by Michelle Castaño, Priscilla Rego, and Anabel Sanchez
Ovlo Eats is a contemporary, healthy, and affordable new local option for Plantation, FL residents. They use locally sourced, wholesome ingredients, with a sharp focus on making mundane, healthy food a delight for customers to eat. Not only do they test their flavors, but they also test their delivery food to taste just as good as if it were at the restaurant.
We had the privilege of being invited to try three dishes along with two deserts. The following will be our three seperate viewpoints on our respective meals, along with our general thoughts on Ovlo Eats (all while adopting Priscilla’s thorough rating system!).
Michelle: I have “payment anxiety” meaning that I always worry if the tab will be split up evenly at the end of dinner. That’s why I like Pei Wei’s upfront paying for instance. You arrive at the restaurant, you state your order at the cash register, they give you a number, you pay and sit wherever your heart desires. Ovlo Eats has the same concept. I get to enjoy the company of family and friends while my tastebuds enjoy a range of delicacies [in this case, the grilled steak]. The steak was served medium-rare with red wine jus for dipping.
The two sides I picked were the lemongrass roasted carrots and the crispy brussel sprouts. Yes, brussel sprouts are back in style and are more delicious then ever; the ones I ordered came with Grana Padano cheese.
Let’s go back to basics and talk about the steak. It was as tender as butter; it was so tender that you could have gone sans knife to cut the steak. The herbs in which the steak was encrusted gave it a fresh and flavorful spin. Due to having the jus on the side, the steak wasn’t highly seasoned, leaving the jus to do all the talking.
I’ve been obsessing over roasted carrots lately, so much so that Publix Greenwise carrots are a must on my shopping list. I was beyond thrilled to see that roasted carrots were being offered as a side on the menu. The chef put a Southeast Asian spin on the side dish by adding lemongrass and cardamom.
Let’s talk about the dining experience. As I am a typically an “on-the-run” gal, I find myself eating alone most of the time. A myriad of the times, it may be awkward, but a girl’s gotta eat. Enter Ovlo Eats where they welcomed me with a smile and made me feel right at home. Disclosure, this time I was dining with two colleagues, however, I felt like I could come back here by myself and have a great dining experience, even if I were just a “one-top” (service industry term for a person who is dining alone).
The decor was not over bearing (I’m looking at you, Cheesecake Factory) but rather simplistic which was aesthetically pleasing. Ovlo Eats has Hardwood floors, shaved brick walls, and fake green leafage decorated throughout its premises. A bulletin board was displayed next to the cash register with the phrase, “Food with Thought.” Very millennial centered I would say.
As I was dining with my peers, I took a look around and saw families, elderly couples, business professionals who had offices nearby and even individuals who I assume had just left the gym and were looking for their post workout meal.
Entrée: Grilled Steak
Sides: Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Lemongrass Roasted Carrots
Dessert: Vegan Carrot Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie
**Score is 1 out of 5, maximum being 5
- Sensory –
- Flavor: 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Texture: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Visual: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Utility-
- Natural & Organic: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Sustainable: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- High Quality: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Symbolic
- Authentic: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Modern: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Knowledge: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Overall Grade: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Priscilla: Since I can remember, I have always loved cooking. I have always had a passion for taste and sazon. When I used to be about 7-years-old, I used to set up my tiny kitchen inside the pool, and crack about 10 different breakfasts for those that would like to come check out my pool stand. I didn’t care if my food was fake; it was made with love and smiles; that was enough to keep my clientele happy.
I have always enjoyed developing new and exciting recipes, it wasn’t until about 2 years ago that I began developing and blogging about culinary. I had never ventured out to be a food critique, not until I was called by my team members at The Observer to discover Ovlo Eats.
Since the moment I stepped into the restaurant, I was welcomed. The staff was very friendly; the style of the restaurant is very sustainable, not to mention, adorable. You come up to the counter, order your food, take a number and wait till the deliciousness arrives at your table. The whole environment is very modern and trendy; with neon signs and a sleek look, the whole concept captures the millennial age.
