veg out

Healthy salad chain freshens up Sugar Land with Whole 30 and keto options

Saladworks has arrived in the Houston area.

Photo courtesy of Saladworks

A successful fast-casual salad chain has made its Houston area debut. Saladworks recently opened in Sugar Land at 18802 University Blvd.

Founded in Pennsylvania in 1986, Saladworks is now a Florida-based restaurant with over 100 locations across 18 states — including one in Irving, Texas — that serves entree-sized salads. Diners may make their own custom salad using more than 60 ingredients or opt for one of the restaurant's 12 signature salads.

In addition, the restaurant serves soups, sandwiches, panini, warm grain bowls, and wraps. Choices include an avocado BLT, Buffalo chicken panini melt, Asian crispy chicken warm grain bowl, and a roasted turkey club wrap. Overall, the offerings are designed to suit vegans and vegetarians as well as those following popular diets such as Whole 30 and keto.

Saladworks comes to Houston courtesy of franchisee Venus Allana, a 24-year-old graduate of the University of Houston. She opened the restaurant to provide the area with a healthy dining option, according to a press release.

"I’m excited to open my first Saladworks location at such a young age and can’t wait to grow in the community," Allana said in a statement. "Saladworks will be a perfect fit for people in the area that are wanting to eat healthy, but have a great tasting option that is easy and convenient to get.”

Overall, the company is on a growth spurt. It expects to open 30 new locations by the end of the year and has another 50 in development.

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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this article.

news-you-can-eat openings

With or Without Whiz

Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

Photo by Michael Ma

Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwich The cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

“We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

“I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

news-you-can-eat openings bas's cheesesteaks