Yesterday, a colleague and new friend, N and I had lunch at Community Food & Juice. It’s a newer place in Morningside, and opened maybe several months ago. We made plans after bonding last week on the night we both volunteered for the Umami food and art festival. I hadn’t really met N until the last day of class last semester. I was blown away by her presentation and realized I missed out all term meeting such an interesting and unique person. Umami was a lot of fun for both of us and I’m always thrilled to forge new friendships.

Yesterday afternoon was beautiful. Folks in Gotham were in bright spirits, and smiling. The bliss should last until the next rain, unexpected chill, or when it gets to be around sweaty temps. I think by now we know folks in this town are a tough bunch of nuts to satisfy.

N and I sat outside in the sun, restocked the vitamin D coffers, and talked about food—of course, our graduate program, our future careers and where we’ll wind up. We related on the milestones in life we’re expected to hit, boom.boom.boom—graduate college, check; get a job, check; get married and have kids,..

I was glad to discover the lunch menu is not just a small plates version of dinner. I had eaten there recently for dinner with another dear friend. Lucky for a habit of ordering the same plate—I fell in love with the chickpea lentil cake that night—I was forced to try something else on the menu. So, I ordered warm lentils on bib lettuce from the selection of salads. This is the third time recently, eating a dish that uses lentils. I think I’m loving them even more than beans. But it would be a photo finish to my heart; they both have me considering vegetarian possibilities. The lunch was all veg, and high on the fiber scale for certain. I ate a side of their cabbage cider slaw, another favourite—generally eating—and consider myself an aspiring slaw connoisseur.

This is a good spot to put on the go to list. It’s just about local for me. They are picky about their ingredients and follow the no antibiotic, no hormone, grass fed, good grain, more humane, local when possible, sustainable, and flavourful philosophies of food. Though service is a bit strange and strained. They do filter their water, and is where I found inspiration for the new Water on Tap series.

Their weekday morning blueberry pancake special is teasing me to get up and atom. I thought about waiting until I’d had the special, to tap here about Community food. But a favourite friend flake has been, well, a flake, and I wanted to tap about it sooner than later. I’ll head there soon. There’s few (good) places offering a bottomless cup of jo and fresh squeezed orange juice. A great deal for $9. Something tells me this special won’t last long.

Bon appétit et bon nuit..