Eating Green Without Spending A Lot Of Green – Part 3

Fruits VeggiesNow that the weather seems to have turned, all the sidewalk cafes are bustling with people laughing, drinking and of course eating. With the warm weather upon us, we’re being more conscious about what we’re eating. After all, bikini season is just around the corner…..YIKES! On my quest to find green eating on the cheap and support Fresh, my last spot for the Farm To Table Dinners is Counter

Counter is a martini/wine bar and bistro wrapped in one. Nestled in the quaint East Village neighborhood, this spot has a very downtown vibe and cool atmosphere. I stepped in and was immediately greeted by a friendly smile. “I’m here for the Fresh dinner;” I said. Within seconds I was seated at a intimate table by the open glass front with a fabulous view for my favorite thing hobbies…people watching. Whitney, who I spoke with with when making the reservation, sat down to say hi. We chatted about some of the other spots I had hit for the Fresh Event Week, the Cheapeats blog/site and what they had planned for dinner. They were preparing a great salad to make the meal light enough to indulge in one of their sinful desserts. Salad and dessert? Sounds perfect to me.

The server set down a beautiful watercress salad with heirloom cherry tomatoes, grilled tofu in a light citrus dressing. Looks refreshing. First bite – delicious. I won’t be feeling guilty about dessert at all. But what is this little brown thing? A small olive? Best be careful not to bite on the pit. Wait, this isn’t an olive…it’s a boiled peanut. How inventive. That is my new addition to my home salads. All components of this salad hit my sensory buttons. Crunch, texture and taste.

While eating my salad I glanced at the menu. They offer small plates, flatbread pizzas and large plates. All Vegetarian supporting local farmers. A note on the menu says that they use local sustainable dairy with no animal rennet. Impressive.

Are you ready for dessert? Am I? They have many options that all sound good. What’s this I see? All desserts are Vegan…even the ice cream? That could be really good or really bad. Apple Crumble please and a Jasmine green tea. I’m a sucker for a crunchy topping.

My server brings a white ramekin filled with chunks of apples topped with a crunchy streusel topping with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream on top. Looks good, but how does it taste?  I dig my spoon in and pull out a spoonful of apple, topping and ice cream. My lips are going in. Mmmmm!!!! Warm, crunchy and sweet. You taste the apples and cinnamon. It’s like a hug for your belly. With a cup of tea, I sat back in my chair and released all the craziness from the day. I can’t believe this is Vegan.

My experience at Counter was just delightful. Whitney, my waiter John and the other servers were attentive, warm and just lovely. My vote…..2 thumbs up!!!!

Thanks Fresh, Counter and all the wonderful restaurants I visited during the Farm To Table Dinners. It was great eating and am proud to see that local farms are being supported.  But most of all…..you can eat green without spending a lot of green.

Happiness, $25 and under.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out Fresh the Movie April 9-15 

 

COUNTER. restaurant & organic bar on Urbanspoon

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About The Author

A fierce love of food and twin careers in real estate and fashion taught Rose to look for the hottest item and the hottest deal. Perfect attributes for creating Cheapeatsinc.com. When friends and clients needed a great meal at a great price, she could rattle off restaurant names the way a sports nut ticks off batting averages—but with a lot more home runs. Now it’s all at Cheapeats, where you’ll find “Happiness, $25 and under.”

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