You might think the last thing a new restaurant would do is open in a pandemic on purpose. But Just Salad is proud to introduce their fifth and latest SoFla location, this one in the new Uptown Boca residential and retail complex on Glades Road near 441.
Lunchtime already had foot traffic a few days after opening. Even CEO Nick Kenner and his family were here for Boca Chamber’s official ribbon cutting. “A lot of our customers encouraged us, and it’s our first in a new center,” he said.
“They’re glad we’re here. They’ve been going to east Boca,” manager Carolyn Acosta said about their first Boca and sister location in the Boca Center on Military Trail. One customer mentioned she usually goes to the Gainesville restaurant at the University of Florida.
What’s the big attraction? “Everybody now is trying to eat healthy and we’re affordable. We have 10 items below $10,” Acosta said. Regulars buy a reusable bowl for $1 and get free toppings every time they come in. “Even avocado for life,” she added.
This is the familiar serve-yourself format with 26 seats covered outside and 40 inside with hi- and low-top tables, banquettes and a counter. There’s a booster seat for kids.
Diners retrieve their food from servers behind a counter dishing out an extensive menu of choices for layered salads, warm bowls, wraps and plant-based smoothies. Base ingredients range from romaine and spinach to kale and arugula or warm grains. Veggies from brown rice with grilled pepper and onions, to roasted balsamic mushrooms or sweet potatoes or cauliflower and broccoli rice. There are six kinds of cheese.
For proteins, choose from four kinds of chicken, including a vegetarian option, Beyond Beef meatballs, tofu, egg whites or hard-boiled eggs. Toppings range from cranberries and walnuts to tortilla chips and pumpkin seeds. Salad dressings are all homemade. Chicken noodle or spiced pumpkin bisque soups were on the menu. There’s a rack of chips and KIND bars or chocolate-covered almonds for dessert.
Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays; 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Just Salad does orders in advance and pickup, delivery or eat in.
Here’s the South Florida locations: https://www.justsalad.com/locations
By Marci Shatzman
