HOUReview
The vegan restaurant Mantra feels like a designated “calm corner”—the entire Midtown space is filled with motivational signs about manifesting, giant slabs of amethyst, lo-fi neo-soul music, and strategically positioned plants. As pleasant as Mantra is on the inside, most of the food falls flat. Fried oyster mushrooms are doughy mush, the flavor of the plantain chips as the base of the nachos overpower the rest of the dish, and the main flavors of their rasta pasta are salt and oil. We can’t say we’d race back here to eat anything, but if you’re in the market for brussels sprouts with a balsamic vinegar glaze or a tart strawberry hibiscus cheesecake, it works.
