It's a big deal when I go out of my way to get lunch on a workday.
In my line of work I am literally in my car all day driving all over Brisbane. I could be in any suburb South of the river on any given day. While I generally bring my own food, on the days I don't I tend to find somewhere close to wherever I am (thank-you Yelp iPhone app!).
Lately I have surprised myself by taking every opportunity to trek to Carindale shopping centre, find a car park (a mission in itself, sometimes) and set myself up with a big Sumo Salad.
Now don't go thinking these guys are anything they're not - they're a fast food chain. But they make *healthy* fast food, and they make it well.
The menu board is easy to decipher, although you can sometimes get a better feel for what you want by checking out the ready made salad options in the cold display case.
I generally consult the Sumo Bowl menu on the counter and make my selection from there. Nutritional information abounds here, with calorie counts for everything as well as alerts regarding nut content and the presence of dairy.
The Salmon Teryaki bowl is my staple go-to. It contains a mixture of grilled tasmanian salmon tossed with snow peas, broccoli, baby spinach, steamed brown rice, red & white quinoa, topped with sesame seeds & a teriyaki dressing.
It has such a great balance, and everything is ALWAYS FRESH. No soggy salads here! The crunchy snow peas pair really well with the excellently cooked brown rice and the teriyaki dressing binds it all together with flavour without being too over the top or overly salty.
I have been known to indulge in the hot salads over the cooler months, and I am partial to their risottos and soups as well.
There is always too much for me to finish and I have yet to be left feeling hungry after eating here.
Meal deals are an option with a Sumo Bowl and a 500ml bottle of water for $13. It's a pricy lunch option, but with servings this size and such a wide variety of healthy offerings it's a hard option to pass up if you're health conscious.
My only hope is that these guys spread their franchised-wings and open up a few more stores with shop fronts. That way I can indulge in purchasing my lunch and not have to battle the crowds at Carindale. read more