Puree Cafe Fights for an Organic Charleston: Will You Join?

When Jenan and Bryant McClain opened Puree Organic Café in early 2012, they knew they weren’t out to make a fortune. In fact, they knew the opposite would likely be true. But after working in the corporate world, specifically in wealth lending, Jenan knew she had a bigger passion. Healthy, organic, DELICIOUS food was her passion. For a while they toyed with the idea of opening a restaurant after retirement, as sort of a side project. Their first baby came, and they decided to raise the bar. Big time.

So what is Puree Organic Café? Simply put, it’s a bomb diggity place to eat. You really don’t need to know much more. But there IS so much more to know, so why not tell you?

Their website explains they are “dedicated to bringing the Higher Taste of whole-foods cuisine to the Low Country. While our area has become a food destination, there are tribes of folks that have felt left out: vegetarians, vegans, health nuts, and the gluten free are tired of the same old steamed veggie plates. Nourishment is our mission and we know that everyone will eat healthy meals if they taste great. We don’t use any fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, or GMO’s. Our coffees and teas are organic and our deserts are delicious and guilt-free.”

Jenan realized that it wasn’t just about food. It was about bringing awareness to the community, educating customers, and raising the standard for what we eat.

Because of this high standard, their cost of food production is THREE TIMES that of most restaurants in Charleston. I don’t mean sandwich shops, I mean high end dining. So what does this mean for them? Much lower profit margins.

About 6 weeks ago, they saw a dip in their business that made them very nervous. Owner Jenan explains that they were nervous, but decided to take the plunge and let their loyal customers (who have become friends and like family) know what they were going through. So an email went out, “IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ” was the subject line. And there it was, an open, honest letter to customers about their current issues and an explanation as to WHY. They explain to customers, “Puree has been very successful by many measures: monthly volume, total sales, and customer ratings. However, our high food costs have kept us from profitability. Our margins are much smaller because of the high food costs so we have to have high volume to make the business work.”

They asked for suggestions and comments, which flew in from Facebook and email. Some were great, and some were…not so great. There were things that had occurred to them, but some that hadn’t. They already knew they weren’t showcasing their talented chef, Ulfet Ralph, nearly enough, but their new dinner menu reconciles that. So what else do you need to know, and what are they doing differently now? They’re working on several new things, including “grab and go” breakfasts, and they made a brand spankin new dinner menu. Starters like the Root Salad with Beet, Orange, and Goat Cheese Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette, and Seitan skewers with teriyaki or sesame peanut are followed by some amazing entrees. If you’re feeling the Asian theme go for the PortoBelly - Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Kale Kim Chi and Korean Barbecue Sauce. If you’re feeling more traditional, go for the Rainbow Row - Old Charleston Spice Braised Seitan, Sautéed Collards, Mini Corn Cakes, and Sweet Onion Jam. 

DID YOU KNOW:
They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
They have a FULL coffee bar (including lattes with every type of milk under the sun)
They have Sunday Brunch
They have a dinner menu that’s TOTALLY different from lunch, and you can actually feel good about eating
They serve beer, wine and wait for it… liquor! And with organic mixers, so you can actually feel good about drinking TOO!
They deliver! 
They do take out!
They love you. They really do.

Let’s support Puree. Let’s show everyone that Charleston really IS progressive enough to keep an amazing restaurant that cares about us as a community OPEN. Get over the bridge for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and get yourself something delicious.