Ever walk into an unknown restaurant and immediately know you’ve entered one of your new favorite places? This happened today to me at Thrive. The minute I set foot in this place I felt both uplifted and relaxed. The friendly staff was smiling while they worked. Beyond the eating area was a store to buy healthy products and equipment such as bulk grains and juicers. The owner of the restaurant, Monika Kinsman, was working the register, and my friend and I found her instantly easy to talk to.
Did I mention that everything on the menu is raw, organic, and vegan? Oh, yeah. Thrive’s food is both delicious and specially desiged to fill your body with robust health.
Everything I tasted was perfectly and speedily prepared, full of vibrant flavors and life. In addition to enjoying a wonderful lunch (I ordered Oh My Samurai, a teriyaki noodle dish), I brought home a salad to go, the one pictured above. This salad, called Enlighten, brings walnuts, mushrooms, spinach, and spiralized zucchini “noodles” to delicious heights with a perfect, creamy Thai dressing. I also had a taste of my friend’s lunch, Chili con Marvelous. Only good manners kept me from gobbling all of his chili right there in front of him. As it was, I also bought an order of that to go “for my husband to try.” He loved it, too. Yes, I did let my husband eat some when I brought it home for him. Now that’s love.
And I love Thrive. You think I’m kidding? I’m going back tomorrow. I’m going to take my little Rosalie there for lunch. I feel virtuous already that my daughter will have such a healthy lunch tomorrow (and I will generously finish it for her if she needs me to).