The title of this post is no exaggeration. I am not and have never been a “salad girl.” I think that they are a waste of stomach space to be quite honest. However, since my first visit to Designer Greens some months ago, I continue to find myself being pulled back in to their huge, awesomely garnished salads.
Although I really like the salads (one in particular, but I’ll get to that in a minute), the thing that keeps me going back is that the eatery is owned by a University of Central Florida graduate (go Knights!). It’s really great to know that I am supporting a locally-owned place. But honestly, if the food wasn’t up to par, that definitely would not be a draw for me.
Here’s the thing about Designer Greens: it is like the Chipotle of salads. The menu is filled with different kinds of salad choices, BUT you decide what else you add to it (or take away). Have a hankering for mandarin oranges, mushrooms, wonton bites, or peanuts on your salad? At Designer Greens, you got it! My favorite add on is the candied sunflower seeds. They add this crunchy, sweet flavor to the mix. Even if the salad that I choose already has them included, I add extra. The really cool thing is that if you order in, your salad comes in this really big metal bowl. I’m not sure why I find this so fascinating, but I do. Anyway, let’s talk about my favorite salad.
Since learning about Designer Greens, I have tried a few of the salads. There was the greek, which was topped with black olives, bell peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, and greek feta dressing. Then I remember trying the bruschetta, which I loved. It basically had all of my favorites: sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, croutons, tomatoes, and red onion. For my recent visit, I returned to an old favorite: the avocado salad. Plus, I added what had become my favorite side item: pita & hummus (which is made in house). But back to the avocado salad.
The salad is topped with mandarin oranges, slices of avocado, corn, red onion, goat cheese, a hard-boiled egg, and, my personal favorite, candied sunflower seeds. I added black olives to the mix. The thing that I like the most is how light it is. Although there is a lot going on in the salad and you get a pretty hefty salad, you won’t finish this salad feeling like you need to take a nap.
If you happen to visit with a meat-eating friend, he/she can add proteins such as eggs, chicken, turkey, and ham.
For a weekday lunch salad, I definitely recommend paying Designer Greens a visit.
Be sure to check out the pictures below from my recent visit.