The restaurant came to be because the amazing chef wanted to express his finesse in daily foods. Food you can afford and enjoy on a daily basis as humane, local, healthy and delicious. It’s the sort of food you taste to be amazing, yet healthy for you! It’s been a while since residents of the 33324 area code have found such an affordable option that suffices your daily veggies. I’m delighted to have Ovlo Eats join our area code and be part of my food diet life.
Entrée: Ovlo Banh Mi w/Shrimp
Sides: Not French Fries…
Dessert: Vegan Carrot Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Sensory –
- Flavor: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Texture: 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Visual: 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Utility-
- Natural & Organic: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Sustainable: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- High Quality: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Symbolic
- Authentic: 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Modern: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Knowledge: 🌟 🌟
Overall Grade: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Anabel: When I think of healthy food, I normally think of bland, chewy (usually green) food that usually holds no appeal to me, save for the occasional spring lettuce salad. When the opportunity to try Ovlo Eat’s menu came along, I was thrilled to give it a try. I had no expectations and arrived there with an open mind.
As it’s a healthy food alternative, the sugary sodas were absent, but they had beers, wines and teas. I tried the Pomegranate Iced Green Tea. It was an inviting ruby-wine color. The drink is self-served at room temperature and I added ice to cool it. What I really appreciated is that it’s low on the sweetness. This might turn some customers off, but I’d much rather have the option to add sugar to my taste (they have packets available) than guzzle down a predetermined glass of red sugar drink. But that’s one thing to keep in mind.
As my meal, I ordered the Roasted Duroc Pork with Carrot Soup and Not French Fries… The pork consisted of a thick cut of well-cooked, local pork. It was served with a side of tangy, mildly acidic mojo mustard sauce, which had a thinner consistency than the bottled variety I’m familiar with. The pork was moderately tender and seasoned, but just so. However, as I’ve found with most thick cuts of pork, it still leaned towards the dryer side, so it wasn’t as easy for me to swallow after several bites as compared to Michelle’s grilled steak.
Meanwhile, the most unique food in my order was probably the Carrot Soup, which I got as a side. It’s one of seven “cold” options from Ovlo’s Sides selections. I was super skeptical about this one because I couldn’t wrap my mind around a soup being served cold. However, after trying it, I can understand why it is. The mustard-colored, hearty soup is cool, refreshing, and subtly sweet, with hints of cardamom, lime, and coconut evident. It’s a combination unlike any other that will clean your palette. While I still favor a hot soup, I can easily see this one being a summer favorite on a hot day.
However, the Not French Fries… were absolutely stellar! They just don’t taste like any fries I’ve ever tried before. If I could’ve had a bucket of them, I think I would’ve downed them all! Their crispness, freshness, and the crunchy, starchy texture and taste make it a perfect side for any of the Ovlo dishes. Between me, Michelle, and Priscilla, there wasn’t one fry left.
For my first experience trying a vegan dessert, the Vegan Carrot Cake was very tasty. It was super moist, you could see the actual carrot bits, and it had a great visual presentation with whipped icing and flakes on top. I could see the gleaming top layer of the cake underneath the icing, baked perfectly. It looked like something you’d want to sink your teeth into.
The only thing I must nitpick is that with any carrot cake, I can’t help but anticipate the delicious sweet tanginess of a true cream cheese icing. While the icing on this cake was good (not one crumb was left) that unique cream cheese tang was the only thing I felt it lacked. Still, it’s a great vegan cake option and one I’d happily eat again.
The Chocolate Chip Cookie tasted as one would expect a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie to taste. Served in a small saucer, it was moist, the chocolate was rich, and was all around delicious with its chocolatey goodness. It’s hard to mess up this classic dessert.
Entrée: Roasted Duroc Pork
Sides: Carrot Soup and Not French Fries…
Dessert: Vegan Carrot Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Sensory –
- Flavor: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Texture: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Visual: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Utility-
- Natural & Organic: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Sustainable: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- High Quality: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Symbolic
- Authentic: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Modern: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
- Knowledge: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Overall Grade: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Conclusion: Overall, Ovlo Eats is a restaraunt that students and other foodies should check out. With affordable prices and a variety of food that might change your perception of what healthy food can taste like, it’s definitely worth a try!
Ovlo Eats is located at 7626 Peters Rd, Plantation, FL 33324 and is open every day from 11am-9pm. For more information visit www.ovloeats.com