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Categories: Vegetarian, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow HollowMon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"Bay Watch is my favorite place in the Marina. I am not a huge fan of the Marina...why? Because I'm a jerk, that's why. Anyway, Bay Watch is…" read more »
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We've tried a few of the sandwiches and were impressed (particularly liked the grilled chicken and avocado and the mango lime chicken panini). Everything was fresh and the portions are a good size.
It can get a bit hectic inside when they are busy.
All in all it's a great place for a casual meal.
They changed the name to Plants or something like that but they are still same thing.
Actually I'm upping the stars because this place is a great alternative for a coffee shop when you bring in laptop. They don't mind you camping for a while and they have comfortable booth seating, and real food, not just pastries and stuff.
Yup, I like you now.
I wanted to like to the place. I did the make your own salad thing. Added this and that and came out… Read more »
I really like this place, they have good food and its semi healthy as well. It's hard to find casual places to eat that are healthy. I haven't tried the brunch tho it looks really tasty.
I have the soba noodles with chicken and a peanut butter cookie pretty much every time I go. The chicken sandwich is good, there are 2--the chicken avocado is not that good, I don't like it bc i'm not into dijon mustard or honey mustard but if you are i'm sure you'll love it. The other chicken sando is really good too.
But you MUST try their pastries---OMG the peanut butter cookie and the mini apple pie are D-lish!!!
4 stars bc this place is a little on the pricey side.
This is a review by a vegetarian
Entertainment with your meal! a diner at another table threw a hissy fit about getting dark meat in some meal that was not supposed to have it. Nothing would satisfy her: not an apology, nor offer to redo the dish, nor refund. (I was tempted to offer her "my own white meat" so she would shut-up but remembered that we were in the Marina and not the Mission and people get arrested here for talking about sex-type things without there being diamonds or cocaine involved)
So we had food too.
The 5-spice tempeh with coconut-lime sauce was very good. The tempeh had a nice crust but was not dry inside which is a tricky valley to navigate.
One star off for the odd interior space which manages to be modern, glum, and sterile. Also, it's nearly impossible to get away from the noise of the many blenders making smoothies and the death-cries of vegetables going into the juicer.
My sister raved about this place long before I moved to SF, and now I finally know why.
I've had the veggie burger multiples since then. I just don't understand how they can make it so darn tasty! Yes, it's expensive at $9 each (and that's the plain veggie burger), but it's so worth it.
We ran as 12K in October and came here afterward for a great treat. The oatmeal cookie was fabulous as well.
If it weren't so expensive (minus 1 star), I'd be here all the time.
When you're charging $6.50 for a smoothie, it better be DAMN GOOD.
Lettus recently changed their smoothie menu, and it has NOT been an improvement. I ordered the Blackberry Cream smoothie today made with blackberries, bananas and yogurt amongst a few other ingredients. It was horrible. There were large, sharp, hard gritty peices of blackberry seeds that are still stuck in my teeth as I type. It had absolutely no yogurt taste- just blackberries and banana. It tasted JUST like a smoothie that I could order for $4 over at Jamba Juice. I expect more from an almost $7 smoothie, which is why I love their Papaya Enzyme. But oh, wait! They changed the recipe for that smoothie too!
NOT an improvement, Lettus. The new smoothie menu in combination with the extremely high prices is forcing me to bring my rating down to 3 stars. Hey, I know that organic is expensive, but come on. This is ridiculous.
Being a food lover, I am constantly torn between trying to maintain my svelte figure and eating out… Read more »
I just had a small, make your own salad and large ice-tea for $8 or so. It was really yummy (arugula, candied walnuts, mango, pumpkin seeds, cucumber, cheddar cheese with champagne vinaigrette).
It was plenty for me for a meal, but it sounds like a large is about twice as much food for a couple of dollars more, so if you're really hungry you might get the large.
This was my first time to Lettuc...I am totally going back!!!
When I walked in with a friend, the place looked nice enough. We ogled the menu, eyeing all the healthful options. There was potential, but I was let down.
Decided to play it safe and went for a sandwich. I figure, you can't go wrong with tuna salad, right? Hmm, not so much. The sandwich was bland and uninspired; Subway's has more pop and pizzazz. It comes with a garden salad, ho hum.
