Mixed Greens a healthy (but pricey) alternative

Perhaps my tragic flaw is that I tend to have high expectations when I am excited about something. Recently joining the health food movement and becoming a vegetarian, I expected Mixed Greens, located on 10th Street and College Avenue, to be just my kind of place, hence the application of these high expectations. \nMixed Greens claims to be "Mother Nature's Restaurant & Juicery," using only all-natural ingredients in its recipes. This, combined with the fact that an IU alum owns and manages the restaurant, made me think it would be an awesome place.\nNow maybe it was the two busses I had to take to reach the restaurant but I was not in a very happy mood once I entered the restaurant. Located on the outskirts of campus, the trip can be a bit of a trek, especially for students who live off-campus and don't own a vehicle.\nRight as I walked in, I was greeted by a female employee who promptly asked me whether I'd like a salad or a wrap. Barely having time to scan the rather lengthy menu displayed on the wall, I felt pressured and went for the "Lite Tuna" wrap. For my beverage, I opted for a small fountain soda, and not able to resist the gargantuan cookies on the counter, I decided to treat myself to a dessert. \nWhen it came time to pay, I was happily surprised when the price came out to just under five dollars. Now don't get too excited. I was on the list for a 50 percent off discount since they had unexpectedly had to close the day before due to a nearby business' remodeling. Any other day, the meal would have cost me around $10. \nFor the $7.99 price of the wrap, I really expected it to be something special. Instead I was unhappily surprised by the lack of anything particularly special about it. The tuna lacked seasoning and tasted bland. In fact, I used to frequent the Wright Quad cafeteria for their $5.50 wraps that tasted better than these! \nAlong with the bland wrap, I was served a side of carrot slaw. I'm usually a fan of carrots, but the sauce that was slathered on the carrot shavings just didn't appeal to my palate. It consisted of carrot shavings and a sauce I couldn't compare to anything I'd had before. Only after I was served my meal did I notice on the menu that each wrap comes with a choice of side: apples with peanut butter or the carrot slaw. I would have much rather preferred the apples and peanut butter, but wasn't even offered or made aware of this choice.\nI never thought I would have any qualms about purchasing a simple fountain soda, but they apparently had their sizes mixed up: I asked for small but received what looked like a puny. For $1.19 I really expected at least a 16-ounce cup. It was much smaller than that.\nThe cookie was definitely the most enjoyable part of the meal. For a mere 99 cents, I had a delicious, homemade chocolate chip cookie that was definitely worth more, if not for the taste, for the sheer size of the thing -- comparable to a saucer.\nI might have enjoyed my meal a lot more if I had chosen a salad. With 11 choices of salads that all come with a warm pita, Mixed Greens definitely holds up to their name in terms of the salads they serve. No side or half salads are offered, however, so the average hungry person must choose between a wrap and a salad when ordering. \nDespite the vegetarian connotations of the name, Mixed Greens does cater to the meat-eating crowd. Five of the salads contain meat, and there is only one out of 11 wraps that doesn't contain meat. \nA unique feature of Mixed Greens is the breakfast items on the menu. Not nearly as pricey as the lunch (most things are under $5), breakfast items include a smoked salmon wrap, fresh muffins, pancakes and omelets. Mixed Greens also offers delivery, so a nice thought would be to have breakfast delivered, something not usually offered in a restaurant.\nMixed Greens also promotes their smoothies and natural juices. At $4 a pop, they are a bit pricey. Shots of protein and various other enhancements can be added to the smoothies, all for an extra dollar. Freshly squeezed carrot, ginger, apple, orange, beet, celery and spinach juices are also available. A 12-ounce juice is $3.40 and a 20-ounce juice is $5.49.\nThe décor and atmosphere of Mixed Greens is Subway-esque: a large counter where customers order food and then proceed to watch the food being prepared right in front of their eyes. Ample seating, as well as televisions, make up the majority of the dining room. \nA nice feature is the option of outdoor seating in a large patio area. Tables with umbrellas are available for patrons if the weather is suitable for outdoor eating. I did opt to eat outdoors since it was a particularly pleasant day outside and was happily surprised by the nice experience of eating outside on a patio. \nOverall, Mixed Greens offers the peace of mind that the ingredients are natural and is a good alternative to fast food in terms of health and cleanliness. Still, in terms of prices, it was a bit much for what was offered. Perhaps it's the high price of using fresh ingredients, but on a college student's budget, some may choose a more affordable option. \nMixed Greens does offer catering and delivery service, which is a plus, especially since it isn't on campus. For more information on the restaurant, visit its Web site, www.mixedgreens.biz.