MANILA, Philippines - Assorted salad lovers (and they’re a growing legion) are queuing up at today’s hottest salad destination: SaladStop!.
Yes, Singapore’s SaladStop! that’s garnered rave reviews (“Seriously, the best salads/wraps I’ve tasted in a long time,” a customer just couldn’t stop gushing) just opened another outlet at the ground floor, OPL Building, Legazpi Village, Makati.
“My dad and I started it six years ago to bring fresh, healthy food to Singapore,” says Adrien Desbaillets, managing director and cofounder of SaladStop!. “At the time, even with all the good restaurants in Singapore, it was very hard to get a good salad there.”
Next stop: Manila
SaladStop!’s fresh green concept caught the eye — and taste buds — of Anton Huang, president of Stores Specialists Inc. Group (SSI), during a trip to Singapore. He suggested bringing it to Manila. Now you can find SaladStop! at three locations: aside from the OPL Building on Carlos Palanca Street, Legazpi Village, there’s one on the Lower Ground, Central Square, 5th Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and another one on the R3 Level, Power Plant Mall, Makati. “Three more are in the pipeline for this year and we’re already looking at 2016,” discloses Jose Miguel Tantoco, business development manager, Specialty Food Retailers, Inc., a member of The SSI Group, Inc.
At SaladStop!, your salad days have only just begun. “We have eight classic salads from Singapore (of which Oh Crab Lah! is a hot favorite with its Singapore chili crab dressing) and two Filipino signature salads: Sunshine Manila and Man-Go Wild,” says Jose Miguel. “The two Filipino salads are only available here; our Singapore partners have been very supportive of us.”
Sunshine Manila — a refreshing medley of romaine, tuna flakes, brown rice, cherry tomatoes, and crispy lumpia skin, drizzled with tamarind citrus vinaigrette (323 kcal/545 kcal) — is guaranteed to make you shine on a lackluster day. Or you may go Man-Go Wild — an exhilarating mix of romaine, cucumber, carrots, green mango, red onions, white turnip, yellow raisins, fried garlic, mint leaf, and mango vinaigrette (453 kcal/598 kcal); you can also toss in some crispy fish flakes.
Care for kare-kare salad?
“We will be introducing more Pinoy salads, more local flavors, there are just so many options,” Adrien points out. “But we don’t just introduce a salad just for the sake of introducing something new. We want to hear people say, ‘Oh, I go to SaladStop! because I absolutely love the kare-kare salad. We take it as a source of inspiration and we adopt it.”
Among the very popular signature salads, which you can’t seem to have enough of, are Hail Caesar (romaine, shaved Parmesan, egg, croutons, bacon bits, classic Caesar dressing — 526 kcal/717 kcal); Go Geisha! (romaine, red and white cabbage, firm tofu, asparagus, carrot, soba noodles, snow peas, edamame, sesame seeds, cucumber, sweet corn, Japanese miso dressing — 394 kcal/584 kcal); Iron “Wo” Man (baby spinach, feta cheese, roasted pumpkin, yellow raisins, toasted almonds, raspberry vinaigrette — 668 kcal/815 kcal); Tuna San (romaine, seared tuna, avocado, edamame, cherry tomatoes, mandarin orange, sesame seeds, wasabi honey soy dressing — 550 kcal/697 kcal); and Omega 3 Baby! (rocket and romaine, smoked salmon, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, red onions, sunflower seeds, balsamic soy vinaigrette — 519 kcal/724 kcal).
Over 60 ingredients and counting
Yes, at SaladStop, with over 60 ingredients and 35 free toppings, various cheeses and nuts, and 18 homemade dressings to choose from, you just can’t stop as you create your own salad.
But for those perpetually counting their calories, SaladStop!’s menu lists each salad’s calories. “Olive oil-based dressings are high in calories but these are good fats,” Adrien tells us. “For dressings that are low in calories, try the Thai lemongrass or anything that’s not mayonnaise-based.”
Adrien adds, “When you choose your ingredients at the salad bar, they’re based on standard scoops, just so you don’t add too much bacon, for instance.”
He stresses, “What’s important is you get a balance of flavors so you get some ingredients with protein, veggies, a light vinaigrette dressing, some cheese and nuts to add crunch and even some croutons.”
SaladStop! has an in-house nutritionist in Singapore to make sure it serves only the healthiest salads. Fact is, at the counter you will see some hanging frames that say, for instance: “I am cherry tomato! Packed with numerous nutrients with anti-cancer properties. Lowers bad cholesterol and improves heart health.” Or, “I am soba noodles! Help absorb excessive cholesterol. Amino acids are essential for tissue growth.” Or, “I am sunflower seed! Eases stress and migraines. Prevents bad cholesterol from sticking to the arteries.”
The salads are classified as follows: gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, lower in fat, with nuts, with chili, contains seafood. A nice heaping bowl of salad costs from P250 up.
A salad cheaper than a facial
Chef Tony Tan flew in from Singapore to train the kitchen staff of the new SaladStop! outlet. The SaladStop! team follows a training manual from Singapore. They’re trained to suggest to customers what salad to order. “You may say, ‘I’m tired today so I want an energy booster,” Adrien shares. “Or you may want something for your skin. We have a salad that’s cheaper than a facial, a salad with plenty of antioxidants.”
So, who says salads are boring? “Never!” says Adrien with a toothsome smile. “You can eat it with a nice warm soup, too.”
At SaladStop!, you can have your salad — and more — for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after dinner. Yes, it’s open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. every day. “For breakfast, you can have the wraps and quesadillas. The kids will love the wraps as they’re a new way of eating their salad,” notes Adrien.
To add to SaladStop!’s formidable range of salads are its homemade cakes, cookies, and yogurts.
Surely, SaladStop! is more than a stopover; it’s a refreshing food destination.