This is a bowl assembly concept similar to Chipotle, but focused on healthy selections.
My choice was coconut rice and kale slaw topped with chickpeas and salmon. The ingredients worked well together. The sriracha-based sauce I selected was fairly bland, but my wife’s ginger sauce was excellent.
The counter setup at lunchtime is extremely efficient, so it took no time at all to order and pay.
There’s a nice outside seating area in addition to the indoor space.
***** (5 stars)
Wow! This is far and away the best use of this restaurant space ever. It retains its former upscale decor, but brings an all new menu and cuisine to the area.
Affiliated with the nearby Saffron Indian Restaurant, but this restaurant is Southern Indian, and entirely vegetarian, or even vegan if you wish.
The lunch "table side buffet" is actually a traditional Thali, a tray with an assortment of soups and stews, a bowl of rice, and a variety of breads for dipping. It is easily the best Indian lunch deal in town, and arguably one of the best lunches in town.
I'm a fan of lunch at Saffron, and I wasn't sure this would be that different, but it is quite distinct, and deserves its own separate recognition as a best Indian food winner.
The Madras Cafe
7730 W Sand Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
Coffee service
Veggie platter
***** (5 stars)
I love Ethiopian food, and Selam has some of the best I encountered anywhere. It’s great that Orlando now has an Ethiopian restaurant that is open at lunch time!
Our group of four shared two of the sampler platters, one vegetarian and one not. I was the only one in the group who was familiar with Ethiopian cuisine, so it was wonderful that both the server (owner?) and chef visited us with explanations of everything. Our group loved every bite!
We also finished with the coffee service. They roasted the beans to order, and brought them out in the hot pan so we could smell the wonderful aromas before they ground them.
Really a delightful experience, and we will be back soon!
Selam Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine
5494 Central Florida Pkwy
Orlando, FL
32821
(407) 778-3119
https://www.yelp.com/biz/selam-ethiopian-and-eritrean-cuisine-orlando
Exterior
Chili dog and BBQ tots
**** (4 stars)
This is a small counter service place in college park that offers hotdogs and tater tots. There are premade specials, or you can just specify whatever you want on your dog and tots. I tried the certified angus beef dog with mustard, onions and chili. The bun had a good consistency, and the chili was okay. I wasn’t wowed by the meat, so I might try the regular do the next time.
It’s attached to a larger ice cream shop with more seating. and you can have a shake for dessert.
Service was friednly.
Doghouse
2527 Edgewater Dr
Orlando, FL 32804
(407) 412-5409
https://www.yelp.com/biz/doghouse-orlando
Interior
Exterior
Periodic table of cheese
**** (4 stars)
I need to return here to try the grilled cheese sandwichs, as they look good, but we tried the burgers, which are half their offerings.
In particular I wanted an Impossible Burger, the meatless patty that is–when correctly prepared–just as good or even better than meat. It’s best with a nice crust on the outside and a thin patty. Toasted’s version was actually a bit too thick and a bit too big, with pieces falling off around the edges, but it was nicely crusted.
I like my burgers fully dressed, with a slice of onion, pickles or relish, mayo, mustard, and so on. Not sure if they can do that, but the default isn’t the case.
At $12 including fries the Impossible Burger seemed a bit pricey, but I suppose it is because it is exclusive.
We also tried the Southern Burger, which is basically a BBQ bacon cheese burger plus mac and cheese on the burger. The meat in this burger was definitely inferior to the Impossible Burger, and I wouldn’t order it again. We also didn’t think the mac and cheese added anything.
Both burgers came on a nicely grilled bun.
I probably wouldn’t order burgers here again, but I would go back to try the grilled cheese. The employees were all great, very enthusiastic, and the place has a nice ambiance.
Toasted Windermere
6506 Old Brick Rd
Ste 100
Windermere, FL 34786
(407) 217-5485
https://www.yelp.com/biz/toasted-windermere-windermere
Interior
Pabellon
** (2 stars)
This nice space has been a succession of restaurants, all of them better than this incarnation.
The extensive menu offers a variety of Latin cuisines, with an emphasis on Venezuela. The prices are pretty ridiculous, with a soda or iced tea costing $5, and a milkshake an astounding $15.
Fortunately there are lunch specials for $9. We tried several, and none rose above mediocre. Your money would certainly be better spent at an alternative such as Pio Pio or Arepas El Cacao.
Service can only be termed snail-like, despite the place being only half full, with plenty of servers.
I’m already looking forward to the next restaurant in this space.
Bocas Grill – Orlando
7600 Dr Phillips Blvd
Ste 22
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 723-8351
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bocas-grill-orlando-orlando-2
Vegan tacos
Cup of chili
Interior
Exterior
Kitchen
Breakfast menu
Lunch menu
***** (5 stars)
This place is much more than a juice bar, with a complete menu of delicious food, some vegetarian, some vegan, but also lots of items that aren’t.
My favorite was the chili, a delicious concoction of ground turkey and beans with many interesting spices and just the right kick to it.
The Vegan tacos were also good, with crisp shells and a flavorful slaw to add some interest to the quinoa filling.
The servers and chefs were all very friendly.
Vida 365 Bistro Juice Bar
16129 State Road 50
Unit 104
Clermont, FL 34711
(352) 474-8432
http://www.yelp.com/biz/vida-365-bistro-juice-bar-clermont
**** (4 stars)
This is one of the better vegetarian restaurants I’ve been too. They do a great job of using ingredients such as seitan in ways that give it great texture and flavor.
We started with the barbecued sauce coated “wings” which had a great crust and delicious coating. The serving was generous, to say the least, and when we’d finished sharing the appetizers we were wondering if we could eat any of our entrees.
The cuban sandwich was okay, but the tostadas were great, with just the right balance between quinoa and black beans.
Shakes are a specialty here, and my coffee flavored one was wonderful. Note: a small is plenty!
The Chicago Diner
3411 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 935-6696
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-chicago-diner-chicago
**** (4 stars)
It’s always a pleasure to eat where the employees are really passionate about what they do, and that epitomizes The Amazing Kale Burger. From the moment I walked in I felt right at home, and my server’s enthusiasm for the food was very clear.
I tried the Vaden, which is served with a beet-based BBQ sauce. The kale burger patty is quite delicious, with all the ingredient in balance, and a nice crust from cooking. The accompanying lettuce and tomato were quite fresh, and the BBQ sauce was delicious. The bun was a bit small, sturdy and dry for my taste, but I can see where others might like it.
For a side dish I had pickled asparagus, which was tossed with yellow peppers and extremely fresh oregano bits. It was delicious.
House made mint tea was pleasantly unsweetened.
The kale burger was one of the better vegetarian patties I’ve had, and I’d often choose it over a meat patty if it were available elsewhere. Coincidentally, I ate here on national burger day!
Amazing Kale Burger Lunch Counter
741 Howard St
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 660-4330
http://www.yelp.com/biz/amazing-kale-burger-lunch-counter-evanston
**** (4 stars)
This small shop offers delicious sandwiches and salads made to order from very fresh ingredients. I had the BLT (a surprising offer from a mostly vegetarian place) and it was quite good. I found the inclusion of cheddar cheese odd, and would omit it on a future visit. The green salad was mostly spinach, very fresh, and came with a delicious miso dressing option.
There are only a few tables in side, and a few more out back, so a lot of orders are to go.
Temp Bistro is definitely a great choice when looking for a healthy alternative.
Tempo Bistro To Go
1516 NW 13th St
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 336-5834
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tempo-bistro-to-go-gainesville