Jennifer B.
Yelp
If it weren't for the Yelp perk, I wouldn't have known about this place. (But that's for another review.)
I didn't know what kind of mood I was in, but bizarre enough, I wanted to try something different: how about checking them out first (as they are) before availing of the perk. (Honestly, I'm not sure why that kind of curiosity kicked in, but... why not!)
Work is a stone's throw away, practically, so with a bit of wiggle room during lunch, I came through. I got the chance to look at their menu beforehand and thought, "Wow. Tons of healthy eats..." After a quick run through, I ended up with nothing but tunnel vision for the miso salmon bento box.
Walked in and learned pickup/to-go only. I used the tablet to put in my order (that was extra easy) and waited patiently for my grub. I also got to observe the staff putting orders together - they all worked in synchronicity, it was almost like watching them perform a well-rehearsed routine. They were incredibly efficient.
Seeing how many orders they were putting together, I was surprised at how quickly my food came through.
I had the option of eating it at their patio area, but it was a little too cold to be outside so I took it back to work.
There was a lot of thought put in this dish. The miso salmon was absolutely the center of this, grilled moist with excellent combo of sweet and savory. I'm not really a fan of brown rice simply because I haven't found one my palates enjoyed. The one with this dish may be the first I actually liked. I also thought "way too many salads/healthy stuff in here: cucumber, kale salad, regular salad with (I believe a mango-like dressing) and seaweed. But, boy, did I learn something new today: each of those veggies stood on their own as palate cleansers that enhanced each followed bites of the salmon. Not a fan of teriyaki sauce but the blend they had here was yum! And the crispy onions not only added taste, it also added texture. Did I mention the packaging is genius?! It's even stable enough for repurposing! But this bento box overall: delicious.
FOOD: 5 - based solely on the miso salmon bento box.
SERVICE: 5. Like I mentioned earlier, the staff worked well together. Service with a smile.
VALUE: 5. Worth it!
PARKING: Shared with plenty others. Might be a challenge during the lunch rush. Might wanna give yourself a little wiggle room, just in case.
OVERALL: 5.
I asked them about the Yelp Elite perk (how it'd work, etc.) Front staff were so busy, they might have just heard me say the words "Yelp" and "Elite". They didn't hesitate to give me swag. (I know, I shouldn't have taken it, but I figure, with this excellent experience, I'll be back for that perk anyway, and I planned on not mentioning those words again. I'm not greedy like that.)
Excellent first run! Definitely looked forward to that next visit!