Healthy eating at the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Friday Night Dinner

I think having a kitchen full of chefs-in-training cook a healthy meal for you is a splendid way to end a week. I was invited to come check out one of The Natural Gourmet Institute‘s Friday Night Dinners, which is held weekly in their classroom on 21st Street. Well, a classroom transformed into a candlelit dining room.

The menu is a three-course vegetarian meal which incorporates fresh, seasonal, and mostly organic produce. When we sat down, we had skewered grapes with chili flakes and a hibiscus drink already ready for us:

The communal tables make it a little less romantic and more conducive to meeting people. The couple in front of us told us they learned about NGI’s Friday Night dinner’s through the popular NY healthy foodie guide, Clean Plate Culinary, while the woman sitting next to us was invited by her cousin who was one of chefs preparing our meal. The food for the evening was Caribbean-inspired and after chatting a little, we were served the ‘amuse’: Garbanzo Bites, made with carrots, jalapeno, and rainbow chard which kinda reminded me of a variation of falafel.

We went straight into our first course then: a Wedge Salad (gingered radish, macadamia nut, and papaya vinaigrette) served with Curried Pickles (carrot, radish, cauliflower) and a refreshing chilled Cucumber Soup (avocado, dehydrated radish):

The main course was Tempeh Pastelon, a layered dish with plantains, spinach, rainbow chard over broccoli rabe and yellow pepper puree. It was served over a mango cilantro salsa, jerk tomatoes and black bean orange sauce:

Finally, a delicious pineapple cake with homemade ice cream, and cherry coulis:

I realized how I’ve grown accustomed to some really “bad” (read: fried) foods that some of the flavors were so foreign to me, but it was refreshingly good! Afterwards, even though I was filled to my neck, I didn’t feel sluggish. I felt like I ate well. The chefs came out at the end (greeted with a room full of applause) and answered any questions about the ingredients they chose:

It was a lovely evening and something different to do in case you’re bored of the same old. Major points on a very tailored, and healthy menu. To RSVP for a dinner, you can call 212-645-5170 (ext. 0). Seating begins at 6:30pm for the $40 prix fixe meal (tax included), and you can bring your own drinks. Check out the menu for upcoming dinners here: http://www.naturalgourmetinstitute.com/html/friday-night-dinner-c.html.

Have any of you tried or want to go to one of NGI’s Friday Night Dinners? What do you think?

x
Shy