Vale Food Co.
4 out of 5 stars
501 N. Franklin St., Tampa. Build-your-own bowls: $8-$10; poke: $7-$13; acai: $7-$11; drinks: $2.25-$4. 813-374-1370; valefoodco.com.
Create-it-yourself quick bites have been around for a while. Think Chipotle or, more recently, Fresh Kitchen. It’s grub that’s wallet-friendly, fresh and made-to-order. You may choose exactly what you crave in the moment.
But while Chipotle is distinctly Mexican and Fresh Kitchen is firmly on the health-food fringe (100 percent gluten-free with cold-pressed juice), Vale Food Co. in downtown Tampa is a healthful fast-casual spot whose menu is a bit more centrist. More importantly — perhaps harkening back to the restaurant brand’s college-town roots (first Florida State University, then University of Florida) — it features affordable meal plans for diners averse to cooking. In certain zip codes, it’ll deliver complete weekday meals to your home that’re geared toward weight loss or maintenance — if you tip the scales in a happy zone.
Here, the build-your-own bowls come in two sizes. Small is enough for a full meal even though you’re limited to a single choice in five categories. The “regular” size, however, includes two bases, veggies and proteins. Since I want to taste as widely as possible, all of my companions double up. It’s a flavorful embarrassment of riches. The care with which each element is made is immediately obvious, and the price is ridiculously economical.
When you step up to the order counter, the restaurant’s full array is an appetizing spread of cast-iron skillets kept warm on induction burners. The colors and textures are alluring; you can’t help but salivate.
The first move in filling your bowl is choosing a base or two. You’ve got perfectly cooked brown rice or Vale rice that adds pesto. You’ve got two kinds of quinoa — one flecked with veggies, the other a salad. If you like rabbit food, there are crisp daily greens. My favorites are the chipotle mac with cheesy al dente elbows and enough pepper to make it pop, as well as the small square chunks of roasted sweet potato slightly browned for additional texture.
Next, pick your veggies. Balsamic mushrooms are thinly sliced with a light glaze, and shaved Brussels sprouts retain their crunch so there’s not any sulfury edge to be off-putting. The roasted broccoli, coconut cauliflower and green bean medley make the most of their individual ingredients, coaxing out plenty of flavor and avoiding any disappointing mushiness
Then you pack on the wide-ranging protein options. Ancho pulled chicken is finely shredded with moderate heat, while the barbecue braised beef is of similar texture in a tangy sauce. Sriracha chicken meatballs are soft with balanced spice. Grilled flank steak is made up of dice-size cubes, which are a bit too well-done for my taste (and that of my tablemates). Luckily, this is the only element of our meal that raises any complaint. Grilled shrimp is juicy and not at all rubbery — always a trap for the crustacean that’s easily overdone. Spicy tuna poke cubes are pink and fresh. And the lone veggie protein is Oumph!, a tofu-based vegan product with different flavorings daily. Ours looks a bit like slivers of chicken with light curry spices. It’s a tasty, meatless alternative that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
You’re almost done, but first select a sauce, served on the side in a small plastic container. This enables you to dip as desired, rather than toss the ingredients to flavor the bowl. The dressings are aptly named. Each delivers as expected — the avocado Caesar and chipotle ranch are creamy, the citrus and Vale vinaigrettes are bright and fresh, and the Sriracha honey and curry honey mustard are tangy with a sweet balanced edge.
Finally, add a “boost” to your bowl as a garnish or flavor accent. There are grape tomatoes with a touch of balsamic; crumbled feta, goat or Parmesan cheeses; guacamole, corn salsa or pesto; and a burst of texture from local sprouts, sunflower seeds or shaved almonds. The range of selections is innumerable. You could visit for years and not repeat yourself. It’s great to have so many delightful choices.
There’s no alcohol, but the drink offerings — house-made craft lemonades, green tea, kombucha and cold-brew coffee — are fine.
For dessert, prepackaged, ready-to-eat Justin’s organic peanut butter cups with dark chocolate, plus a peanut filling that’s much lower in sugar than Reese’s. Wonderful, thick, soft cookies are also freshly baked in the back and covered in Saran Wrap. Our white chocolate-macadamia version is like what Grandma used to make, featuring semi-sweet chips and pecans.
As for the menu’s acai (ah-SIGH-ee) bowls, those are made of the frozen sorbet-like berry pulp base high in antioxidants. You pick one of three granolas: blueberry flax, maple pecan or strawberry hemp, alongside three more toppings from the 17 available. My guests go with shaved coconut, chocolate chips and sliced bananas. It’s a huge serving that leaves my group of four stuffed.
We also try the guacamole toast with feta and red pepper flakes with a side of fruit rather than greens. It’s fresh and delish, but nowhere near the bargain of the aforementioned bowls. Still, Vale Food Co. delivers as advertised. What’s not to love about affordable, ample portions of well-thought-out, tasty food with myriad options? It’s a good thing.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at [email protected].
