curious palate

curious palate
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we were meeting up with friends across the street for bowling and needed to grab a quick bite to eat. i didn't want to eat unhealthy bowling alley food, so we ate here when we spied it on the way. the word artisanal emblazened on the building made me a bit apprehensive, but the place is a casual and unassuming cafe inside, and indeed, the ingredients are gourmet. food ranges from ok to good depending on what you order.

the curious salad gets mixed reviews from me. parts of it were good, while some did need some seasoning. i liked the light dressing, the fresh artichoke hearts, and marinated beets on crisp greens. the pretty purple lima beans were nice to look at, but bland, and the red peppers could have used a little seasoning as well. you get a pretty good sized portion for a small, if you just want a side salad to go with soup or something else.

the chili, which is made with flavorful pieces of pork rather than ground meat, was delicious. full of smokey flavor and chunky with beans and pork, it had the right amount of heat.

the bf had the wasabi shrimp wrap, which was more like a shrimp salad flavored with horseradish. i'm not a huge fan of wraps, but it was decent.

they offer fresh mixed juices. the day we went, it was rosemary lemonade and strawberry. since they were almost out of the strawberry, i had them mix both, and it ended up being a tasty beverage.

everything sounds good, and they use quality ingredients. prices are on the higher end for cafe food (from $7 - $10 for a sandwich), but they seem appropriate for the ingredients. service was super friendly.