Searching for salad in Austin
The hunt begins
After a long day of travel, subsisting on burgers and pizza, I was craving a salad. Have you ever asked a Texan where you can find a good salad? What? A salad? The cashier in Asahi Imports repeated the word like it was foreign. A slight frown furrowed her brow as she considered my question. Then she turned to her co-worker and repeated the question. Hmmm.
I finally looked up “salads near me” and found a short list of likely candidates, including an intriguing-sounding restaurant called Vinaigrette. We followed the directions given to us by the handy gps app, and arrived outside an unprepossessing building. Upon opening the door, I was taken aback by a wall of noise.
Vinaigrette’s interior
The interior was colorful and laid out caffeteria style. I can honestly say the accoustics were great. Dozens of voices bounced off the walls in a symphony of happy chatter. But then I caught sight of the outdoor patio and despite the heat, I was drawn out of the quirky interior into a magical garden.
Vinaigrette’s enchanted garden
That tree! Standing in the center of the patio garden, offering much needed shade and a lovely ambiance, the mammoth tree stood sentinel among the tables. Fairy lights hung ready to add magic to the evening.
Vinaigrette’s menu
Since I started out talking about salad, we’ll get to the good stuff. Vinaigrette has a plethora of salads, listed on a surprisingly punny menu. This menu insert has a couple of examples.
The full menu has a wide selection of salads, along with suggestions for meat pairings. It also has some soups and sandwiches for those who want something a little more substantial.
Our order
My brother and I decided to split a Caesar salad with a pairing of lemon-herb chicken breast. They brought it on two separate plates and the presentation was beautiful. I also ordered a side of house-made herbed focaccia with olive oil. The amount of food was adequate, especially since the hot humidity tended to repress our appetites, but I thought it a bit pricey for what we received.
For more information about Vinaigrette in Austin
Address: 2201 College Ave, Austin, TX 78704 Phone: 512-852-8791
Website: VinaigretteOnline.com/Austin
You might also want to check out these websites if you’re looking for salad in Austin:
- 2N1 Salad Bar and Grill
- MAD Greens
- Austin Eater recommendations
That tree! It is like a Mumpa tree, but sleepy :3
Thanks for the comment Black Knight. For anyone curious about Black Knight’s comment, he is the author of the popular Starshatter series and you can read about the mysterious mumpa trees in his first, introductory book!