DISH OF THE WEEK: Eastern Promise Juice at THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

Green juices have become a bit of a cliché in the health food world. Real juice shops (not the sugary smoothies of Jamba Juice) have sprouted up around New York like Starbucks did almost a decade ago. The good news is this stuff is much better for you than a Frappucino. The bad news is pressed juices can cost close to $10 a cup.

I’ve generally been a fan of the intense vegetal green liquids (when I have the money to spend) at places like Melvin’s, but I’ve gotten a bit bored. A combination of healthy green vegetable juices (usually kale, celery, parsley, and spinach) is balanced with sweet apple and acidic lemon. Sometimes ginger is thrown in for some heat, sometimes not. And for the most part, the highly-priced juices are variations of this theme.

But now the revolution has begun. New juice bars and vegetarian restaurants have begun to re-invent these juices so borderline healthy (and carnivorous) folks like myself will be motivated to lay out the dough. When we visited The Butcher’s Daughter, a new vegan café, I really wanted to try every juice on the menu. The red, orange, and green elixirs had tantalizing and surprising ingredients like jicama, cactus pear, and kumquat. Who ever thought about juicing a kumquat??

Trying to get my fill (or phyll) of chlorphyll, I went for one of the green concoctions. Packed with balanced ingredients like lemongrass, ginger, cucumber, anjou pear, and kaffir lime leaves, this drink packed a flavor punch that most green juices lack. There was an exotic brightness balanced with a potent sweetness that made this juice disappear faster than I had anticipated.

Sure, this bottle is super expensive at $10, but if I’m going to spend the money on a liquid that rejuvenates my soul and my body, I want something that surprises and pleases my taste buds. The revolution of the juice revolution is finally upon us!!