Happy Friday, you hungry caterpillars!
Life is about balance, so since my last post rallied against the gritty-granola-hoity-toity vegetarian stereotype, today I am leaning into it. You have to have some yin with your yang.
So today I nourished my body with offerings from Life Alive Urban Oasis and have some opinions to share with you.
I feel like the name alone says everything you need to know about this place, but let's get into it anyways.
If you asked an omnivore what they thought a typical vegetarian restaurant looks like, they would describe Life Alive Urban Oasis. Their walls are covered with climbing plants and encouraging mantras. There are wooden Buddhas everywhere and they use mason jars for water glasses. Please enjoy this photo of their kale dispenser:
This place is truly a veggie-lover paradise. Their entire menu is not only meat-free, it's also organic! Vegan? Welcome. You're home.
They have salads, smoothies, grain-bowls, juices, soups, desserts and kombucha on tap all with soothing names like The Alchemist, The Lover and The Sufi Poet.
The prices are...fine. A salad costs about $10 and smoothies range from $5 - $7 which is not unreasonable considering everything is organic. However, it is pricey enough that grabbing lunch here every day feels extravagant.
Lucky for all of you I did not manage my time wisely this morning so I ran out of the house with a head full of dry shampoo and no packed lunch.
Life Alive to the rescue! I went with The Swami (a personal favorite) and a jasmine kombucha, fresh from the tap. This set me back $16 which is fine, I guess.
But feast your eyes on all this goodness! You're looking at tamari almonds, shredded carrots, broccoli, kale, sweet onions and brown rice all lovingly smothered in Life Alive's sweet curry miso sauce. Oh baby!
A couple days ago I overheard some girl tell her friend that she didn't like Life Alive because she "didn't find it very filling". This girl either has a tapeworm or was humble-bragging about her consumption abilities because I made it this far into my bowl and was happily full:
I obviously still finished it because my mom didn't raise a quitter, but the point is that even though their name and vibe is whimsical and light, Life Alive dishes up hearty fare.
Let's break it down:
The Good!
- Selection! The place was made for people who don't eat meat. It's nice to scan a menu for things you want and not just for things you can't eat.
- It's delicious. Everything is fresh and oh-so-flavorful. If anyone tries to tell you that organic or vegetarian food is boring, drag them here and fill their lying mouth with tamari almonds.
- It's nice, damn it! Life Alive is not an oasis in name only, it is balm for your crusty Boston soul. Cozy and full of natural sunlight, it's the kind of place where you can spend all day sipping ginger-tumeric lattes and watch the world bustle by.
The Bad!
- It's not the cheapest meal in town. While you do get your money's worth, a $16 lunch is not doable for everybody.
- It's gets packed. I managed to get in before the lunch-rush, but it's not uncommon to see a line out the door.
So to wrap it all up in a whole-wheat-flaxseed-pita, Life Alive is good for every tummy, even if not for every wallet. It's a vegetarian stereotype, but a beautiful one and I defy you not to enjoy your experience there. So stand in your truth and keep the kale flowing, Life Alive. Namaste.