Salud features vibrant takes on Mexican and American standards featuring organic ingredients, produce by the bushel, and a smattering of meat.
Given the owners’ Mexican heritage, you might expect dishes from south of the border to be the stars here. Our forks did duel over the authentic-tasting vegetarian tamale, olive oil-enriched masa dough studded with soft, mildly spiced vegetables. Cozy and comforting, it feels much less virtuous than it is.
But there are standouts from the north, too; we devoured the house-made veggie burger. With seasoning that hints at falafel, it combines texturized vegetable protein with beets, kale, parsley, and more in a patty so tender it nearly falls apart.
Even the most basic offerings receive a fresh spin—the peanut butter sandwich beautifully balances a smear of house-ground, barely salty nuts with bananas, thin slices of tart green apple and from-scratch jam (on the day we visited, a delicate, rind-studded orange marmalade) between slices of sturdy multigrain bread.
Juices and smoothies make up half of Salud’s menu, and each one we tried was bright, refreshing, and filling. Two stood out; a whole organic lemon, pith, seeds and all, gets blended with brown sugar and a splash of water to create a thick, mouth-puckering shake—lemonade, reborn. The Lucha Libre smoothie whirs Mexican chocolate, bananas, peanut butter, and rice milk into dessert in a glass.
It’s worth the trip.
Salud
107 Thompson St. (Prince St. and Spring St.)
(646) 398-8615
www.saludnyc.com
Hours
Mon–Fri: 7 a.m.–9 p.m.,
Sat: 10 a.m.–7 p.m.,
Sun: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Reviewed by:
Best practices/nutrition: Ashley Spivak
Food critic: Debbie Koenig
Clean Plates reviews are the only restaurant reviews that combine the expertise of a nutritional consultant and a food writer/critic. In addition to each restaurant being visited, Clean Plates employs a rigorous multistep assessment process including thorough research into ingredient sourcing; quality of cooking oils; preparation techniques; eco-friendly, sustainable practices; and ability to accommodate specific dietary needs.
Visit www.cleanplates.com to get healthy, clean eating tips and recipes—plus, dish with the chefs and pioneers leading the sustainable charge to a table near you.
