Jared Koch - Clean Plates New York City 2016: A Guide to the Healthiest, Tastiest and Most Sustainable Restaurants

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical doctor, and nothing in this book is intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition, illness or disease. Anyone with a specific medical condition should consult a physician.

2016 Jared Koch

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by Clean Plates

Edgewater, NJ

Interior design by Gary Robbins

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Koch, Jared.

Clean Plates New York City 2016: A Guide to the Healthiest, Tastiest and Most Sustainable Restaurants for Vegetarians and Carnivores / by Jared Koch. Edgewater, NJ: Clean Plates, 2016.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-9905646-3-8

1. FoodPopular works. 2. DietPopular works. 3. NutritionPopular works. 4. RestaurantsNew York (State)New York. I. Title.

TX355.K63 2016

641dc22

2008940260

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WELCOME TO CLEAN PLATES NYC 2016!

I am excited to introduce you to Clean Plates NYC. For those already familiar with us, Im thrilled to welcome you back. This guide includes the top 100 healthiest, tastiest and most sustainable restaurants in New York City.

Lets face it: We dine out a lot, and restaurants can be bad-eating minefields. But eating high-quality food that tastes delicious should not have to be challenging. No one actually wants to consume hormones, antibiotics or pesticides; its just that searching for the good stuff takes time. Thats where Clean Plates NYC comes in. Weve done all the dirty work for you to make clean eating an easy, pleasurable and sacrifice-free adventure.

The good news is that restaurant trends are heading in the right direction, and there are more options than ever for clean eaters to choose from. Weve seen an explosion of healthy fast-casual spots (great for grabbing a quick meal) and more neighborhood haunts and fine-dining establishments offering vegetable-centric menus. The long-disrespected vegetarianoption has finally been invited to the tableand with it, more sustainably raised protein as well. Consumers (thats me and you) are getting smarter about what actually is healthy (lots more fresh-pressed juice and smoothie options) as opposed to what just sounds healthy (think fro-yo). And, most importantly to us here at Clean Plates, New York chefs sourcing practices continue to improve as they deepen their understanding and commitment to how produce is grown and animals are raised.

Clean Plates NYC is about helping you make better, more informed choices. Theres a lot of nutritional information out there, but it can be totally confusing. Thats why this guide also provides an easy-to-follow overview of how to best eat clean while dining out.

A little about me: After deferring my acceptance to medical school and embarking on a decade-long stint as a successful entrepreneur, I decided that I needed to focus on my health and happiness. As part of that journey, I not only became a certified nutritional consultant but also healed myself from chronic irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fatigue and skin issues. Ive also had some amazing teachers: Andrew Weil, M.D.; Deepak Chopra; Dr. Mark Hyman; and Walter Willett, the Chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard; in addition to many experts in the fields of raw foods, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, macrobiotics, vegetarianism and high-protein diets.

Thanks to my experiences, Ive had several insights over the years about how we eat, which is the foundation on which Clean Plates has been built. I will share these insights with you throughout this guide.

I wrote this book because theres a real lack of helpful, well-organized information for people who want to dine more mindfully and still enjoy the experience of eating. Yes, cooking at home is important, and many nutrition books (including The Clean Plates Cookbook, as well as our website, CleanPlates.com) offer delicious recipes, but the truth is that we eat out a lotits just part of New York life. We created Clean Plates NYC to be the most well-researched, comprehensive and easy-to-use healthy dining guide that exists. I am certain it will help you navigate the ever-expanding maze of the citys healthiest, tastiest and most-sustainable restaurants.

Together, lets shatter the myth that healthier eating is a sacrifice and prove that we can do it without the guilt, inconvenience, boredom and sheer lack of long-term success that characterize the usual diets. You see, eating clean food is admirable, but I am equally interested in clean platesthat is, the kind of food that makes you want to lick the plate clean.

In good health,

CLEAN PLATES MISSION is to make it easy and enjoyable for you to eat better. The first step is simply reminding yourself why you want to focus on your eating habits in the first place. There are a multitude of reasons why you may decide to eat better; at the end of the day it all comes down to choices. Here are some reasons to help you choose wisely and intentionally.

FOR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Our health may be affected more by the foods we eat than by any other factor. This is great news, since it means we can do something about it. Of course, exercise, sleep and geneticsnot to mention our relationships, career and spiritualitycount, too. But the reason you are what you eat has endured as a phrase is because what we consume builds, fuels, cleanses orunfortunatelypollutes our very cells.

If youre healthy, youre more likely to:

have more energy to enjoy life and live to your fullest potential;

enjoy greater mental clarity for work and play;

maintain emotional equilibrium and a pleasant mood;

suffer from fewer minor ailments such as colds and allergies;

reduce your risk of contracting potentially fatal diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease;

age more slowly and gracefully, staving off problems like arthritis and Alzheimers disease;

save money by having fewer healthcare bills and less time off work;

have clearer skin and a trimmer physique (a little vanity never hurt anyone).

FOR THE WORLD BEYOND YOUR PLATE

Heres a new one: An organic apple a day keeps the greenhouse gases away. Translation? Eating clean is good for nature. When you start choosing cleaner foods, you can positively affect the planet. When you choose grass-fed meats, you are supporting farmers who employ humane practices. When you choose non-GMO certified products you are taking a stand against the enormous amount of pesticides it takes to grow GMO crops and the adverse effects of cross-contamination on both the land and wildlife.