First of all, thank you so much for all the nice and helpful comments on my last post about my digestive issues. I’m sorry some of you have had to go through the same experience, but it gives me hope.

With my stomach issues and my job search, it hasn’t necessarily been the easiest summer for me, but fun nights like last night are what keep me going.

Last minute yesterday, Gabriela invited me to dinner with her and Chelsey, who’s visiting her. Gabriela’s a ton of fun, so I knew Chelsey would be, too.

[photo via Gabriela]

We went to Pure Food and Wine, an awesome vegan and raw food restaurant in Gramercy that I’ve heard a ton about but never been to. Well, now I am no longer a Pure virgin. I could never see myself eating vegan all the time, but I do like trying vegan restaurants and food, because the flavor combinations are always so different from non-vegan food.

The menu is relatively simple–one page of starters, one page of entrees, one page of desserts, but I was still incredibly overwhelmed by this unfamiliar food.

Okay. That helped.

Gabriela said that the Raw Zucchini and Heirloom Tomato Lasagna was one of her favorite dishes, so I trusted her recommendation. I nearly got the pad thai because it looked like it was made without peanuts (which I’m allergic to), but when I realized I’d have serious food envy of Chelsey’s lasagna, I got it, too.

In between the zucchini and tomato was pumpkin nut cheese, pine nut pesto and marinara sauce. (I know my mom is gagging and considering this a bastardization of lasagna.)

Bloggers will be bloggers.

Dessert was where I did get some food envy. I decided to go with the passion fruit panna cotta, since I’ve been craving lots of fruit and fruit flavors lately, but Gabriela and Chelsey got the mint chocolate chip sundae. They made a way better decision than I did. After dinner we went to Rye House for one more cocktail.

Thanks for inviting me ladies! I had such a good time.