A juice bar should have juice.

Ohhhh, boy!  Here goes a rant.  So, I went to Sawgrass Mills Mall yesterday, and had the misfortune of trying to order juice at a juice bar.  What a mistake that was.  I used to be so naive as to think that a juice bar would be the perfect place to get a nice, fresh cup of juice.  Apparently, juice bars are places where you buy smoothies, salads, pastries, coffees, paninis...pretty much anything but juice.

Or, at least that was the case with Rio Station Juice Bar.  I asked if I could order a juice, assuming that maybe the menu excluded juice simply because there would be no need to inform people that there was juice available at a juice bar.  The obviously disoriented cashier said something along the line of "yes, um, juice, um, smoothie, um, juice, um, banana hammock," or something like that.  So, I asked for a grande watermelon and strawberry juice and reiterated that I did not want a smoothie.

Only 15 minutes later, after battling a fly and doing the samba with the other five people in line at this treasure, I was the proud owner of a watermelon and strawberry smoothie!  Just in case you were thinking of spending your day in a gigantic mall, just to defraud Rio Station Juice Bar out of a smoothie that you didn't pay for...don't even think about it!  As I quickly learned, every employee will individually review your receipt for authenticity before the reluctant blender-technician hands you the smoothie you kind of ordered, but really didn't.

The smoothie was delicious, by the way.  But, a juice bar should have juice.  I'll never go back.

Delius Restaurant - Long Beach, California: Awesome Vegetarian Fare

Wouldn't you know it?  After blasting house salads, I find a restaurant with an amazing house salad!  Delius Restaurant, in Long Beach, California, is a local gem.  I decided to keep true to my mission by reviewing a restaurant that offers food for everyone.  I was not disappointed.

Right near Long Beach Airport, at 2951 Cherry Avenue, lies Delius Restaurant.  It offers a full lunch, dinner, and kids menu, as well as a full bar.  The decor and overall atmosphere is modern and somewhat intimate.  This place does a great job welcoming business people, couples and families, alike.  The restaurant is a decent size, unlike the airport, and the prices are reasonable for California (perhaps a bit pricey for some, with entree prices ranging from $13 - $32.  There are five vegetarian offerings, and a couple of them can be vegan.  I tried the House Salad, Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese, and the Penne Puttanesca.  I did not try the Spinach Mascarpone Risotto or the Four Cheese Pizza, because there's only so much room in the tank.

Let me start off by saying that the House Salad is incredible, but, it is not the "house salad" you're accustomed to - European greens with candied walnuts, red onion, red grapes, cherry tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese and a rosemary infused balsamic vinaigrette.  It is not going to stuff you, but it is enough for a delicious light meal.  The only possible objection I could see someone having to this one is that the candied walnuts have a cinnamon overtone, which was somewhat of an odd flavor for a salad.  I loved it, though.  The greens were fresh and the bleu cheese was mild.


I tried an appetizer portion of the Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese, but there is a dinner portion and meat-eaters can add shrimp or Andouille sausage.  Assuming Andouille isn't a synonym for soy, I had it plain.  But, there was nothing "plain" about this Macaroni and Cheese.  It comes out piping hot and is incredible.  If you are lactose intolerant, this stuff may kill you.  It is cheesy.  The chipotle isn't offensive (I was really worried) and offers a vague hint of spice, which works wonders.  I highly recommend it.


The Penne Puttanesca came in a trough.  I could only eat half of my portion.  I really liked it, and enjoyed the capers, and olives.  The only surprise there was that it was a bit spicy.  I love spice, but it was much spicier than most meals that aren't traditionally considered spicy food, so be warned.  Beforehand, I also tried the Carrot and Fennel soup.  This soup was good.  It could have been better, if the fennel flavor was a bit stronger, but I cleaned the bowl nonetheless.


All in all, I strongly recommend Delius Restaurant.  Great food and service.  If you are flying into or out of Long Beach, or just in the area, give this place a try.  You won't be disappointed.  For more info: www.deliusrestaurant.com.