After munching our way through Greenwich, we found the perfect places to eat. From cookies to coffee, we are dishing out a guide to the best eateries each month. This month, we covered the greens: salad.
Méli-Mélo
Our first stop along the trail was Méli-Mélo, a small, yet lively French crêperie nestled on the corner of Grigg Street and Greenwich Avenue. Méli-Mélo’s menu offers light fare including smoothies, salads, sandwiches, and crêpes.
We ordered the Méli-Mélo Salad, composed of mesclun leaves, roquefort cheese, walnuts, prosciutto, and homemade dressing, served with homemade slices of French bread. It cost $10.50.
Our salad arrived neatly plated with a slice of prosciutto lying on top. The mesclun leaves were coated in a light and delicate dressing, with chunks of cheese and chopped walnuts hidden throughout. Although the cheese’s flavor was strong and a bit overwhelming, when paired with the other ingredients, the flavors complemented each other, making for a successful dish.
The service at Méli-Mélo was excellent and our waiter was energetic and helpful.
Le Pain Quotidien
Our next destination was Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ). With its communal tables, rustic vibe, and dim lighting, customers are naturally drawn to this bakery for a bite to eat. An assortment of house-made jams and spreads adorn each table free of cost. Additionally, caselines of breads and pastries immediately greet customers as they walk in. LPQ offers an assortment of items ranging from healthy foods to comforting delicacies.
We ordered the Warm Goat Cheese Salad, which included toasted bread topped with melted goat cheese, mixed greens, Bosc pears, and walnuts. The salad came with two dressings, including a vinaigrette and an apple-date syrup. It cost $14.50.
Since we ordered the salad to-go, it came in a portable paper box. Dispersed throughout the mixed greens were walnuts and thin slices of fresh pear. No specific flavor was too strong and each ingredient was proportionate to the others. The vinaigrette dressing enhanced the salad, but we found that the Apple-Date syrup was very acidic and did not pair well together with the other flavors. Although this salad was more expensive than Méli-Mélo, we did not think it was worth the extra money.
The cashier was friendly, but he did not notify us when our salad was ready. As a result, we had to wait longer than expected.
Greenwich Salad Company
Our last stop was Greenwich Salad Company, a vibrant restaurant which allows customers to create their own salads. The atmosphere was relaxed and airy, offering plenty of places for customers to sit. Customers can choose from seven types of lettuce, 49 mix-ins, and 16 dressings. The restaurant also has a pre-selected menu of assorted salads.
We ordered a small salad composed of mixed greens, crumbled bleu cheese, craisins, walnuts, and apple cider vinaigrette. Our salad came in a plastic bowl covered with a lid and it cost $9.00.
We were initially hesitant to indulge in our meal because the dressing appeared thick and sticky. The dressing still had a tangy, light flavor, however, that did not overpower the other ingredients. The craisins gave the salad a sweet kick that was the perfect sidekick to the walnuts and cheese. Our salad was chopped beforehand so the leaves were bite-size and easy to chew.
The employees were very attentive and courteous to us when we were deciding what to order.
Winner
Ultimately, our favorite salad was the one from Méli-Mélo. We recommend that Convent of the Sacred Heart students take a trip to Méli-Mélo for a healthy bite to eat.
– Jade Cohen, Opinions Editor, Nadia Zuaiter, Staff Writer, and Morgan Johnson, C0-News Editor