#ny edition

[artiya-il-muriel-chamuel-blog]

“Shake it off ! Shake it on someone instead” True. Puff puff pass 💃🏽

[dislikethinkingofuniquenames]

2014 Recap Part I (January-May):

This year was weird and wonderful and stressful and life changing. When I find myself loafing about on the couch these days, eating too many cookies, losing focus of my workouts, I haven't stopped to really reflect on how the last 12 months have been utterly life changing. I started this year in New York, commuting 3-4hrs a day to get a to job, and I found it easy to get into a routine with food & work...there was no time to question anything else, it was wake up, eat, commute, work, commute, eat, gym, shower, sleep. 

I loved my biking adventures in New York and didn't realize quite how much until I crossed the country. I'll get into a groove here I know, but biking in New York was incredible. I'll be recapping some other highlights from the year. I think its important to take note of where life's taken you and while I don't do resolutions or wait until January for anything life changing, I do enjoy having a consistent moment in time to reflect on. 

[mobilefidelity]

Welcome to my crib.

[thegreatfoodtour]

Chop't

 Location: In seven locations in both New York City and DC (though one is technically in Rosslyn, VA)

What is This Food I'm Eating?: Known as a "creative salad company", Chop't pretty much puts the ball in your court. If you're not that adventurous, or your brain has had enough decision-making for the day, you can choose from fourteen pre-designed salads on the menu. Or, if you believe you can, in fact, design a healthier, tastier, or more original salad than Chop't, you can choose from a list of ingredients on the menu, and then have your salad tossed to perfection. Any salad, including the "make-your-own" is also available in a wrap.

The Hook: What makes Chop't unique is its procedure:

1.) Choose from five types of lettuce

2.) Choose from four free "choppings", in five categories: vegetables, fruit, cheeses, beans, and a "crunch" factor. (Also on the menu are "premium choppings", which are a variety of meats [including tofu], and extra cheeses, veggies, fruits, and nuts to choose from, which range in price from 49 cents to $3.29)

3.) Choose from a range of dressings in the classic, spa, bold, or exotic categories.

4.) Have it all "chop't" (Hence the name of the place) into many tiny little pieces and either tossed into a salad or rolled into a tortilla.

My Adventure: A first-time visitor to the DC location in Chinatown (and Chop't in general), I had to go all out. So I concocted a wrap.

1.) My lettuce: Spinach 2.) My choppings: Jalapenos, black beans, pita chips (for the crunch factor), and avocado (one of the premiums). 3.) My dressing: Mexican Caesar 4.) All chopped up and fit snugly into a wheat tortilla!

The Verdict: My concoction passed. I enjoyed the crunch factor, and on my first go-round I thought I'd play it safe enough with a favorite ingredient of mine: avocado--which lent pretty easily towards Mexican, so that's the route I ended up taking. I can safely bet that with a world of choices before you, it's possible to get a dud in there. But, I say stick with it, if at first you don't succeed. The ingredients are good.

Style: Chop't struck me as an in-between restaurant. Like Panera Bread, it dances on the fine line between fast food and sit-down. It's cuisine is a bit too gourmet to be lumped in with category leaders in fast food. Yet, with its assembly line procedure, it caters to the grab-and-go. For all intents and purposes, however, it functions as a cafe'.

Aaah...refreshing: For refreshments, Chop't definitely plays the role of high-class cafe', serving lemonades, sparkling water, iced teas, bottled water, canned sodas, and "boylan fountain sodas" (sounds more high-end than Coke or Pepsi products).

Price: Fortunately, for gourmet-style salads, this place is pretty affordable. Prices start at $5.79 for the standard (free choppings) make-your-own wrap and $5.99 for the standard make-your-own salad. For the classic salads and wraps, however, prices are more in the range of $8-10. Chop't also sells a variety of "sweets and snacks" for $2-4.

Where is it?: The Chinatown location is at 730 7th St. NW in DC. See website for other locations in NY and DC. http://www.choptsalad.com

Source of premium prices:

http://www.zagat.com/r/chopt-creative-salad-washington-1/menu