The other thing that ruined it for me was the noise level. This pack of hyenas sat next to us, apparently in the middle of a "let's see who can be the most obnoxious" competition. They all got the Gold, in my opinion. I had to constantly lean forward and ask my friend to repeat herself at least 10 times during dinner. I'm not exaggerating, really!
The people in question must have be students on summer break, because they obviously had NO CLASS. Thank Fat Albert for that one.
Lettus is the type of place that will bring people "who never set foot in the Marina" to the Marina for dinner. Sure, there are a few Marina stereotypes manifested at Lettus. Yes, the majority of the patrons are part of the post-Bar Method / post Crunch spinning class crowd.The food at Lettus, however, is definitely worth the field trip to the 94123.
Lettus offers healthy, delicious food in an eco-sustainable venue. My favorite item on their very lengthy menu is the Make-Your-Own Salad option. There are four different kids of lettuce options, a plethora of toppings and some healthy proteins. There are a few "special" toppings such as shrimp, Pt Reyes Blue Cheese, and chicken that involve an additional fee, so be aware of how many of those toppings you add into your salad creation. Otherwise, you might have created a $16 small salad! I also love the appetizer Lettuce cups and the soup of the day is always vegan and always good. I have tried some of the daily fish specials and they are always good, but can be around $16, which is a fair price for a great fish entree. The cafeteria style set-up of Lettus, however, makes me weary of some of their pricier (but tasty) options.
The desserts are always great and they have a 2 for $1 cookie special on small cookies, which are always fun to share.
The restaurant was designed to create as small of an environmental footprint as possible. You can read all about the eco friendly floors etc in the bathroom.
Lettus is the perfect "upgrade" from Plutos and definitely worth a trip regardless of where you live in SF.
Date & Time: Thursday May 29, 2008 @ 11:30 am and When I Want to Eat Healthy
Company: Michael
Crowd: Neighborhood Peeps in Lululemon
Atmosphere: Chill
Decor: Contemporary w/ lots of Oak. Order at The Counter. Cocktail Tables and Stools as you Enter. Tightly packed Tables along the Wall and Tables for Deux. A few Outdoor Tables for Four.
Service: Efficient
Imbibe: Fresh Juice Citrus C is a fave & Smoothies I like Blackberry Cream.
Devour: Eggs Benedict & Blueberry Pancakes on Weekends. Soup, Half Sandwich, Salad Combo for a little over $10. Soup, Mango Lettus Cups & Udon.
I don't mean to be a complainer.. actually maybe I do.
Since I'm vegan, I like to find the little vegan sanctuaries in the city and I had high hopes for Lettus Cafe. However, I was fairly disappointed. I was charged $10 for a "large" make-your-own salad that wasn't quite large at all. It was very noisy and compact and overpriced for the type of establishment that it is.
Love, Love, Love this place. Great food, esp. the garden burgers and incredible Vegan cupcakes. You would never know it was Vegan if it didn't have a "v" next to them. I don't think you can go wrong here. No matter what I got, salad, grilled cheese, garden burger, cookie or cupecake, it was all incredible.
Hard to find a place like this...definitely recommend for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Excellent fresh smoothies or healthy veggie drinks.
It took me a long time to come to Lettus even though I live just down the street. I finally came here on a whim and found out what I had been missing for so long!
Lettus is proud of their quality organic products, and it is completely apparent in their meals. Even the booze is organic. You can have a salad put together from ingredients of your choice, Pluto-style, or choose from many of their combinations. I love the Beet Salad and Fennel. There's a Chicken Avocado Sandwich that is to die for! I wouldn't ignore their daily specials either - if you see the Fig Salad on the menu, jump on it!
Boyfriend loves their smoothies, he is pretty much convinced they will cure everything from a hangover to exhaustion. He even brought me a chocolate banana one when I was sick - it was scrumptious, filling, and I really did feel better!
The interior looks like a spaceship made by hippies- I can't explain, just go take a look!
Next I want to try the rasberry-cashew cheesecake!
This place is pretty GOOD.
Ordered their mango roll & cabbage salad. Both the dishes were so scrumptious and the thai dressing was especially amazing!!! But what I really fell for are their fresh house made juice. I tried "the body cleanser" which was pretty light , YUM + Healthy!
