New year, new decade, same dietary restrictions.
Yes, it’s me, Olivia, America’s favorite lactose-intolerant and wheat-intolerant UR food critic, back again for another semester of good eats with good peeps. Recently, I’ve been on a huge salad kick — and I rarely crave salad — so, if I ever find myself in the rare position of actually wanting a salad, I feel like I have to ride that horse.
So this week, I visited local eatery B.Good for some solid salad content. B.Good is a healthy fast food establishment of sorts, offering all sorts of “food with roots,” as they advertise, ranging from salads, bowls, burgers (including those plant-based), and chicken sandwiches, to smoothies and a wide range of fun side options.
Starting off with some nice, smooth sailing, I tried the Kale Crush smoothie. This beautiful beverage features a blend of apple, pineapple, banana, and kale. I was pleased with this pick. The overwhelming flavor was the apple, although I picked up on the acidity of the pineapple, as well. I really did not taste the kale at all, but many people prefer it that way, so make of that information what you will. The texture was also nice: not too icy or watery at all. It was refreshing, filling, and pretty much what I expected. There’s nothing crazy and unique going on here, just some pretty solid smoothies with no surprises.
To quell my salad cravings, I selected the Thai noodle salad. I really loved its spicy coconut dressing. It was tangy, lightly spicy, nutty, wonderfully rich, and creamy for something gluten-free and vegan. The dressing also paired very nicely with the abundant zoodles featured in this salad, which offered the perfect refreshing crispiness to balance out the slight heat from the dressing.
Between the zoodles, romaine, slaw, and nuts, there was tons of texture and freshness. For a softer texture, the tofu was cooked to perfect moist tenderness. I really appreciated the prominent grill marks on the tofu, which added even more tastiness into this salad mix.
Also important to note: This salad was not a skimpy portion. It made for quite a filling meal, especially along with a bit of smoothie on the side. Consider my salad craving officially quelled.
My friend Lydia decided to try out the guacamole burger on this trip. We were pretty impressed when this burger was brought to the table because it defied fast food expectations.
The patty looked substantial, and the bun was a gorgeous artisanal seed bun. Lydia said that the patty was juicy and had the “perfect amount of cooking,” which I believe means that it was not overcooked. She also loved the creamy guacamole and the way that the bun was toasted to achieve a crispy, blackened circumference. Lydia’s side of fries also rose above fast food standards. Even visually, it was apparent that they were made with good ingredients and methods. Lydia commented that they were well-seasoned and that her dish was overall great.
As the days — or even the hours — pass on by, I know that most of us are rapidly losing touch with our New Year’s resolutions, and now is the time when it’s early enough to steer things straight again. Whether you’ve resolved to eat healthier this year, you need a good meal done properly and quickly, or you’re just trying to milk out a salad craving for as long as possible, I’d say that B.Good is a good place to be good. (Say that one 10 times fast.)
Or just go get a smoothie — it’s only January, and I’m already too tired for these antics.
