For this edition of Guide to Greenwich, we explored Greenwich to review different grain bowls.  A grain bowl is a grain-based meal topped with a variety of vegetables and proteins of your choice.

freshii

The first restaurant we stopped at was freshii, located at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue.  The grab-and-go restaurant was empty upon our arrival.  The atmosphere, however, was welcoming with many seats from which to choose.

We ordered the Teriyaki Twist for $7.19 which included brown rice, edamame, crispy wontons, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, green onions, sesame seeds, and teriyaki sauce.

Soon after ordering, the server brought our bowl to our table. The combination of crunchy wontons and brown rice was tasteful and refreshing.  The rice, however, came undercooked and the overwhelming amount of teriyaki sauce made the bowl less appetizing.  The consistency of the bowl did not please us.

The Granola Bar 

Next, we stopped at The Granola Bar at the top of Greenwich Avenue.  The restaurant separates into a dining section and a grab-and-go bar section.  The restaurant’s aesthetic is vibrant with a moss wall and modern silver tables.

We were immediately welcomed when entering the restaurant and escorted promptly to our table.  The staff was friendly and instantly took our order for the Buddha Bowl for $12.  The bowl included warm quinoa, sautéed baby spinach, avocado, portobello mushrooms, tomato, a soft egg, and balsamic dressing on the side.

Shortly after, the waiter brought our quinoa-based bowl.  We were pleasantly surprised by the bowl’s unique combination of the warm egg and fresh ingredients.  Together, they created an exquisite taste.  The warm spinach and quinoa added a refreshing flavor.

Cava 

Our last stop was Cava, located on West Putnam Avenue.  The restaurant is very spacious with an ordering station in the back of the restaurant and a seating area at the front.

At the ordering station, we created a custom grain bowl with saffron basmati rice, grilled chicken, falafel, tomato and onion salad, couscous, regular hummus, and red pepper hummus.  The total cost of the bowl was $10.17.

The Mediterranean style bowl was a refreshing delight.  The bowl was large and filling, and the ingredients were fresh and tasteful.  The original flavor and quality of the toppings pleased us.

Winner

After trying all three grain bowls, the winner of this edition of Guide to Greenwich is Cava.  The bowl was appetizing and delicious.  The combination of regular hummus and red pepper hummus with the tomato and cucumber salad mix was a unique taste that added excellent flavor.  The blend of savory chicken and crispy falafel with the toppings of our choice made the final decision clear to us.

Featured Image by Natalie Dosmond ’21