Wow -- if I told you I was taking you to a restaurant where the food isn't very sugary or salty and the star of each entree is not the meat, you'd probably think I was taking you to eat something tasteless. Cafe Zupas is one of those restaurants that changes your perception of fresh and healthy with top quality ingredients sourced from quality suppliers - local when possible. The food is beautiful and the prices are surprisingly reasonable. Dishes are made from scratch, which is apparent in flavor and texture. The restaurant looks very modern and attractive and is kept meticulously clean. They also offer a unique assortment of raw honey drinks (try orange berry) and flavor shots (like Monin) that you can enjoy.
Cuban grilled pork: The pork and the pickles match in perfect harmony. The pork shoulder is tender (and glad it's all in 1 large cut rather than shredded), although it could be a bit more juicy. Overall the sandwich is well constructed and not too salty with the dijon mustard tying everything together perfectly.
Honey Cilantro Carnitas: The chili lime spread works really well in tandem with the pickled red onions and creamy avocado. Light and delicious.
Pesto chicken: Quite flavorful, but I found the chicken to be lost in the flavor of the pesto and muenster cheese. Fortunately, there are sprouts, tomato, and sweet red peppers to make sure the sandwich doesn't taste too salty.
Honey bacon club: The bacon really shines through, even with the turkey, ham, and cheese. The sweetness of the honey-mustard isn't too noticeable though with all the savory ingredients.
Ultimate grilled cheese: If eating vegetarian was always this delicious, I would probably eat vegetarian more often. Bread was grilled perfectly crispy and had great texture contrast with the gooey cheese inside. The fresh tomato complemented the pesto sauce perfectly. With every bite, I could feel myself eating healthy -- but this was far from tasteless.
Asian citrus chicken: A bit light on the amount of chicken, but the fruits and vegetables were very fresh and flavorful in the salad. I really hate salads made from canned or dried fruits so I was delighted when this salad screamed "fresh" with every bite. The best part of the salad for me was the flavor contrast between the mandarin oranges, ti-color peppers, and yuzu miso vinaigrette.
Strawberry harvest chicken: The mix of apples, strawberries, and dried cranberries work really well here in synergy to pair with the chicken.
Maui tropical chicken: Addictive pineapple vinaigrette really helps to enhance the flavors of the mango and peppers. The wonton strips and macadamia nuts provide a great crunchy contrast.
Nuts about berries: The cinnamon almonds and addictive poppyseed dressing really steal the show in this salad. The plump blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries provide a great variety in the salad, but I wish they were a little sweeter.
Tomato basil with orzo pasta: Great vegetable flavors -- sweet with a very hearty flavor of celery. The soup itself is a bit thicker, almost a puree texture -- which matches perfectly with the fluffy roll. The parmesean was put on top of the soup to allow for a distinction of textures and flavors. The orzo was soft and matched perfectly with the rest of the soup. .
New England clam chowder: Creamy -- but pretty light in flavor. The celery and potato flavors come out strong and overpower the clam.
Roasted red pepper and lobster: Creamy with a strong pepper flavor -- good amount of lobster.
Creme brulee - Mixed berry one is delicious. Fresh cream, fresh berries, fluffy custard. The egg flavor really shines in the custard here which is silky smooth and delights the mouth with each bite. When you mix the fresh cream together with it, it creates a heavenly, velvety... delicious concoction of rich, flavorful dairy. Definitely a must try item -- the synergy between the different elements is fantastic.
Chocolate mousse cake - Delicious chocolate cake, the fresh cream really shines.
Caramel rockslide brownie: Rich, Dense delicious chocolate is evident with every bite. Despite the generous amount of caramel that tops this brownie, it is actually easy to separate the flavors and textures (brownie is chewy, caramel is sticky, and walnuts are crisp). Well done and delicious.
Chocolate covered strawberry - The strawberry could be a little more plump and sweet, but you quickly forget about this as you taste the delicious Pate a Glacer Cacao Barry chocolate. The high fat content instant gives you a premium feeling as the sweet chocolate melts in your mouth.
Overall, on every dish there are very clear themes, flavors, colors, and textures that are presented. Cafe Zupas makes eating fresh and healthy exciting and affordable. Fortunately, this wonderful food is also matched with a beautiful, comfortable modern environment. If you mixed an Apple Store and Panera together, the result would pretty much be this restaurant. read more