photo:
Alicia Eler; pictured: quiche and lemon cloud pie
At First Slice Pie, you're sure to satisfy more than your appetite. Founder Mary Ellen Diaz's two-in-one restaurant operates as a non-profit, so each meal you buy provides those who are less fortunate with meals of their own. Motivated by her belief that everyone deserves to eat well, Diaz serves nothing less than home-cooked, high quality organic food straight from the heart.
There are several ways to feed others at First Slice. First, by paying $198, you can feed a low income family of three all its meals for six weeks. Or you can opt to buy three weeks worth of three organic meals per week for $25. The money from your subscription goes to feeding dozens of needy people. Finally, you can visit First Slice and have yourself a hearty meal. All of the proceeds go towards feeding others the same healthy food that you consume.
Located on the ground floor of the Lill Street Gallery, First Slice is adorned with sculptures and paintings, an apt environment in which diners can enjoy the inventive culinary concoctions. The seasonal menu includes soups, salads and sandwiches prepared with ingredients from local and organic farmers and cost about $7. Warm up with cauliflower quesadillas, chicken tortilla soup or French onion soup made with duck and garlic. The Latin Hip Hop Vegetable salad, a customer favorite, comes in artfully arranged lines of lettuce, cauliflower, cheese, corn, tortilla chips, tomatoes, pepitas and dressed with a mojito vinaigrette. And then there's the pie, which costs about $3 per slice. Lemon meringue slices explode with buttery fluff, and the glistening, sugary edges of the red wine and poached pear pie will entice anyone with a sweet tooth. Coffee, tea and an assortment of cookies and scones are also available. Come hungry and bring cash. Credit cards aren't accepted at the moment.
Centerstage Reviewer: Emily Fiffer