THE PLACE: Just as Sweetgreen was once a unique and delicious entry to the NYC lunch scene, ThisBowl has taken the healthy bowl-obsessed contingent by storm. ThisBowl is an Australian chain (called Fish Bowl down under) and my guess is they are hoping to pull a Sweetgreen here. After garnering huge lines in Noho, a new location has been announced for where else, but Nomad (where Sweetgreen first debuted in NYC). There is a friendly buzz to the Noho location with more tables than necessary and a rather quick assembly line.
THE MENU: Asian flavors and salmon (both cooked and raw) seem to be the specialties here, although there are plenty of vegetarian options and a steamed chicken and braised beef option. These are salads, but can also be interpreted as bowls since a Build Your Own option allows you to customize with rice (brown or sushi rice), cabbage, or mixed leaves as a base. For those who have a hard time curating their own bowl, they offer House Specialities and that is generally where I land at these kinds of places.
THE DISH: After trying both their O.G. (with sashimi salmon and an array of Asian-salad type flavors) and the Miso Salmon, I continue to crave the latter. A nicely glazed filet of salmon is tender and umami-laden. It holds up to lots of fresh crunch (cabbages, carrots, scallions, and tamari almonds) and sweet salty flavors (thanks to a very nice tamari ponzu dressing). A dollop of creamy avocado is a really nice touch. This was a great salad and one that I would happily eat weekly (if not more often). Let’s just hope they don’t turn into what Sweetgreen has since become (a too-large chain with less than fresh ingredients and uninspired bowls). Price: $16.90
| THISBOWL |
| 65 Bleecker Street (between Broadway and Lafayette Street), Noho |
| thisbowl.com |
