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Pure City
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
16 reviews for Pure City
Review Highlights
"...shared a chocolate tofu "cheesecake" with raspberry sauce."
(in 2 reviews)
"...the best vegetarian Chinese/mock meat restaurant I've ever..."
(in 3 reviews)
"If you're vegan, a note of caution on their dessert menu."
(in 6 reviews)
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16 reviews in English
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Review from Tim R.
1/19/2012
I'm not normally a fan of Chinese restaurants. Salty, greasy mystery meats don't do it for me. Pure City is none of these things: in their own words, they are "a healthy vegetarian restaurant" which uses "only use 100% natural, vegetarian soybean ingredients, no saturated fat, low sodium, no cholesterol and MSG".
We had an outstanding appetizer platter, and their seitan preparations were incredible. I could have sworn their 'ribs' had a thick layer of pork fat under a crispy skin, but it's all done with wheat gluten and alchemy. I stuffed my face, and had none of the unpleasant feelings you'd normally get after doing so... I actually felt perky and energized.
The music was new-age covers of 80s rock songs, which is the only thing this has in common with your average Chinese restaurant. -
Review from Peter Q.
Pine Bush, NY
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ate dinner here a few days ago with my wife and a couple of friends. I am pretty much a carnivore but I agreed to give PC a try and figured at least I could bail and grab the vegetable fried rice and that is exactly what I did.
Not being a vegetarian the pseudo-meat dishes were non-starters for me so it was going to be something simple that I would go with and that was the vegetable fried rice and vegetable wonton soup.
The soup was okay, nothing special and the wontons were filled with something fake-meat-paste-ish that, while not bad, wasn't what I expected and kind of put me off.
Next up was the veg fried rice. I thought that would be fairly straight-forward and it wasn't bad, but there was something that just didn't taste right. I am sure it was the type of rice they use or something like that. All I know is that for me, it was a bust.
The others in the group had mixed results, some loved, some were "meh".
I am sure if you are a vegetarian this place rocks, it always gets good reviews based on the vegetarian angle, but from my point of view it left quite a bit to be desired. I doubt I will be back. -
Review from Kedar D.
5/9/2011
Unfortunately, Pure City didn't do it for me. It's a vegetarian Chinese restaurant off-the-beaten-path, and definitely an unexpected find in the middle-of-nowhere upstate New York. It's a long trek to get to Pure City, as it's far from the expressways as well.
I started off with a roti paratha appetizer ($3.25). This is an Indian-Malaysian dish that consists of a flaky bread and is usually served with a yellow curry containing potatoes and mock chicken or beef. It's rare to find vegan versions of it, so I always order it whenever I see it. At Pure City, you get the paratha, but you don't get any curry to go with it; instead they gave me a small saucer of cold sweet and sour sauce. I don't like sweet and sour sauce and, moreover, it doesn't go well with paratha at all. I was really disappointed by this preparation.
For my main course I had a "veggie protein with basil" ($11) along with brown rice. This was one of the basic stir-frys on the menu; all of the more interesting-sounding dishes were much more expensive, so I ruled them out. First, the portion size was small considering the price. You won't get any leftovers from this meal. Second, the food just didn't taste that great. The basil they used was bitter, which did the single most harm to the dish; also, the veggie protein was thin and stringy. There were a few carrots and peapods in the dish, but the main vegetable was zucchini, which also tasted just a tad bitter.
For dessert I had a slice of homemade vanilla cheesecake ($5). This was the best part of the meal. While the cheesecake could have been firmer, I liked the strawberry sauce they used, and the subtle vanilla flavor of the cake itself.
The service was extremely friendly and attentive (granted, I was the only person in the restaurant). But the food here just wasn't that great. If you're in the area, it's your only choice for a decent meal, so hopefully they'll improve their game over time. -
Review from Lydia L.
10/22/2010 14 photos
I would not have expected to find such a vegetarian/vegan friendly Asian restaurant in the middle of Pine Bush. Luckily yelp had Pure City listed and since we were in that neck of the woods, we went right on over.
The rather plain and humdrum exterior hides a little magical world within. The walls are decorated with Chinese proverbs, decorations and pictures. The tables are a nice dark wood which gives the small space, perhaps about 12 tables, a warm cosy feeling as if one needs to speak in hushed tones.
I ordered a hot Date Tea. I had never had one before and it was unusual and sweet and tasty with chewy little dates dancing it in. The L. got their green tea which was presented in a self-steeping covered tea cup. The green tea was very fragrant and fresh.
But the food. Heavenly. The Lady proprietress was there and helped us choose our lunch. We started with steamed dumplings and Thai Basil rolls which were clearly made to order. They were delicious, light and full of flavor. There were just too few dumpling. Their presentation was also very old school which was great.
For my main I had their lunch sized Tofu Szechuan Style which came with a choice of Hot & Sour Soup or Miso Soup and a generous mound of teamed brown rice. Of course I got the H&S soup as usually I do not order it elsewhere since it tends to have pork in it. Pure City's version was so good so hot and yet so sour! It was great. I could eat a Homer bucket of it, LOL! My main was spicy with little emeralds (edamame) sprinkled within it as well as rubies (diced red bell pepper). It was the perfect amount as was very filling in a good way.
The L. had General Tso Veggie Nuggets and the mock meat was such a convincing "stand in" for the chicken one who may not not eat vegetarian cuisine regularly may have second thoughts. All their mock "meats" are made on premises and are a far cry from the ones found at your local supermarket.
For dessert we shared a chocolate tofu "cheesecake" with raspberry sauce. I am usually not a fan of tofu cheesecakes, this one was pretty good. Creamy, dreamy and chocolatey.
WHile this was our first time to Pure City it won't be our last. Great vegetarian food can be hard to come by in our area and now that we found a restaurant that has a menu from which we can choose everything we will just have to make our way through it!
