Convenience

Over the past few years, a huge development has been under construction right across the street from my work. 7 buildings were built and everything from condos and apartments to restaurants and shops already/will occupy them. There is also lots of new green space including a park that housed a farmers' market and outdoor concerts this summer. Since I work across the street and live only a mile away, the new amenities in my neighborhood have been quite convenient.

In fact, just last week I had 2 lunch dates at different restaurants in the development. It was great to have so many options just steps from the office door!

On Thursday, I tried Delice - a cafe with soups and sandwiches for lunch, and LOTS of beautiful pastries and desserts. I used to love this restaurant when it was located downtown, mainly because it had breakfast options + really good coffee (which is hard to come by, if you ask me.) However, my first experience at the new location left a lot to be desired.

The food was merely ok, and a bit over-priced. (I had a cucumber sandwich and a side of pasta salad, which rang up at about $10 with tax.) Although the sweets were tempting, I did not want to shell out another $5 for a lunchtime dessert. I was also bummed that the huge list of soups on the menu were not staples - only a few were featured each day.

But the worst thing was that the flow of the restaurant was a mess! No one could tell where the line started and there was a huge bottleneck near the entrance. Also, the chairs were too big and bulky for such a small space. It took four of us to move things around enough for a woman in a wheelchair to get to her table.

So although not horrible, I'll get my food to go next time. I'll also shoot for non-busy times and call ahead to see which soups they have...but it might be coffee and dessert from here on out!

The next day we hit up Crave. This place was much bigger than I was expecting from the outside and had a good crowd for a Friday lunch. I really liked the decor - kinda swanky with lots to look at. I wish I would have taken pictures! The large patio would be a great place for a cocktail and although the dining room was big, there were lots of tucked away tables and cozy booths that would make for a nice date night.

So, how was the food, you ask? Good! They are an American + sushi restaurant, which I think is a little weird. None of us ordered any sushi, but the soup & salad combos looked good and I really enjoyed my pasta dish (basically fancy mac 'n cheese).

For $10 a person, I would much rather eat here than Delice! (Sorry, Delice. But I'd still choose you for coffee or dessert.)

Probably the most convenient part of the development for me is the grocery store! Wohlner's, a local family-owned market, opened the new location just a couple of weeks ago. It is just steps from the office...I have to walk further to get to my car than I do to get to the store!

In my opinion, we really needed a quality grocery store in the area. Although Wohlner's won't be where I do all of my shopping (more selection and better prices elsewhere), it is great for picking up a few things on my way home from work. Like the last few ingredients for an incredible Chinese dumpling soup...

Recipe to come!