Restaurant Review: The Pump, 275 Madison Ave., New York, NY
a guest post by Julie Congress
275 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212.697.7867
Fax: 212.697.7866
Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 7:30 am to 8:30pm
Friday, 7:30 am to 6:00pm
Weekends, Closed
(www.livelywomen.com) — I won’t lie, I was a little wary of going to The Pump. A friend had warned me that the fast food “energy food” restaurant was for steroid using body builders. As it turns out, that may have been Pump’s old image, but it is currently going under a major renovation, décor to menu. I went to the “brand new Pump” at Madison Avenue and 40th Street. The chairs are made from weight-lifting machines, mirrors line the counters, and the design is inspired by a SoHo loft.
But what about the food? My friend and I ordered The Pump Chicken Salad, the Popeye, a Mocha Rocket, and a Darkberry Energy Shake. All of the ingredients in the salad were fresh and crisp and the Un-Mayo offered a light creaminess without tasting too heavily of tofu. The Popeye, one of Pump’s Super-Charged Plates is “marinated chicken, baked tahini, served over spinach and brown rice.” I was very surprised that I liked this dish as much as I did. I’m not the world’s biggest spinach fan, and I had never had tahini sauce before, but it all blended into a pot pie-esque plate that was warm and homey. As for our two Energy Shakes, I preferred the fruit smoothie Darkberry (a mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberry juice) to the protein shake Mocha Rocket (Coffee, milk, and chocolate whey protein).
The Pump has a pretty extensive menu and also offers “Build Your Own” sandwichs, salads, Super-Charged Plates, Baked Egg White Omelets, Pump Pizzas, and Energy Shakes. Here’s Pump’s philosophy:
The only downside to Pump is the price. It is geared towards health conscious young professionals, but this young semi-professional certainly can’t afford to eat there very often. Here’s what my friend’s and my tab would have been:
- The Pump Chicken Salad - $8.40
- Popeye Super-Charged Plate (small) - $8.85
- Mocha Rocket Energy Shake (small) - $4.10
- Darkberry Energy Shake (small) - $4.60
That’s a total, not including tax, of $26.05 for a portion that was just enough for lunch/light dinner for two (if you’re not super hungry). For me, that’s kind of a lot for a fast-food style restaurant. It’s unfortunate, but it’s just expensive to eat well. But for those who can afford to do so, I would strongly recommend The Pump.
(image courtesy of The Pump)
Tags: womens health blog, womens health, women, woman, health, the pump, energy food, new york restaurant, NYC restaurant, madison ave, east side, eatery, health food, lively women, kristen king, julie congress
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