You have a dilemma. You work or live in or near the Flatiron district and have been trying to eat a healthy but satisfying lunch or dinner, but nothing seems to be working. If you are trying to eat healthy, but don’t have time for meal prep because you are working long hours, or because you have just lost the will to cook up another batch of rice to last you through the week, I may have found a viable solution for you. ReViVer, the restaurant that promotes nutritionally charged and balanced meals from Chef Scott Leibfried, has opened up a new location on Park Avenue near 23rd street.
Started two years ago by lifelong friends Todd Horowitz, Scott Leibfried, and Bill McDermond, ReViVer set out to provide balanced, nutritious, pure, and clean meals that can fit into just about anyone’s salutary plans. This means creating expertly prepared dishes that contain whole, nutrient-dense foods that also balance macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) and social and scientific consciousness. The brand provides “culinary art backed by nutrition science” to even more health-conscious people.
Backed by board-certified and licensed nutritionist Monica Reinagel, ReViVer scores all of its dishes with a food rating, giving the consumer an idea of just how well their meal meets the aforementioned criteria. The nutrient score takes into account the amount of vitamins A, C, and E, Folate, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Omega-3 fats, and Fiber. Their goal is to insure that every dish prepared is optimally nutrient dense, while retaining a wonderful flavor.
If you are a nutrition nerd, like I am, you are eating this up. But the meals are really quite delicious and flavorful. Chef Scott suggested a few things, and I picked a few myself as well. I was surprised at how filling and tasty everything was. Seriously, I wasn’t craving cheese filling at all!
I began by tasting the Cauliflower Soup and the Pozole Roja. The Cauliflower Soup was smooth and nutty, and accented by fresh scallions. This is the perfect comforting. The Pozole was spectacular. Delicious, flavorful, hearty, and satisfying, this chicken and beans combo could be a meal in itself. This traditional Mexican soup is finished off with cabbage, radish, cilantro, and avocado salsa verde.
If you are still hungry after either of those, there is still plenty of room in your food logging app for more. There are plenty of salads and to choose from, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Sandwiches are available (burgers as well) and the Mahi Fish Tacos and Shrimp Tacos are a popular choice among the ReViVer regulars.
Still hungry!? Have one of ReViVer’s hot meals. The Carolina BBQ Chicken sits atop a tasty red quinoa with roasted tomatoes, onions, peppers, corn and baby kale and is lightly dressed in a smooth Carolina BBQ sauce. The chicken was tender and moist and the sauce packed a little bit of a kick. The Mahi Curry is a plate of grilled line-caught mahi-mahi, zucchini, butternut squash, and a sweet coconut red curry sauce all over fluffy basmati rice. Both of these dishes can stand alone as a meal for either lunch or dinner. They were a lot more filling than their appearance let on and I didn’t think I would have room for my final dish.
The Loco Moco was the biggest surprise of the evening. This dish didn’t seem like health food at all. An over easy egg on top of a zesty chicken burger on top of rich black beans and basmati rice and blanketed by a really scrumptious green chili tomatillo sauce, Loco Moco seems more like comfort food or a hangover cure. I could eat this daily. Like Chef Scott said to me, “breakfast is an anytime meal.”
ReViVer delivers! You can eat in their well lit dining room or have them bring the food to you. You can even earn loyalty rewards by placing your order at revivernyc.com. I’ve already told my fitness buddies and trainer friends about ReViVer, mentioning that it is an excellent recommendation for their clients. ReViVer’s new location is at 303 Park Avenue South (between 23rd and 24th.) You can call them directly at 646.952.0014.