In an attempt to expand my horizons, I decided to try out a restaurant that was not downtown or in Harmony Square over the weekend. To my delight, Greens and Grains, located on Port Republic Road a few minutes from campus and in the heart of JMU territory, made this leap of faith go quite swimmingly. Greens and Grains provides a plethora of healthy options with fresh ingredients and creative combinations, located in a place that is ripe for great people-watching.
I made the mistake of visiting the business in the thick of a pre-James Madison University football game rush. My food, however, was ready in no time and the employees kept up a conversation with the people in line as they cooked, which made the wait feel much shorter. The restaurant itself had a unique vibe that reminded me of a big city sandwich shop, with lots of chalkboard drawings and fancy canned drinks or granola bars displayed to try with the meal.
The menu was extensive, and I took at least five full minutes just to study it. Eventually, I decided on a pick-two deal: half of the Vegan Delight Salad and half of the Southwest Sandwich.
I am always a little bit concerned that ‘salad’ is a code word for ‘nothing’ in terms of sustenance, but the Vegan Delight, to my delight, had a lot of substance. The tofu, assortment of seeds, chickpeas, and black beans mixed perfectly with a generous addition of strawberry vinaigrette.
As for the sandwich, it was one of those menu decisions made purely on the fact that it contained avocado. When one orders avocado off of a menu, it is always a gamble as to whether it will be one minuscule slice or basically the entire green bundle of joy. Luckily for me, this restaurant uses the latter approach. The plentiful avocado paired with a black bean, onion, and corn mixture made for a wonderful sandwich-eating session.
Last but not least, as I ate, I got to watch JMU fans filter in and out of the restaurant. I find it intriguing how game days are so intergenerational; it was not just college students as I would have expected. It was college students and their families, all sharing tons of enthusiasm for the football and tailgating that was about to ensue. There was just a buzz of excitement throughout the restaurant that only added to my experience as a whole.
Overall, Greens and Grains provided a wonderful Saturday lunch experience that has inspired me to continue venturing over to the JMU side of town every once in a while.
