Try out Palo Alto’s newest restaurant, Sweet Green – a healthy new salad spot that features organic ingredients from local farmers. Sweet Green makes the perfect quick and delicious lunch or dinner spot. Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Baldwin.
By Eliza Crowder
Prior to coming to the Bay Area, Sweet Green had established multiple locations scattered around the East Coast, with a few in other parts of California as well. Sweet Green opened at 581 Ramona Street in Palo Alto on May 17 and has been quite popular since its opening day. Sweet Green’s mission is to support local farming communities by using their organic ingredients and sustainable practices to create delicious and fresh food for all.
Sweet Green perfectly fits the mold of Silicon Valley by providing sustainable and trendy “fast food.” The restaurant’s menu offers an array of house-made salads with a few different soup options, but salads are truly their forte. Some of the most popular house-made salads include the “Kale Caesar,” the “Guacamole Greens,” and the “Rad Thai.” The Kale Caesar ($9.75) is comprised of shredded kale, chopped romaine, parmesan crisp, shaved parmesan, roasted chicken, tomatoes, fresh lime squeeze, and caesar dressing. The Guacamole Greens ($10.75) features a combination of organic mesclun, avocado, roasted chicken, red onion, tomatoes, tortilla chips, fresh lime squeeze, and lime-cilantro-jalapeño vinaigrette. And last but certainly not least, the Rad Thai ($12.00) is made up of organic arugula, mesclun, sprouts, shredded cabage, spicy sunflower seeds, carrots, cucumbers, basil, citrus shrimp, and spicy cashew dressing. These three refreshing salads are only a few of the plethora of options that Sweet Green provides.
As great as the Sweet Green’s house-made salads are, many restaurant-goers are more inclined to choosing exactly what components they want in their salads. Sweet Green’s “make your own” option pleases these types of customers and addresses their desires. First, you start with a “base,” which can include anything from different types of grains to a variety of lettuce types. Next, you choose up to four ingredients, and you can add more for an extra charge if you desire. The last step before your masterful salad is completed is choosing your dressing. Some of my favorites include the cider vinaigrette, the pesto vinaigrette, and the classic balsamic vinaigrette. While salad isn’t typically thought of as a hearty or a filling meal, Sweet Green’s salads are actually pretty good sized portions and thus keep customers full until the next meal.
One of my favorite aspects of Sweet Green is the laid-back, modern atmosphere of the restaurant. As you walk in, you are immediately greeted by the lively, vibrant employees who all seem very happy and relaxed as they combine the salad ingredients. Scattered about the restaurant is an array of different sized tables at which people are either working on their computers or enjoying conversations with friends and family. The Sweet Green employees listen attentively to the customers’ orders and are very efficient when combining ingredients right in front of you. If you’re still confused about the way Sweet Green works by my explanation, just think of it as the salad version of Chipotle, in which you go ingredient by ingredient over the counter to construct the perfect salad.
If you are a salad person, Sweet Green is the place for you. If you have tried out the very popular “Sprout Cafe” in Palo Alto, you might want to considering switching to Sweet Green as your new go-to salad spot. I have been a loyal Sprout customer for years now, but due to Sweet Green’s larger portions, modern atmosphere, and fresh ingredients, I now have to admit that I am a bigger far of Sweet Green than I am of Sprout. With summer just a week away, you will have lots of extra free time on your hands, so make your way down to PA for a meal that surely will not disappoint. You (and your tastebuds) will thank me later!