Bumped into a friend after lunch here. She raved about their veggie burger. Now I know what I am getting the next time I am here!
So it's still the same place, it's just called The Plant now. Which I think is a horrible name, I loved the old name!! So I'm being ridiculous and immature and dropping a star on the fact that they changed their name.
I love Lettus, with all my heart. Every time I'm in the Marina this is a definite stop of mine. I have to say that I've never had anything bad here. Their food is excellent, the service is great, and the space itself is fantastic. I'm completely obsessed with the Mango Spring Rolls and the Garden Burger, although I frequently get the Spinach Salad as well. The Garden Burger is by far the best veggie burger I've ever had. Don't let the color throw you off, it may be a pinky meat color, but that's just how it is- there's some ingredient in it that makes it that color, although I can't remember what it is.
The best thing I love about this place, is sitting outside in the sidewalk seating on a sunny day.
The ONE thing that makes me not give this place 5 stars is that it's a little pricey. Every time I eat here my meal is at least 20$. I understand that everything is from organic farms and that it's all from renewable energy and they are all about being green and sustainable, but that doesn't mean that my meal needs to be 20$! Although, I do love the green aspect of this place- I'm glad they are doing their part to use renewable energy and be sustainable and that I can support that by eating here.
So... this place probably deserves more than three stars but I must note that I have only tried the Blackberry smoothie- which was very tasty (full of seeds as I'm sure most blackberry "items" are by default). The smoothies were very tasty, might I suggest the Mango which I tasted and was immediately jealous that I didn't order that one.
The only downfall- ay vey- since the economy is sliding down this slippery slope, I, like everyone else, must watch my pennies- for 2 smoothies we paid $15, a little steep for me. I'm sure all the ingredients were organic and the to-go cups they came in were la bled as 100% biodegradable but think of all the food you could buy for $15.
I plan on visiting Lettus again; however, I plan on enjoying an organic salad or sandwich instead.
Sure, everything on the menu seems a weebit pricey . . . but so is all of the organic stuff at the grocery store--compared to the conventional produce, meats, and baked goods.
My meal--the open-faced crabcake sandwich--was quite lovely, and came with a side salad and some pickle chips. The flavor was delicate and pure and oh-so-good.The few sips I had of my friend's protein smoothie were sublime! You can truly taste each and every one of the yummy, nutritious ingredients in here--unlike smoothies I've had at other places that all just taste like a medly of fruit and a creamy something or other base.
My two cents: Be okay with treating yourself to a feel-good do-good meal now and then. We'll pay through the nose for our jeans and our sunglasses and our Lululemon yoga gear (guilty as charged)--the inside of your body is worth a little spoiling, too.
Interior ambiance could be better. Space was a little dark and dated feeling and (gasp!) food court-like. Best if you can score a table outside--or one of the bar tables just inside the front door.
I am so conflicted about this place.
One the one hand, my food was delicious! I had the chili lime chicken mango avocado panini and I loved every bite. I also had the papaya enzyme smoothie and it was the highlight of my weekend.
On the other hand, the place is in the Marina and seems to attract an incredibly hostile and self-righteous clientele. I had multiple confrontations here with fellow patrons resulting from seemingly simple interactions such as waiting in the restroom line and navigating the self-serve water station. The entitlement oozing through some of these people is absolutely unbelievable.
If they opened another location anywhere else in the city, I'm sure I'd return in a hurry. Also, $6.50 for a smoothie?
"Lettus be friends".
New beginning means new regimens. While I am unable to completely give up my gluttonous ways...I am committed to make some minor modifications in my life. One of which is to incorporate healthier eating (not to be confused with dieting) Having Lettus nearby makes these modifications less painful and a little more manageable. They have a menu full of healthy eats from protein packed dishes to raw food. I loved the mango lettuce cups and the Halibut (special of the day) was delicious and filling. While the food isn't memorable, and the ambiance is very cafeteria like... it is feel good food that doesn't leave you hungry after you clear your plate.
Dear Lettus,
I can suffer no longer in silence. I am hurt. I am disappointed. I want my pasta back!
When you first opened, I fell in love - in love with your delicious pasta dish. It had chickpeas and greens and broccoli and a lovely sauce and cheese on top. It was also big - a filling portion of yummy goodness all for me.
