Loving Hut, NYC

[marissaj]

Just got the following email from a good friend:

"Help! Have client meeting today, and they went to great pains to find a kosher restaurant for me to eat in. Wish they had asked me, but they didn't and now they have booked in Loving Hut and it's too late to change on them. Can you ask around for me and see what others do in similar circumstances? Is it ok to eat salad/ fruit/ anything there? Has anyone checked into this place and can let me know what if anything is realistic to eat there"

Any responses for me to pass along please?

[websterhall1994]

Curious to know how this turned out. The food at Loving Hut is delish for takeout, but the entire place is about 4 feet wide. Not the place for any business meeting.

[marissaj]

Ok. Here is her emailed response when I asked how it was.

i ordered a salad and picked at it, didn't eat the lettuce. it wasn't that great. and the mac and cheese made with soy that other pple ordered looked positively disgusting but they were raving about it. and the place was so tiny, it was a closet. i think they could sit 8 pple total and there was a line for take out standing right behind everyone's chairs. it was truly awful. In good news the meeting went well!

[websterhall1994]

People freak out over that mac n cheese. It's made with Daiya cheese and I think it's rice pasta.

[vallevin]

FYI...Marissa

Tell you friend to order the fruit plate in similar circumstances in the future, even in the most Treif of places...if they have a bar..tell the waitress you wants orange slices and pinapple slices from the bar.

[tantesheri]

My suggestion would be Marais. I have taken people there who will only eat in kosher restaurants. The supervision is OU which should be acceptable.

Great steaks

[avitrek]

Also, Loving Hut looks like a fast food place. I doubt they have a reservation. Maybe your friend can suggest another option nearby when they go for lunch.

[DeisCane]

Good point. I'd guess Circa would be the closest place with a reliable hechsher. Mr. Broadway and Abigael's are pretty close too.

[DeisCane]

Well, it's 100% vegan, has a hecscher (albeit a non-universally accepted one), and doesn't serve wine. The only thing I can imagine being an issue would be vinegars, but I would hope that Steinberg checks that. Plus, of course, the dreaded maaris ayin.

[avitrek]

Loving Hut is certified by Cup K (Rabbi Israel Mayer Steinberg). Anything beyond that is best left to your friend and his/her rabbi and not this board.

[zsero]

The poster obviously knows who certifies the place; hence the problem, and the plea for advice.

[GilaB]

Sure, but we can't give that sort of advice here; it's expressly forbidden, in fact. The advice to discuss it with one's rabbi is spot-on.

[marissaj]

Rabbi is in Israel. Was asking more for advice on what others would do if location was set and changing location was not an option.