Try This: Maplewood Kitchen’s Raw Salad

It was a classic double-edged sword. For the past few months I’d been packing lunches in the interest of both financial and waistline management. But the lure of Maplewood Kitchen’s jewel-colored juices, photogenic baked goods, and Elaine-would-approve “big salads” quickly demolished my discipline. Hot pink rounds of watermelon radish mingle with their cherry belle cousins, sliced asparagus, petite tri-color carrots, toasted pine nuts, and a spot-on sherry vinaigrette in their “raw salad.” No dairy, no meat, just a giant bowl of beautiful vegetables dressed with élan. And while the $11 price tag might seem steep, one really must factor in the pleasure of venturing into the sunshine.

Maplewood Kitchen, 525 Race St., downtown, (513) 421-2100, Facebook.com/MaplewoodKitchen