On subsequent visits I've noticed a certain downsizing of the portions for the pasta dish. And I didn't complain. After all, we Americans need to learn portion control. I could handle it - even if the price stayed the same.
But on my last visit, when I ordered the pasta dish (still the same price), I was horrified to find it completely changed. It had a few pieces of mildly overcooked broccoli, some cheese on top and an anemic pesto sauce. ???? Where are my chickpeas? Where are my tomatoes? And what on earth is going on with your portion control - 'cause that sucker downsized again.
Since I can no longer trust what comes out of your kitchen, I am breaking off this relationship. I'm sorry, but it's time.
Sincerely,
Suzanne B.
I'm updating a negative review from October 2007 with a positive review. I came here with a group of people and we had a really bad experience - the food didn't taste fresh and my dish (green curry) actually tasted like it had been frozen then microwaved.
Today I went back, on my own, at the invitation of the cafe's executive chef. He e-mailed to say he was taking my review seriously and had re-evaluated the dish as a result. He asked for areas where he could improve the dish, and for any other suggestions I might have. I was seriously impressed by his dedication to providing a quality experience for customers.
I struggled over whether I was actually going to take him up on his offer for a comped meal. His offer made me feel bad about slamming the restaurant so hard when they were doing a lot of other things right - like offering healthy organic and vegan options in a sustainably built restaurant. And, was it fair for me to write a review based on just one negative experience in the first place? At the same time, I also felt like taking a comped meal would compromise the integrity of my reviews. Is the restaurant just buying a good review?
Finally, I decided to go in, by myself (he offered me a meal for 2), and just order the same thing. So I ordered the green curry. Sure enough, it was a much improved dish. The flavors were tangy and the sauce was complex. The veggies were clearly fresh - crunchy peas, sauteed peppers and zucchini. The portion size was bigger. It was served hotter. It didn't taste frozen at all this time.
Sitting by myself, I had an opportunity to look around and soak in the ambience. It is a very comfortable place - the tables are the right size, and they're substantial. Also, very cool sink in the bathroom. And, a comment box by the coffee sugar and milk. It became very clear that they are very concerned about constant improvement and customer satisfaction.
The prices are still a little high for my taste in cafes, but on the plus side, the vegan cookies here are amazing.
Parent series part 2 (of 3):
before heading up hwy one grand prix style to Stinson with the parents, this made for a great breakfast/brunch. however, i hate the lights and seats inside, but the food is good enough that you can overlook that, although i'd recommend eating outside on a warm day if you're going to stick around and eat there. i don't know if it contributed to my mom's car sickness, or prevented it, but she kept it all down and it filled us all up with good satisfying healthy bites before braving the icey cold sunshine up the coast. The mom loved the tofu scramble, the dad loved the hot sauce and veggie omelet, and i loved the eggwich. don't come before 11:30 if you want sandwiches and lunch fair, though. After 48++ hours with your beloved parents, you need a good breakfast/brunch like this to make it home still sane and conscious. Don't leave without a cookie, scone or treat, yum.
Lettus has a cool decor, what with the recycled tile floors and barn-wood walls. And the food is tasty, even for health food. Normally, I like my health food braised and wrapped in bacon, and get cranky with the 'tude of the self-righteous and malnourished fanatics. But it was good.
And I had the awesomest interaction:
At our table, I turned to my wife and said something to the effect of, "Our house is so fucking hot." (It was a hot day.)
A woman at the table next to us jumped up and huffed, "If you're going to talk like that, I'm leaving. Who raised you? You're rude!" And then she stormed off to another table.
Leaving her order number behind. I, always considerate, brought her the number and said, "You forgot your god-damn number."
Crazy lady: "You know where you're going, young man!"
How often do I get a chance to bait a wacko prude in public?
I'll be back, Lettus. I hope there are more people who want to yell funny things at me.
After catching a very stimulating lecture hosted by The Long Now foundation and finishing up several plastic cups of Pellegrino and a handful of pretzels I threw on my second finger, my good friend and I hopped over to Lettus for something healthy (I had been craving a salad) and my good parking karma afforded us a parking spot right on Chestnut on a busy Friday evening in the Marina.
