This venue has closed.
Previously known as Kush, everything on the menu at Pure & Whole sounds and looks sublimely healthy. However, while many dishes taste as gorgeous as they appear, others sadly perpetuate the mistaken stereotype that heatlhy eating is a chore.
With just four booths, the pristine space is sparse but intimate, outfitted in blonde wooden benches and grey cushions. They offer a menu that uses organic eggplants, tomatoes and chillies supplied by specialists Biofarm in Pudong.
The wild seaweed salad (59RMB), combines flavourless undercooked wild rice, hard tofu chunks and a carpet of seaweed. Much better is the orzo salad (65RMB), a bowl of orzo pasta, bean sprouts, broccoli, shaved thin stalks of asparagus and celery, and generous cubes of creamy feta – though on one visit this salad was undersalted, and the next, oversalted.
For mains, there are burgers, wraps, curries and noodle options. The spicy tofu burger (65RMB) is delicious, with a healthy blend of sunflower seeds and nuts, but the lentil burger (59RMB) has a thick texture and muddy flavour. The wraps are the stand-outs, particularly the Arabian (59RMB), which comes stuffed with tasty falafel, hummus, feta and tomatoes.
The beverage list includes water infusions, elixirs and super health drinks (15-60RMB). Sweet offerings include a dull lemon and coconut cheesecake (27RMB), but a nice surprise in the curiously-titled ‘ecstasy balls’ (29RMB): five toothsome balls of velvety chocolate and almonds.
The restaurant also has an easy-to-use website offering delivery in northern Jingan. We love the idea of Kush and trust they are still improving their menu and smoothing out inconsistencies. As it is, you’ll leave guilt-free, but an hour later you might be hungry for another meal.
Blessing Waung