Not fancy, but funky and delicious and well priced. Happiness on a plate.
http://purecityny.com/
http://www.youtube.com...Listed in: Here Comes That Feeling..., Strictly Vegetarian
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Review from Amanda C.
Pocono Pines, PA
5/10/2011
My husband and I ate here on the way back from the Woodstock Museum. It was pretty good. This was the first time I have ever eat a vegan Chinese meal. It was good and the prices were reasonable. It wasn't overly crowded for a Friday night but the staff was very friendly and nice.
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Review from Maiko H.
Kent, WA
10/30/2010
Yes, yes yes!! Finally, a Chinese restaurant that has all vegetarian/vegan items on their menu. It's really nice to know that you can pick something off the menu without having to think about what non-veg items may be sneaked inside.
Their food is super tasty and it's great that it's not overly salty or extremely strong in flavor like some other Chinese restaurants. No usage of MSG here! If you're vegan, a note of caution on their dessert menu. Some items have dairy inside - if you ask, they will let you know which ones aren't dairy-free.
The portions are large, their menu selection vast, and the service is fast and attentive. There's limited street parking out front, but if you go behind the building, there's a small parking area.Listed in: For Vegetarians/Vegans
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Review from Dana S.
Austin, TX
7/21/2009
Hands down the best vegetarian Chinese/mock meat restaurant I've ever been to. When I lived in New Paltz, my boyfriend and I drove a half hour just to eat here at least once a month. It's a small family run business, and you are usually waited on by the owners' son. Cute!
Be sure to try the Pure City Special Soup! My boyfriend's favorite dish is probably Green Jade and I loved the Rainbow Seitan Strips. You can't go wrong with ANYTHING, honestly. You could close your eyes and point at something randomly and it'll be delicious and healthy. -
Review from Thomas S.
Bloomingburg, NY
1/28/2009
I agree with everyone else here. I did not realize it was a vegetarian restaurant when I first tried it, but was absolutely pleasantly surprised. I had the pan fried noodles which were incredible.
The atmosphere is casual and service is speedy. -
Review from Ian and Ashley S.
Montgomery, NY
Updated - 1/31/2011
We've been here five or six times now and they've stepped it up - the bland soup we had must've been on an off day. Their appetiser platter is mind-blowing and their desserts are excellent too - the tofu cheesecake has to be tasted to be believed, and the mochi ice cream is the best I've ever had. We had takeout once and it was very neat and tidy, delivered in nice white plastic containers, with no mess. Great taste, great value. They're also genuinely nice people. Highly recommended.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/14/2011
Pure City is a pretty unassuming little place, but it knows what's what - as a total newcomer to… Read more »
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Review from Tim M.
Port Jefferson Station, NY
5/23/2008
Wow. A few weeks back I looked up vegetarian restaurants in my area looking to branch out and find new places that both my girlfriend and I could enjoy. (She's been a vegetarian for years and after 4 years together she is beginning to wear off on me. I'm enjoying it very much.)
Pure City is a bit out of the way for people from the Eastern part of Orange County (a good 25 minutes for me) , but as anyone who visits will find out, it is well worth the drive.
Their menu is enormous and offers a large variety of vegetarian dishes cooked fresh and prepared perfectly. The vegetables are locally grown and taste as if you had harvested them minutes before the meal was put together. They serve you water with limes in it which is the perfect compliment to the already refreshing food. There is Buddhist artwork on the wall and gentle music which makes the dining experience incredibly peaceful and enjoyable.
Prices are reasonable, service is fast, and the people are very friendly.
Overall, an incredible place to visit for both vegans, vegetarians or people just looking to enjoy a healthy (and delicious) meal. -
Review from Rosemary D.
Sullivan, NY
8/13/2009
Suprisingly, a delicous and unexpected restaurant in small town USA. Not a vegeterian myself, I wanted to try something different. Everything you can get at a regular Chinese restaurant without the meat. The flavors are outstanding and mouth watering.
The atmoshphere is small, quaint, clean and decor is simple. The service was great!!Listed in: Restaurant
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Review from Sarah C.
San Jose, CA
10/2/2010
I LOVE Pure City. I am Not a vegan or vegetarian and neither is my family yet we go there as often as we can.
Items we love:
Corn Porridge
#G14, G15
The Pure City Platter
Red Bean Ice cream (not vegan btw)
Rainbow Seitan Strips
The food is so meaty and delicious and filling you'll never feel like you're eating "rabbit food". When you go, try as much as you can, it's delicious!
And also, the owners little sons who help wait tables is very endearing. -
Review from Joseph W.
7/27/2009
This is a vegetarian Chinese restaurant of the highest caliber. It is all the more unexpected that it is in such a remote town. This whole area of New York is so beautiful that it's easy to see why people love living here and keep it like a secret. It is all vegetarian and they specialize in fake meats. Their soups are quite good, so do not skip that course. I liked the veggie nuggets with orange flavor. This is a regional destination restaurant for vegetarians.
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Review from Kristine S.
Middletown, NY
1/3/2009
Great restaurant. All dishes are vegetarian. Try the Jade Garden, definately my favorite dish there.
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Review from Aliza R.
Hoboken, NJ
2/27/2010
I eat vegan and living in Montana it isn't easy to just go out to eat. When I do travel back to Orange County this place is my joint. I travel over 30 minutes to get too and never have been let down yet!
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Review from Katherine G.
Washingtonville, NY
11/19/2010
awesome food! I'm vegetarian and went with 2 non-vegetarians, and we all loved it! I'm usually not a fan of mock meat, but the general tso's chicken was AMAZING! The hot and sour soup and steamed veggie dumplings were also really good. I'll definitely be going back!