A pleasant layout, with warm wood panels and sleek silver finishes throughout. I actually felt as if I had been taken back to Seattle.
The layout of the counter is simple: cafeteria style. Menu is easy to peruse and encompassed a broad range of fusion from Asian to California cuisine...in all, the dream kitchen, right at our footsteps.
We ordered the following items:
*Two bowls of their Thai Butternut Squash Bisque $5.50 EA
*The Mango lettus Cups : a melange of chicken salad tossed with cashews, cilantro, some Napa cabbage, placed in red leaf lettuce and accompanied with my favorite sweet chili-tamarind sauce $8 for two servings
*Bruschetta : the seasonal item was a mix of Lima beans tossed with fresh garlic and spices, spread over lightly toasted slices of soda bread. This came accompanied with a small green salad. $8
Seating is simple, with comfortable bench/sofa seating along the wall with chairs one could arrange to accommodate larger parties. When the food was brought out, it was done so with a smile.
The bowls of soup were large and came with two slices of their special bread. I could barely finish it. But it was smooth, slightly thick and spicy with the Thai seasoning. We could not pinpoint the exact herb, but it was perfect for the cold evening. I'm currently running on a salt run, so had to dash it once or twice with some seasoning.
The chicken salad lettuce wraps was a huge scoop of mostly grilled chicken and fresh slices of mango that imparted a sweetness to the dish. Dipping the self-rolled leafs into the sweet tamarind sauce was perfection.
The bruschetta was good, although we could have probably done without it. So large were the portions of food. The beans were soft but not too soft and the garlic very strong. Good thing I love it, however, as it was the perfect combination of slight against the lightly toasted bread.
For dessert, my good friend R purchased a brownie and this was heaven on the tip of my tongue.
"It's a brownie souffle!" I exclaimed after taking a bite.
The perfect brownie on the outside: crisp top layer that gave way to a slightly moist inside. But the surprise that lay in wait, was that it became even more dense and moist, to the point where I thought I had just stepped into the realm of the perfect chocolate souffle.
The two ladies manning the counter were extremely friendly and knew exactly what the menu was comprised of and were quite efficient in directing us to what to order. Add in the perfect ambiance and equal colorful crowd that was there....I'll be back.
Holy crap. This place rules. I had their white butter bean bruschetta, tempeh sandwich, and the chocolate banana smoothie. It was a perfect lunch, I could eat it every day quite happily if I had to.
The interior of this place is very cute - very reminiscent of a Scandinavian ski field caf - with the fluorescent lights being the exception - they made my eyes go a bit wonky. The wait staff seemed a little bored, but it was 3pm so I don't blame them.
Lettus is definitely going in my roster of restaurants I eat at regularly. I can't wait to try their weekend brunch.
Edit: I tried their weekend brunch. I am sold. Vegan blueberry pancakes....
Edit #2: Went in there again for lunch and was given a 10% discount! Are they trying to make me propose marriage???
Edit #3: These guys really know how to treat their regulars. Today they had us test a new vegan dessert the chef whipped up - a triple-chocolate cake smothered in warm gooey sauce. It was divine. If they have this GET IT!
Guys. Seriously. Three things you must do before you die:
1. Have a picnic at dusk at the top of Dolores Park, just as the light of the city start to sparkle. Bring a date. A bottle of wine. A dog if you have one (or two). You will thank me.
2. Bring a portable radio and listen to KFOG Kaboom! from a strategic point (again, Dolores Park is fantastic, but you have your own favorite spot). The choreography of the fireworks and music is mind blowing.
3. Eat the Veggie Burger and Carrot Cake at Lettus. Truly. The burger is thick and heavy and amazing. Get it on white bread. With goat cheese. Or swiss. The carrot cake is worth abandoning all pretense of chivalry and fighting your date for. Oh, you'll win, my friend. You'll win.
My gift to you...
If you like people watching Marina folk post yoga, Crunch or a Marina Green run, this is your place (read= sweaty boys and stretch pants clad girls).
If you like healthy-to-a-fault options to choose from in the Marina, this is your place.
If you like spending $12 on something simple and healthy, and you wish you weren't so lazy to make at home (it feels better having it made for you anyway), this is your place.
