Jar Bar 113 S. 12th Street (215) 923–1600
Don't Miss: Green Banana Elixir Skip: Eating in; the place is hot
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Since Philadelphia food blog Foobooz first announced Jar Bar’s upcoming debut back in June 2011, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this juice bar/raw cafe. Joel Odhner and Jennifer Richmond, the faces behind the Oprah–endorsed and wildly–successful Catalyst Juice Cleanse are the brains behind this completely raw restaurant venture. Jar, which stands for juicy and raw, boasts a menu that even non–health nuts will appreciate. It contains everything from a “burger and fries” ($7.75) — the “patty” is made from almond, flax, carrot and celery — to an anything–but–traditional carrot cake ($4.75).
Greeted by a view of juicers, fresh veggies and a friendly and knowledgeable employee, I was told that I had to try the sweet potato pasta ($6.75) made with shaved zucchini, sweet potato, pine nuts and sun–dried tomato, all dressed in lemon and olive oil. I chose to wash it down with a signature elixir called the Green Banana ($5.75), which differed from the classic juices in that it had a more smoothie–like texture. I was honestly blown away. While I was skeptical about a smoothie made with banana, romaine and apple cider, the savory romaine and the sweet banana and cider complimented each other and avoided tasting as “healthy” as I had expected.
I could have had three more of those and called it a day, but couldn’t resist the intrigue of the pasta. Pure Fare serves a zucchini pasta, but Jar Bar's puts PF's to shame. Shaved zucchini on its own may have made for a mushy mess, but the added crunch of the sweet potato and pine nuts provided a perfect balance. A light dressing was all that the dish needed, and with its addition I was left hooked on the raw foods trend.
While I waited for my food, I nibbled on samples of chocolate granola ($9.75) made with fruit, seeds, buckwheat grouts and cacao, which had all the crunch of a typical granola but felt much less sweet and less processed than a regular store–bought one. It would be great alone or pair wonderfully atop Greek yogurt.
On an atypically warm March day, air conditioning issues gave the restaurant a sense of incompleteness. However, this was a minor caveat that won’t get in the way of Jar Bar’s ability to catch on with both the health– and non–health–conscious alike. I can only suppose that the next step for this juicy oasis is a complementary food truck … 38th and Walnut anyone?
