This is PiNK NutriDeli’s attempt at a restaurant concept that’s less grab-and-go, while still maintaining the same health-conscious philosophy that governs their original outlet. Décor wise, there is a whole lot going on with the magenta walls, sheer purple curtains, white paper lantern lights and black furniture. The diners are seated on tables leading to the bar at the end and there is a space with little furniture tucked away on the left, leaving us wondering what it’s used for. We found ourselves a spot and ordered Vietnamese rolls to kick things off. The prawns were fresh enough, with chilled crunchy carrots and lettuce, but the soy dipping sauce was a little bland for our liking. For mains, we ordered their signature oven-baked white dory and roasted chicken with shrooms and pepper sauce, both of which came with salad and a choice of spaghetti, rice or mash. The dory lacked the fragrance of herbs and was dry; even the brown mushroom gravy that it arrived swimming in did little to calm our distaste. On the up side, at least the calorie count of the entire dish, salad and rice included, was a mere 394. Fortunately, the brown rice that accompanied it was a winner—soft, fluffy and interspersed with briny olive bits. We couldn’t get enough. Our lightly marinated teriyaki chicken was also a delight. Crisp, burnished skin covered moist boneless leg meat, although we didn’t appreciate that both it and the dory had the same sauce which included slices of canned button mushrooms. We fought our skepticism hard when it came to their low-fat and low-sugar desserts, but the battle was worth it. The butterless & flourless brownie with glazed chocolate was surprisingly gratifying. Sprinkled with chopped peanuts and white chocolate curls, it was sweet, and just rich enough to satisfy (as long as you look past the fact that it was more like a firm chocolate mousse than a brownie). The service was friendly and competent, and that little area at the back with its wooden floors and mirrors turned out to be for its weekly salsa classes held on Monday nights. PiNK Dining & Bar is worth a try if you’re one for healthy, affordable food and even a little bit of dancing after.