If you like greasy, meaty, cheesy, carbalicious food that makes you sick to your stomach and makes you want to hurl after stuffing it down, this really isn't your place.
(My current faves on "healthy night" are the soba noodles, the green curry bowl con pollo, and the napa cabbage salad.)
Author's Note: I am a meat eater! I don't even really love chicken. All red meat, all the time...
So I'm at Lettus on Tuesday night, standing in front of the giant menu board for a good 15 minutes trying to figure out what the heck i'm going to eat. I don't want a salad and last time my panini was sort of dry, so I'm totally stuck.
I decide to just go for it and ask the woman behind the counter for advice, thinking she'll give me 3, 4, 5 things to choose from.
me: "so, what's your favorite sandwich?"
she: (jumping up and down)"the veggie burger. seriously."
me: "i don't eat veggie burgers."
she: (unphased)"i'm a meat eater. i never liked them either until i worked here."
me: "no, really. i love meat. none of this veggie business."
she: (vehemently) "believe me. it is the BEST."
me: (still listening incredulously) "uhh... what else on the menu do you like?"
she: "well, really, the veggie burger".
in steps another worker: "you should try it. but try it on the walnut bread."
finally, i concede and i walk away thinking i'm going to eat four bites and have to head to pacific catch on my way home.
the veggie burger arrives. IT IS AMAZING. idon't stop eating. i barely talk to my friends, i'm just savoring this meal. i think i tell my friends 5 times how good it is. i make them try it. it's absolutely delicious. not weirdo organic veggie at all. and the walnut bread -- the best complement.
i hugged the worker on the way out!
Wow. Any place that can make being in the marina tolerable for me already gets a pretty high rating in my book. But I love going to Lettus. They've got such a great vegan food selection. My favorite is the spinach, mushroom and baked tofu salad. It's so good that I've barely sampled anything else there, but I've heard great things about the veggie burgers.
I also love the fact that it's cafeteria style (I never really understood the need for waiters), and the decor is awesome. I've read so many great reviews for their vegan brunches and quite frankly I've been getting a little bored at Herbivore. So I may just have to venture up out of the Mission one of these mornings. That alone deserves 5 stars.
Atrocious. It gets one * only because yelp doesnt go any lower.
Unfriendly staff. Overpriced garbage. Clueless 'chefs'.
My wife and i went here for dinner. Thought we would have a simple meal- Crab cakes to start. Roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes and carrots as an entree for both of us.
Where to begin? The crab cakes were no bigger than a half dollar and tasted just as good. Hidden inside this tasteless dollop of pan-fried (insert explicative here) were chunks of something that had no business being in a crab cake. Horrible. We each took one bite and gave up on it.
Then our entrees arrived. Three dry slices of chicken on top of 700 carrots, one piece of broccoli and a few sliced fingerling potatoesdrowning in an aus jus for a very thrifty price of $13 (serious sarcasm). And to top it all off, it was served in a deep bowl. How in the hell a) am i supposed to cut my meat when it is served in a bowl? b) is everything not going to be soggy and taste the same since they are sunk in the same juices?
Again, we both had a few bites and surrendered. Truly one of the absolute worst experiences ive ever had.
We decided to go home and chew the paint off the wall of our living room. At least the lead-based paint had some flavor to it.
Wait a few months, then you can go try the newest restaurant in this location after this failure goes out of business.
mmmm, i do love me some Lettus. I've been here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. lunch and dinner are excellent. The grilled tofu panini is wonderful, as is the tempeh sandwich. I haven't tried the tempeh reuben yet, but it's next on my list. I also had a scrumptious vegan chocolate cupcake with a delightful frosting the last time i dined at Lettus.
Lettus is a great fall-back restaurant for almost any occasion. Dinner with friends, date, breakfast with mom, or lunch with a friend you haven't seen in awhile. There are many options here, so I don't feel awkward about bringing a meat-eater here, as I might about Herbivore.
