Quintessence

We checked out Quintessence at 263 East 10th St between 1st Ave and Ave A in Manhattan. Quintessence is 100% vegan, raw and organic.

Pizza Crackers

This appetizer was my favorite part of the meal. The base was indeed cracker-like, presumably consisting of nuts and/or grains. The next layer up was some creamy white stuff which didn’t taste like cheese, but it did serve the purpose of cheese with a strong, sharp taste that contrasted the flavors of the other layers. The layer above that was a rich tomato-based sauce that had a spicy flavor almost reminiscent of sausage. On top of that was some parsley and (I think) some dried red onion. This was a great, well-constructed appetizer. The flavors in this dish really came together to create something delicious -Jim

California Pizza

This had a softer version of the crust used in the appetizer. However, this time it was topped with avocado, sprouts, yellow peppers, caramelized onions, pesto, ricotta cheese and sour cream. This dish was very cool, crisp, and creamy. The caramelized onions were fantastic and provided a smoky sweetness. The pesto was also delicious. The sour cream was intriguing because I couldn't figure out what they used for it. Oh well. Whatever it was, it was really yummy. I would have preferred these same toppings on an actual pizza crust, but overall this dish was good. -Ev

Spinach Gnocchi with Pasta

If you look at the picture of this dish, your first thought might be, “That looks kind of weird”. That was my first reaction. On top of the creamy pasta sat 5 mysterious black lumps. But, being the courageous eater that I am, I dived in. Did my bravery pay off with deliciousness? Not exactly. The lumps had a strong flavor and a very mushy texture that didn’t quite suit me. They seemed to consist mostly of spinach and avocado, but there was a bitterness to them that overpowered the flavors of the main ingredients. I found they were best when cut up into small pieces and eaten with the pasta. The pasta, by the way, was decent. It wasn’t so much pasta as it was soft strips of squash (I assume real pasta can’t be made raw) and covered in a very creamy, rich sauce. I had mixed feelings about this dish. I wouldn’t say this was bad, but I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend either. -Jim

Dessert Sampler

When you order the dessert sampler, you get to choose 4 of their 5 dessert options. I assume the servings of each are smaller than what you’d get if you ordered it alone, but I’m not sure of that. We got the Strawberry Ice Cream, the Pumpkin Pie, the Banana Cream Pie and the Tiramisu. My favorites were the Banana Cream and Pumpkin Pie. Both were very sweet and yummy. The Ice Cream was ok but the texture was almost more like Italian Ice than ice cream. I thought the Tiramisu was very bitter and didn’t actually enjoy it at all. -Jim
The Pumpkin Pie was OK. The pumpkin had great flavor, but the crust had a mysterious bitterness to it. This has happened before with Raweos, so maybe my body is off balance. Or something. The Banana Coconut Cream Pie was so YUM! It was the best of the four - smooth, creamy, delicious and the crust was perfect. The Strawberry Ice Cream was more like a sorbet but it had intense strawberry flavor. The Tiramisu was better after the second or third bite. The coffee flavor was very strong, but mellowed after time. -Ev

The Bottom Line

Overall, I’d say our first Quintessence experience was good, with a little weirdness here and there. One thing we noticed was that the menu was rather limited. There were maybe five or six entrée choices, and then four or five pizzas to choose from. If you’re not in the mood for a pizza, this could be a problem. My entrée wasn’t great, but I’d go back and try something else here. I should also note that this is another pricy-ish restaurant (we’ve been going to too many of those lately), so be prepared to pay a few extra bucks for the organicness and the rawness. -Jim
It's been a few days now and I still don't know how I feel about this dinner. Everything tasted good, the presentation was beautiful, I was definitely full afterwards, but still it's hard to pinpoint why I wasn't blown away. I guess I was expecting some kind of loud, raw, revolutionary moment where I would be converted to eating like this all the time. This experience was very simple and gentle and worth a second visit. -Ev