With its location on the Upper East Side, the East Pole is a home to the “Ladies Who Lunch” crowd and a second home for husbands and wives when they meet for a quick lunch or dinner after a long day of work. I’m a fan of The Fat Radish, the restaurant’s big sister, so I had been curious to check this spot out for quite some time. The East Pole boasts a similar menu, but quite a different crowd! But one thing remains the same: the food is fresh and delicious…
The great thing about the East Pole is that much of the menu is gluten-free! I ordered the carrot and hijiki salad served on top of avocado and kale to start, and the tuna salad on bibb lettuce as my entrée. Both of these dishes are must-haves! It’s funny–the second I had my first bite, my thought was the same that I had my first time at The Fat Radish: the food is SO fresh! It tastes so pure and healthy, which is great for someone like myself who has a gluten allergy. I can’t tell you enough how nice it is to know that there are no added sauces or hidden ingredients in the dishes! The tuna salad was served layered on top of bibb lettuce, and it was definitely the coolest tuna salad presentation I have had to date. The burger is pretty popular at East Pole too, and it is gluten-free when you ask for NOBREAD! Lastly, I ordered the duck fat truffle fries. These thick potato wedges are cooked in a shared fryer, but if you can tolerate a little CC risk, I highly recommend them! A few other NOBREAD approved options are the oysters, market frittata, and macro plate. The macro plate is this restaurant group’s specialty, and it is vegan too!
I went to the restaurant for lunch, and I would absolutely go back again soon for brunch, lunch, or dinner! The bar at the front of the restaurant is cool too, and a great spot for a post-work cocktail. With a range of gluten-free options and a staff that caters to the NOBREAD crowd, East Pole is definitely the new spot for Upper East Side-ers!