The ONLY reason Lettus gets 4 stars instead of 5 is breakfast. There is only one vegan breakfast option and it's the ubiquitous Tofu Scramble. I know, i know. I should NOT be complaining about a tofu scramble. Most other breakfast places in the area don't even offer that!! I was just a little disappointed that after seeing the lunch and dinner menu that there wasn't something a little more interesting for breakfast. I got there at 10:30 am on a saturday and they don't let you start ordering sandwiches until 11:30, so I was stuck with the tofu scramble. I was also able to order a side of vegan sausage. It was tasty, but the salmon eggs benedict that my friend ordered looked so colorful and inventive that I just wished there were something a little more creative on the menu for vegetarians. Oh well.... Still a great restaurant that I plan to return to with frequency!
I was with one of my favorite gays and we were THIS CLOSE to going to Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers.
" I totally can't eat a burger without feeling guitly! I feel so fat!!"
"Yeah...me too. I totally have chunks. Okay...salad it is!"
So we hopped over to Lettus. Crunchy healthy salad and a chicken pesto sandwich.
They didn't have Cobb Salad though! What kind of salad place has no Cobb Salad!!
Apparently, I've been mispronouncing ACAI for two months. I just learned that today, thanks to the cashier at Lettus. Apparently, no one else really knows how to pronounce ACAI because I've never been corrected (or maybe people enjoy hearing me mispronounce it). :(
I've been wanting to come here for months and finally did today. The staff is friendly and the food is delicious! My friend and I both ordered their famous gardenburgers, yummy, but they looked a little like raw hamburgers.
They have a wide selection of goodies and their cookies (which I now wished I had tried) are huge!!!
Will definitely return.
After reading about its sustainable interior design in this month's Metropolis magazine, I was intrigued to dine at this ultra-hip green slow food movement restaurant. And the verdict: pretty damn good!
Being a cafeteria-order-at-the-counter establishment allows the prices to be a lot lower than most slow food/veggie/vegan/raw places in the Bay Area. Part of their philosophy is to be affordable enough for diners to eat here a couple times a week (since the food is about 95% organic/locally grown.) That's a plus in my book (thanks to Michael Pollan.)
The atmosphere of this place? Very kid friendly and casual. But definitely several ranks higher than your typical McD's. The unique walls are made from a savaged barn and adds a warm aesthetic for this casual dining spot. There's outlets for laptop work (not sure about wifi) and enough lighting for reading. Outdoor seating is available but it's been a bit too cold to enjoy it. And for those on the go, they have some ready-mades in a fridge so you can eat and run. Or just run.
Food? I ordered the chicken/avocado sandwich and my friend ordered their version of the veggie burger. For starters, we shared a goat cheese and beet bruschetta... I love goat cheese and the combination with beets was quite tasty. (Though I wished there was more goat cheese on the bread.)
My sandwich was quite tasty. The chicken tasted fresh and the avocado and spouts that accompanied the sandwich innards were delicious too. I, being the hot sauce addict that I am, put some of their Black Panther hot sauce in the sandwich and quickly turned red. Damn, that's spicy. And I usually can handle spicy. Whooo-wee.
My friend's veggie burger was bright red due to the beets and looked quite frightening (raw meat) but the taste had nothing to do with looks. Damn, it was good (my friend let me have a bite). Better than Gardenburger. The "patty" was moist and the combination of veggies (lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews & bulgur wheat) made for a good burger that wasn't trying to be meat. I'm ordering that next time I dine here.
In the end, the whole experience was quite pleasant. Good food and reasonable prices (considering the quality of the food). Not bad for a trend restaurant. I can't wait to come back and order dessert!
I thought it was okay. I really like the concept and would love to come back and try the whole wheat pancakes sometime when I'm too lazy to make them myself.
I had the rice noodle bowl with a definite Thai flair, and really, it was just okay. Not bad, but I'm not going to be fantasizing about the next time I can have it either. Some of the sandwiches sounded really yummy though and I'd definitely try to grab one if I was in the area and hungry. The dining companion (Thanks for picking up the tab! You're gorgeous!) had the fish special - halibut with quinoa - and said it was okay, but I noticed that most of it had disappeared. . .
For a spot that I really assumed would get more of a lunch/weekend brunch crowd, it had a steady flow of customers, especially for a rainy night when most folks would rather stay in.
I (we, all) love this place. Everything is just delic. The owners have really done their best to bring the slow food movement to the city, I think it's a great accomplishment. Especially, when competing with all the uber-yum eateries on Chestnut. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because they got me hooked on their macaroons which are gone by the time I get there. People STOP buying them....papapaleassse.
