The Salad Bar @ Damansara Utama (aka Uptown), PJ

Fresh, healthy food doesn't need to be expensive!....

Hello!.... :)
Just to give you a head's up, this is an invited review:
(Here are my usual disclaimers)
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

I know I definitely consume WAY too much red meat/ unhealthy stuff in my daily diet....
*guilty grin*

Unfortunately, it's partly because trying to eat healthy is just so much more expensive (eg. a piece of grilled salmon (RM 35 at least) or a salad (around RM 20 at least)) VS. let's say, a big plate of fried rice and some ayam goreng for < RM10.

When Marcky told me that the nice owners at his new favouritest (healthy) restaurant, The Salad Bar, in Damansara Uptown had invited us to sample their existing menu as well as a few new creations, I was very curious/excited:
(Near Darabif, same row as the police station/ Public Bank)
Outside the Salad Bar....
I found the interior simple (in a good way), cheerful and comfortable with the tables well spaced:
Cheerful decor inside....
Above all, I really liked the cute little sofa section in the front of the restaurant - cosy and lovely, with lots of natural sunlight streaming in:
(I kinda wish I could have just curled up there with a book)
Sunny sofa area....
While the friendly Harry and Brian explained some of the menu options, I sipped on the Apple and Cucumber Juice (RM 6):
Full of vitamins....
It was definitely fresh, as advertised :) - did not taste artificially sweetened (yay!).

To start off, we had the daily special soup, which was Pumpkin (RM 3.50) on that day:
(They rotate the options, making fresh batches and do not keep it more than a day)
Wah. VERY reasonable pricing....
I'm actually not fond of pumpkin soup (in general) but I found this soup pretty nice - thick enough but without being stodgy, and with a nice natural sweetness of pumpkin that was balanced (not overpowering).

Of course we had to try their salads...
(There are quite a variety of salads there - at least 9 different types, or you can just customise your own)
:)

First up, the Spicy Chicken Salad (RM 11.90 - full size, RM 6.90 - half):
Yummy salad....
The salad was only mildly spicy, with a nice tang from the vinaigrette - overall, a nice combination between the sunflower seeds, chunks of chicken and crunchy fresh greens.
(I was surprised how big the serving is for that price!)

We also tried the Red Salad (RM 11.90 - full size, RM 6.90 - half):
Another yummy salad....
I also liked this salad - a different flavor (sweeter) dressing that complemented the mix of again, very fresh veggies.

If you don't like salads (or "rabbit food" as some of my carnivorous friends call it), there are other healthy options like their whole wheat pasta creations - That day, we chose the Spicy chicken mushroom spaghetti (RM 7.50):
Filling serving of pasta....
... and the Dory Carbonara Spaghetti (RM 7.50):
Light, guilt free pasta....
Both pastas were nice but I preferred the more savoury Spicy Chicken pasta. Their tweaked version of carbonara (with a milk based sauce vs. the usual heavy cream and egg type) was not bad too - liked that the fish was tender and tasted very fresh. :)
(Note: These are HEALTHY recipes! So please don't expect them to taste nicer than the decadent, heavily seasoned pastas that you can find at Italian restaurants)

Note: On top of the range of salads already available and the fully customizable option, Brian and Harry are coming up with a few new salads to keep things interesting. :)

Lastly, for dessert we had the Home made Yogurt (RM 4):
Smooth, fresh yogurt....
The yoghurt is not the usual store bought type - freshly made by The Salad Bar, and you can choose an almost dizzying array of toppings ranging from nuts to dried fruits to fresh fruits (eg. mango, orange) and some other stuff like cornflakes.
:)

Overall, had a lovely and delicious time at the Salad Bar - it's nice to know that I now have a convenient (AND AFFORDABLE) option for healthy food...
(Great to balance the days where I am not pigging out)

PS/ Thanks to Brian and Harry for being such gracious hosts, and thank you to Marcky for extending the invitation. *hugs*

So it's: Simple ambience, friendly service, good range of healthy food at reasonable prices BUT nothing bad really, just that parking can be a bit challenging on weekday peak hours and please manage your tastebuds' expectations - it's healthy food. :).....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Salad Bar @ Damansara Utama, PJ

41, Jalan SS 21/60, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, Malaysia

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 20/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7731 2228
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 9am - 9pm, Sun 11am - 6pm

NO PORK SERVED

MAP:

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OTHER REVIEWS:
- Marcky.my
- I am the Witch
- Keili
- Zestful Eats

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, The Salad Bar, Damansara Uptown, Sunway Pyramid, PJ, Petaling Jaya, Healthy food, KL, Kuala Lumpur