Salad and Go… Seriously, Go!
If you’re like me; a working parent trying to find time to “do it all” as well as making sure that your little people stay fed, happy and healthy, it can be hard to keep it together and make the best choices for your family. I confess, I have made my way through a drive-thru more times than I would like to admit just for the sake of time and ease. Thankfully, we now have a healthier alternative in the Chandler/ Gilbert area. Salad and Go has opened a second location on the Southwest corner of Cooper and Warner. Salad and Go is a drive-thru only establishment and they are serving up ten gourmet salads in a hurry all week from 10:30am-9pm. All of their salad dressings are made in house, the meats are cooked onsite and they use only the best local, natural and organic ingredients to ensure that eating healthy should be just as easy and fast as all your other drive-thru options.
Salad and Go has enlisted Executive Chef Daniel Patino to create their recipes. Chef Patino has previously led the kitchens of Bourbon Steak Scottsdale, Arcadia Modern American Steakhouse in San Jose as well as receiving several awards and recognition from the Michelin Guide. Can your local McWhataBox say that? If that wasn’t enough they also have Dr. Leah Collier, ND a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor. She’s on hand to make sure that all of the offerings here are full of all the nutrients to keep you healthy and none of the fillers or additives that cause or exacerbate ailments.
So, the food at Salad and Go, how is it?
I have to tell you that I drive by this spot every morning when dropping off one of my little people at day care and I have gotten so excited from the first sign announcing what was coming to seeing every step of the construction, that I could barely wait for the opening on Friday, March 14th. The anticipation was well worth it, and I had thankfully checked out the menu beforehand, because all those options can be a little intimidating. They all sound so good.
On my first trip I went for the Caprese Salad. This salad is complete with hand cut hearts of romaine, arugula, fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, balsamic, grilled red onions and basil pesto paired with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing (you can request a low fat version.) I loved the combination of the fresh crisp romaine with the spicy arugula. The basil pesto was light and fresh, I almost could have done without the balsamic, but it’s a caprese so it makes sense to include it.
The Louie with Shrimp
On my next trip I went with The Louie (with shrimp added in) because, well, bacon. The Louie features hand cut hearts of romaine, blue cheese crumbles, smoked bacon, tomatoes, hard-boiled egg and green onions and paired with a spicy thousand island dressing. This salad has all the things I love; bacon, blue cheese, eggs! I was a little thrown off by reading that it was dressed with a version of thousand island. Thousand Island makes me think of the small town I grew up in. I am a little snobby when it comes to salad dressing and tend to think of thousand island and ranch as Midwest gravy. I went with it since the previous salad was so well put together, and I am so glad that I did. The group at Salad and Go created a version of thousand island that just may have changed my mind; creamy with a kick.
They have a variety of salads available, and I plan to make my way through the entire menu. With their walk up window, I may just kick it up a notch and take the family on a walk to get our salad fix. If you’re on the go, you can get any salad transformed into a wrap. The portions are the perfect size, I even shared a little and found it was perfectly proportioned.
Kid’s Meals
In the coming weeks they will be adding breakfast items to the menu and I can’t wait. The salads and wraps will cost you $5.55 and you can add in protein for an additional cost ($1.29 to 2.09) which makes these healthy and tasty “fast food” options accessible and affordable. They also have kid’s meals available. My little guys really like the PB & Banana wraps with a side of apples and peanut butter for dipping.
Swing by and try a salad, or two, and let us know what you think!
Salad And Go has two locations in the East Valley:
910 S. Cooper Rd., Gilbert 85233
743 N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert 85234
About the Author - Taryn Jeffries
Taryn Jeffries is the owner, editor, writer and Chief Eating Officer of PhoenixBites, an independent Arizona food and dining publication. She's been exploring the Valley's culinary scene since 2010, sharing the stories behind the restaurants, chefs and people who make it delicious. Named the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame's Food Writer of the Year in 2017, Taryn believes good food deserves a good story, honest opinions and occasionally a little sass.
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