Although I consider myself anti-chain stores, I would like to see more of these cafes popping up throughout the city. As far as price goes, ya know the economy sucks, everyone's paying more, we pay $5 for a large latte, what's a few more bucks and you get a nutritious, local meal and support local business. Stop counting pennies when you can eat at home.
You know how when you gain weight for the first couple of weeks you're like, "this is tight because it just came out of the dryer," "this shirt is made of shitty materials, that's why it's chafing my arms" and then one day you look in the mirror and you're like OHMYGODWHENDIDIGAINTENPOUNDS?!
Well, I attribute a lot of this weight to the ol' boyfriend scenario, you start dating, you drink lots of beer, you eat everything he eats (YAYYY FRENCH FRIES, YAYYY) and then on day you wake up fat. Fat but happy, and then you get off your ass and start exercising and you realize that sex really doesn't burn *that* many calories. (note: I have just begun the working out deal, I am trying to con myself into believing that all of this blubber will eventually just fade away)
Ahem, so long story short, I've been stuffing my face for the last 4 months (see crazy influx of reviews where I mention italian food, french fries and beer, ACK!) and now I need to tone it all down.
Insert this fabu Organic Cafe. I went here with a girlfriend last night after shooting down every other suggestion as "too fattening" and wow, it was sooo worth it. My GF is a vegetarian so we had a huge pile of veggie delights on our table including the beet and goat cheese appetizer. That shit is on walnut bread and is insanely good, she had to physically move the plate out of my reach you know? Also, I had this crazy good smoked salmon "open faced" sando that was pretty orgasmic, cream cheese is really sexy, especially when it's organic.
I will totally be back here as I stuffed my face and left feeling not totally guilty about my "get back in shape or boyfriend stop calling you sexy peach blossom" diet, and it was crazy crazy good.
EDIT (07/26/07): Hey guess what, your rating drops two stars when you make me sit and wait 25 minutes for your "fish special of the night." This especially sucks when the appetizer arrives two minutes after you have been seated and your dining companion's entree shortly thereafter. Get it together people.
Great place for a quick healthy bite. The mnm salad is always fresh, crisp and the lemon flax vinagarette is excellent.
Free wi-fi.
I eat out so much that not only do I know exactly what I am gonna love but I am also privy to what my friends/companions/guests/whoever is going to hate.
That is how good I am.
I had Lettus Cafe's homemade veggie burger which was absolutely beyond perfect. Everything I could want in a vegan burger or even a girl for that matter and I knew it would be when I ordered it...
No joke, I want one now but I can't have one because it is late and they are probably closed. Plus I gotta get up early.
Anyhow my lunch date got this tofu salad thing and I thought to myself, "boy, thats gonna suuuuuck."
but you know, like quiet because I didn't want to bum her out.
Anyhow my burger was amazing and I gave said date a bite and she was like, "WOW."
And I'm like, "I know, right??"
Then I grab a bite of her salad... I mean it was OK I guess but I flat out said to her,
"Yours is good, buuuut seriously I like mine way more!"
And she was like, "oh yeah, me too!"
Like ferreals.
Anyway I'm pretty charming when I want to be.
I go here when I am looking for a generally healthy dinner in my hood, mostly I check out to see if the nightly fish special is interesting. So, my review is focused on those dishes and/or their regular salmon entree and based on my experiences over the past year or so...
Generally, the dishes are interesting with good flavors, they usually sell out of the specials, so they are tasty. However I have an ongoing problem with their quality control. The fish, whether it be in a special dish or a regular entree, is either under- or overcooked and on one occasion I got a bad piece of fish. (Not as in "it made me sick", but a piece of seabass with gristle...never knew fish could have gristle.)
I might ask for my fish medium rare but its a total crap shoot about how it's going to show up. Some dishes they don't offer a choice of preparedness, but that's when I usually get 'well done' fish. It's cooked right about half the time.
Clearly, the place does good business and has many fans. I like the concept of the place (eco, local, bio, sustainable, insert other latest marketing scheme, etc.) and am happy to give my patronage to such places. However, I think they need to step up and focus on consistency in their entrees, especially considering their steep prices.
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