Craving Cava: Review of a new Mediterranean-style restaurant

Whenever I think of burrito bowls, I think of Chipotle, standing in line to order your food, paying upfront and grabbing your fork and drink to sit down. But I decided to get out of my groove and try out what many consider the new Chipotle — Cava. 

Cava is a Mediterranean restaurant located on 135th street and Nall Ave. The chain originated in Maryland in 2006 and has since opened 391 locations nationwide, with one location in Kansas City. They market themselves as having foods that are free of additives and preservatives and are low in sodium, fat and calories.

The ‘base meal’ is the first step of ordering, with options like a grain bowl or a salad. On top of that, they had some vegan options like roasted vegetables and falafel. They also had lots of meat options ranging from spicy lamb meatballs to Harissa chicken. Once your bowl is complete, they offer a few dessert choices like brownies and chocolate chip cookies. 

I ordered the grain bowl with rice, chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes and pita crisps. They also have a wide variety of dressings ranging from lemon herb tahini in flavor to hot harissa vinaigrette, though most of the options were gone by the time I got there. My order came to $10.82 which I thought was a reasonable price for dinner. 

I immediately noticed the bowl was huge, definitely enough for two portions. The bowl was great, and it made for a good ratio of ingredients. The flavors themselves were more Mediterranean and had a more authentic tangy flavor, I enjoyed tasting the distinct flavors of the zesty lemon in the Cava bowl, compared to chipotle, where the flavors are indistinguishable. What stood out to me most was the chicken, which encapsulated the style of the restaurant’s flavor palette — it didn’t taste dry and it had a lot of flavor. However, I was slightly disappointed in the dressing options, especially since I got there around 5:30 p.m. 

 If you’re sick of the same-old at fast food restaurants, I would recommend Cava for its inclusive options and fresh take on inexpensive food options.