Here's another story for you: my first time trying a Yumm! Bowl. I heard about this Oregon-based restaurant franchise at work. At first, I wasn't interested because I didn't like the sound of a rice bowl with vegetables (so narrow minded, I know). For my boss's birthday, though, we had a Yumm! Bowl potluck, and that's when I turned a corner. I tried the Yumm! Sauce and I was not sure that I liked it at first. After eating a whole bowl, though, I was hooked. The sauce had a repugnant deliciousness. Now I eat there almost every week. So far I'm only into bowls, but my next foray will be into the world of wraps- more about their menu later.
First, let's talk about the atmosphere. My home restaurant is located in Lake Oswego, it's quiet, clean, and a perfect place to relax during lunchtime. The aesthetic is slightly ethnic, but there's no specific country I can point to as the main inspiration. It's a nice place, and I appreciate their efforts to be environmental. They use many recycled materials, and their bowls, utensils, and water cups and reusable.
The food matches the interior so well; it's a mishmash of ethnic food traditions combined into one flavor-packed bowl/wrap. The Yumm! Bowls are great because you can also customize them or add chicken or tofu to make them meatier. Sometimes I add an extra topping, but I usually just get the bowl with all of the Deluxe Toppings except olives.
The Original bowl is probably the best one because it's so iconic. You can't go wrong if you walk in and just order the Original bowl with the Deluxe Toppings of your choice. The bowl starts with organic brown rice, organic black beans, organic mild salsa, Yumm! Sauce, and toppings. The Deluxe Toppings include shredded Tillamook cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, fresh avocado slices, sour cream, black olives, and cilantro. They are included at no charge, but you can pay to add chicken breast and seasoned tofu. The picture above has chicken breast added.
My second favorite bowl is the Chilean Zucchini (pictured above). It includes brown rice, Yumm! Sauce, Deluxe Toppings, and, the most divine part, zucchini-corn-tomato stew. This one requires a spoon, but it's so hearty, refreshing, and filling. The way it fills me up is good without the guilt. Whenever I eat greasy food like a pizza or burger for lunch, I always feel gross afterward and the rest of the day I'm sluggish. With a Yumm! bowl, though, I'm recharged and not slowed down. It's really a perfect lunch with a glass of ice water.
The next bowl is the Jazzy. It has Thai Jasmine rice, organic red beans, Yumm! Sauce, and Deluxe toppings. This bowl tasted pretty much the same as the original except the red beans have a slightly different flavor. I didn't add any extra toppings to this one. I should also mention that I ALWAYS order a large size. The first time I went, I ordered the medium, and it just wasn't enough. For those with smaller appetites, though, they have medium and small. To learn more about their entire menu visit
www.cafeyumm.com. No matter what you order- a bowl, wrap, bento, or sandwich, just be sure you try the Yumm! Sauce, it's the star of the show and the thing that makes Cafe Yumm! magical. What is in the Yumm! sauce you ask? It a mysterious combination of nuts and nutritional yeast. It's a secret recipe that many have tried to replicate but no one has has perfected.
Have you ever been? What do you order?
