Rawbert and chat with him about your experience, you might even mention that alot of us on this raw site, will now probably not be going there.

I was going to take a class at our local health food store, the one that had Paul Nison, Victoria Boutenko and many others there to teach raw classes, so I KNOW they KNOW what is and isnt' raw.

the class was live breads, so I though WOW, that sounds fun,

But the class is NOT about live or raw foods, the cook (I don't wish to call her a chef at this point) uses sprouted grains, that's all, like because the grains are sprouted they are still live, after they've been cooked.

I understand that the grains were living, and were not dormant, and that they had living enzyems etc. we know about all of that, but they are hardly live or raw, when eaten.

Needless to say, I was HIGHLY dissapointed and let the HFS know about it.

I wil continue to go see Paul and Victoria and a few othes, but I won't be taking any cooking classes from them because they ARE cooking classes, I've had enough cooking for one lifetime.

[Burke_Bryant]

How about you post "RAWberts" restaurant info, and tele so others can stay clear, and I can give him a call.
Namaste

The greater defense,
-Burke Bryant
www.empiricalhealth.org

[berrienoire]

...the cook (I don't wish to call her a chef at this point) uses sprouted grains, that's all, like because the grains are sprouted they are still live, after they've been cooked.

um, what? *laugh* sorry, I had to read that a couple times to believe what I was seeing. ...that is too funny.

[Mookie]

This is what I got from his website:

Our Wraps are made with cooked wheat while their fillings are made only from 100% living or raw food ingredients. Someone who desires a wrap but to stay raw may order a wrap in a nori sheet, lettuce or cabbage leaf.
We are 100% raw except for wraps or spring roll wrapping paper, hot soups and hot drinks. The decision to use these items is to increase our accessibility to people from all walks of life. Many of our customers progress from wraps in the beginning and then go to other totally raw choices.

[JMD]

It is interesting that it is on his webpage/site.....but I was there in person not on the computer....and needed it on the menu. For me, I told him I was 100% raw and what could he suggest without heavy spices or nuts....maybe he only focused on the no nut part.....versus all raw??

It is no big deal but taught me a lesson to be a hundred percent sure before I eat soemthing and to double check. IMO.... he really cannot call it a RAW restaurant by selling bagels and things that are not sprouted etc.... I do understand it is a business but for me it is a lifestyle. Lesson learned....:)

Thanks all for the responses and info...I have no hard feelings and when/if I go again I will speak up and share my needs again.

JMD

[RawShannon]

And had a GREAT experience! I was with three non-rawies, and everyone liked it. We started off with a raw pizza, which was DELICIOUS. DH had pesto RAWvioli, I had RAWghetti and "meatballs", and the other couple had middle eastern dishes. All were excellent. I had a young coconut for an appetizer.

I was a little leery after reading this thread but it was quite delicious. There were definitely some non-raw things on the menu, though.

[HydroRaw]

Hello RawShannon!

I am glad that you had an enjoyable dining experience at the Organic Garden Cafe. That is exactly what happened to me when I went there the first time.

Raw pizza is, of course, very delicious and it is the mainstay of my meal when I go there. As for other raw vegan dishes, they can be a hit or miss. For instance, after throughly enjoying certain appetizers and entrees, including hummus and onion rings, they were usually a miss on my subsequent visits. On account of this, it is hard to be in a daring mood to try different things.

Lately, I seem to have a better luck with my meals if I go there on weekends rather than during weekedays. As previously mentioned, there are different people, according to a waitress, working in the kitchen on various days of the week and they may not exactly follow recipes, especially with spices and lemon, to prepare various dishes. This explains as to why I didn't enjoy some dishes, particularly hummus and onion rings, everytime I went there.

By the way, please accept my apology if I am not sticking to the original theme of this thread. I am fully aware of JMD's issue with the Organic Garden Cafe, but want to add comments about my dining experiences there.

Wayne

[RawShannon]

please consider opening up a raw-food restuarant in Boston or North Shore area
Its going to happen!!

Do you know something? I would be SO excited if a raw restaurant opened up in Boston. Especially where I live, in the South End!

[Cinnamon]

Oh yes, please do tell if there is going to be a new raw restaurant opening up in Boston. How exciting! And I may be heading out that way sometime this year, do I have something else to look forward to on this trip??

[JMD]

I am hoping somethingggggg open up here in the North Shore area of Boston too!! I would be great and there is such a need to spread the good food:) and moods that healthy eating provides.

I am so glad that you had a good experience RAWSHANNON!! I must agree that the weekend staff are sooooo nice and helpful. I think when I go back it will be on a weekend. They have a delicious juice bar too which i love!! to get.

Blessings to all this week i am headed out to Vegas for a little vacation with my hubby:) Have a RAW focused week,
JMD