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| Cajun Seitan Sandwich - Candle Café |
Author's Note: I'm sadly writing a review that is not glowing. I realize it's pretty rare on this blog so I consider myself lucky for so frequently finding delicious food. I always share my true opinion of the food and restaurants I try, so here it goes...
I had high expectations for Candle Café since its fine dining sister restaurant Candle 79 has such fabulous cuisine and a warm atmosphere, but it didn't quite meet them. For my first visit, I ordered my lunch as takeout and sat at the bar to wait. I usually don't comment on or factor in the clientele to my reviews, but something about the customers here irks me. They are slightly pretentious and give off the "old money" vibe, which makes sense because my biggest issue with Candle Café is their prices. I was expecting more casual dining and more affordable options vs. the upscale Candle 79, but they are too similar.
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| Seitan Chimichurri - Candle Café |
As for the food, my first meal was mediocre, but I gave it another chance. The first time around I ordered the Seitan Chimichurri Skewers and a side of Mac & Cheese because I was craving comfort food. The seitan was marinated with an herb-citrus sauce. It was a lot more rubbery than I had expected and because it was served with just sauce and nothing else, it was a little boring. The Mac & Cheese was bland and lacked even a fake cheese flavor that you'd expect from its name. It too was a little boring, but I did enjoy how creamy it was.
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| Side of Mac & Cheese - Candle Café |
The second meal I had here was much better after choosing a menu option that has a lot of fans on Yelp...but it was still a sandwich for $17! I ordered the Cajun Seitan Sandwich, which was focaccia toasted and served with crusted seitan, steamed greens, caramelized onions, and avocado, with a generous supply of chili aioli and served with a side of coleslaw. I could eat this again and again. The seitan had the right texture for a sandwich and was very flavorful.  |
| Leftovers - Must Savor Every Bite! |
I will undoubtedly go back to Candle Café to try more dishes because the quality of food really is great. I will just have to go less often so I don't empty out my wallet!
Candle Café - Upper East Side
1307 3rd Avenue (between 74th & 75th St)
New York, NY
