“Brrr,” shows the weather app…or did it read “burrata”? Or, were you carried away, dreaming of creamy burrata, summery tomatoes and fragrant basil or sunshine-laden tropical mangos and ahi tuna fresh from the sea? Dreams do come true. Ray’s on the River fulfills all of those yearnings with fresh, new Signature Salads on its lunch and dinner menus. On the lunch menu, an empowering ahi tuna and kale salad with quinoa and the refreshing twist of mango, avocado and Asian vinaigrette ($20) sticks with you all afternoon. Ray’s heirloom tomato and burrata salad with basil pesto and toasted panko ($15, dinner only) stands on its own as a light dinner option or as a complement to Ray’s much-loved starters and specialties. Why wait for summer to fuel your body with kale, hearty green goodness and colorful fruits and veggies? Salad days and nights are here and now at Ray’s on the River.
We love quinoa, yes we do. We’re Crazy for Quinoa! How about you? Cinnamon apple quinoa and blueberry breakfast bars fuel your morning routine and cheesy quinoa and sausage broccoli casserole updates the usual brunch-bound casserole. Quinoa adds stick-with-you oomph to salads, muscling in on warm Brussels sprouts salad, cilantro-lime black bean salad and Thai quinoa salad with lime vinaigrette. Easily morph the protein-rich grain into pizza bowls, pizza crusts, chicken nuggets or sundried tomato and mozzarella quinoa burgers. Show the love by treating friends to hearty, healthier sweets like peanut butter quinoa balls or quinoa chocolate chip banana cookies.
FLIP burger boutique is keen, or make that quinoa, on piling on the veggies in the new year. The Shrubber, January’s Burger of the Month, nixes a bread bun in favor of Parmesan-fried eggplant slices. A quinoa patty hunkers down in between, capped by cucumber threads, pickled yellow beets, orange gremolata mayo and crispy shallots ($10.) Wait, there’s more on the plate -- zucchini fries underscore the veggie theme. Consider it a beverage or dessert but do consider tangoing with a mango and vanilla ice cream milkshake topped with pine nut crumble, cherry foam and candied jalapeños ($5). Mangos make the shake count as a fruit, right?
