It’s funny that a country with as much color and pageantry as Brazil would spawn such a subdued eatery. Actually, eatery is a stretch, as this place is essentially a takeout juice bar that happens to have a few food items on the menu to help capture some incremental sales. I’ve never really understood the whole raw veggie drink thing. If I wanted a cup full of bile-colored sludge that tasted vaguely of freshly cut lawn and hay bales, I would, well; I would just be a crazy person (or a baby). I just don’t see why it’s so hard to eat the stuff in its whole form. Are people that lazy (or toothless) that they need their vitamin-laden food mashed up for them like some drooling hospice-dweller? Sorry Ron Popeil, I just don’t get the appeal. Amazon does, however, serve a few different little wraps. I got my typical chicken wrap, which was literally some grilled chicken with lettuce inside a tortilla. There was no tomato, no dressing, no nothin’. Amazingly, the thing was pretty tasty and the chicken well spiced and prepared. It could have benefitted from some honey mustard or something, but overall I felt healthy and not at all like I just ate something that would throw up a roadblock in my aorta somewhere. This probably isn’t the kind of place you’d go on a regular basis (the one worker in the dingy space is kind of depressing, honestly), but is a decent joint to visit if you just want to detox a little bit and get your protein and vitamin A on. [MF]
498 9th Ave.
212/268-0798