Feel-good food, but make it healthy.
I’m a big fan of fast food. In-N-Out, Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane’s, Taco Bell — you name it, and I’ve probably had it before. I’m on the go quite a bit, which unfortunately means I revert to restaurants like these that are fast, affordable, and easy to eat when on the road.
More often than not, it’s challenging to find fast food that meets the requirements of a healthy meal. But I recently discovered one of the most diversified restaurants, including a menu of wholesome products suited for a beneficial diet. The only bad thing about this place is that it’s located one state over from my home in California — that is, Original ChopShop.
Original ChopShop is a trendy, protein-heavy eatery in Arizona and Texas, with 17 open locations. Upon my recent visit to Phoenix, I decided to give it a try.
The shop’s menu is quite diverse and a bit intimidating when you first walk inside. Some options include grilled protein bowls, house salads, sandwiches, super fruit bowls and parfaits, juices, and protein shakes. There is also a children’s menu, and breakfast items are available daily.
Grilled Protein Bowls
Original ChopShop serves six protein bowls: Thai coconut chicken, teriyaki chicken, sweet soy-sesame steak, spicy Korean steak, red chili lime shrimp, and green curry tofu. All bowls come with roasted broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrot, and mushroom. You also have the choice to add a base, which can be either brown rice, sweet potato hash, forbidden rice, or quinoa.
The grilled protein bowls stood out to me right away and seemed to be the most popular option on the menu, according to an Original ChopShop employee. I went with the teriyaki chicken bowl, and for my base, I chose quinoa. The assortment of flavors was perfect, and I loved how healthy the dish was. The serving size was reasonably large, considering a meal like this is rather filling, in general. I found that I could not finish the entire bowl, but I gladly took it home for leftovers.
The Chops
Think of your favorite version of a house salad, and imagine it tasting both healthy and delicious. Original ChopShop’s on it. The chain’s salad options include kale caesar, Danish, American, raw vegetable, beet, barbecue chicken, Asian, and a kale quinoa mix. On top of their standard bowls, you have the option to add a protein item. The options are chicken, tofu, steak, or shrimp.
The salad proportions are generous and taste great. I liked the dressing as it brought a sweeter taste that blended well with the vegetables. The dressing options include lemon-dijon, red wine vinaigrette, thousand island, barbecue ranch, and red chili vinaigrette. Like the protein bowls, the salads come in plastic bowls, which you can take home.
Between Bread
Sandwiches are one of the more straightforward options on the menu to order. But at Original ChopShop, the category they fall under is “between bread.” You can choose from the club, Moroccan turkey, grinder, chicken and prosciutto, chicken and kale, grilled steak, tuna salad, and veggie with hummus.
The chain’s most popular sandwich is the grinder, including ham, turkey, soppressata, provolone, mayo, tomato, house greens, onion, banana pepper, and red wine vinaigrette.
Though they are a simpler menu item to order, I found the sandwiches comparable to those from Jersey Mike’s Subs and Jimmy John’s — yummy, yes, but nothing special.
One unique aspect of the chain is that they strive to implement an environmental approach with their choice of bowls, plates, and silverware. My bowl was made of a plastic/cardboard material that is recyclable, and I was able to pop one of their sealable lids on to take home with me. I found this convenient and nice. In addition to the chain’s environmental approach, the restaurant is spotless and reminds me of an upper-class salad place you would only find in Beverly Hills, Calif.
I can only hope that the chain will expand to the West Coast, but until then, if you happen to find yourself in Arizona or Texas, don’t miss out on the healthy version of comfort food. Check out their full menu here.
The Beat @APU 