As you probably guess, I’m not a fast food connoisseur. I think the extent of it is a pizza place…there’s nothing better than a thin crusted slice of veggie pizza. So when we go out to eat after a long week at work, we try to go somewhere that has health options. One of our favorite places in San Antonio to go is a near by Greek restaurant , Papapouli’s. They have won numerous awards for their healthy recipes. Now, I will tell you that I always wondered how healthy is healthy. Just because it is fresh made doesn’t mean it is not laden with fat and sodium. I mean, seriously, McDonalds has yogurt parfaits as a “healthy option” and one bite will tell you that there is enough sugar in one to make 5 kids hyperactive.
Well, I had my question answered last Friday. We were at Papouli’s and I was making the comment to my husband that I wondered why they used sour cream instead of Greek yogurt in their taztziki sauce (a wonderful, yogurt based sauce with dill, garlic and cucumbers). A few minutes later, Nick, the owner came by our table and asked how our meal was. Not one to be shy with questions, I asked him. He explained that they experimented with a lot of bases and yogurt and sour cream did not hold up…it all separated. But what they are using is a soy based sour cream and it tastes great. That led us to a discussion about healthy eating and I was blown away at all the effort they put into their food creations. His wife is a triathlete and nutrition is a huge factor in the success of finishing a triathlon. She is a large influence on the nutrition of the food that is served there. Just a couple examples he gave us: the salt on the table was a special salt that has approximately 240 mg of sodium per serving; pitas offered in original or whole wheat; they are going to stop using fruit cups as a kids side and go to fresh sliced fruit (oh thank you Nick!). Watching him tell us about the thought and effort they put into preparation, I could tell they really were health conscious. The other thing I noticed was how his staff were treated. As they came on shift they grabbed a bite to eat and sat at one of the customer tables. To me it told me he valued his people…and that translated to how his staff treated the customers…with value.
So, kudos to Nick and and his wife. They are doing a fantasic job! For as long as we are in San Antonio we will be faithful patrons. If you would like more info go to www.papoulis.com. I’ll also have this listed under “Handy Links”.
Have you found any restaurants that are nutritionally conscious? Please share!
Wow! I am impressed to hear about Papouli’s and the healthy options they offer. We have not been there in years, but will definitely have to make a trip back! One of my favorite places to go for a healthy lunch is Central Market on Broadway. They have a huge variety of options (sandwiches, great salad bar, stir fry, etc.) sure to please the entire family and everything is made with fresh ingredients. I am obviously not the only one who enjoys dining there, as it gets packed at the lunch hour. If you are out and about and want to grab a quick, healthy lunch I highly recommend giving Central Market a try!
Oooo…we’ll have to make a trip down there and check it out!
Good investigation work..they deserve a visit..maybe u can get a PR discount on your next trip.
If there is anything like that in Vermont I haven’t found it yet. Eating out is no longer a joy for me as I know I can make a much healthier, much cheaper meal at home but I will keep my eye open for something like this.
Jenn, I heard that the coop in Montpelier did pretty well with healthy food. You should get a hold of Daniel and his wife in Jericho. They are very health concious and could hook you up.
And you should totally print your write up out, frame it, and send it to them to put up in their restaurant.
Wow, I’d really like to try it there…so proud of you
I believe they just opened a second store down on 151.