The bowls have a flavor reminiscent of pho. | Kelly Schafler/The Cougar

For those at UH who wonder what tofu, falafel and quinoa taste like, Freshii is the place to go. One of the few locations in Houston, Freshii’s opening in the Student Center is a welcome change to the monopoly of standard fast-food places.

The menu may be compact, but the tastes are expansive and easy to customize to suit a particular taste. Freshii is another option for health-conscious students and brings variety to the table.

Salads and Wraps
The salads at Freshii are arguably the best salads on campus. While a salad at McAlister’s Deli can be comparable with some additional vegetables, Freshii’s salads are colorful, flavorful and fresh. Because Freshii shakes the salads in a bag, there is no more worrying over trying to get the dressing to reach the dry pieces of lettuce that inevitably remain at the bottom of the bowl in a regular salad.

Bowls

The bowls are delicious, but be prepared for a lot of rice. The main ingredient in most of the bowls is brown rice — rice that could be cooked a little longer to achieve the texture that properly cooked rice is supposed to have. Despite the rice, the bowls are very filling and a good source of grains for the healthy student on the go.

More aptly called large wraps, this option is sure to satisfy hungrier students. | Kelly Schafler/The Cougar

Burritos
Students may be tempted to satisfy their hunger with the menu board’s picturesque burrito. While the ingredients inside the burrito are delicious and warm, this entree doesn’t really have a right to call itself a burrito since at least half of the time it’s merely a large wrap.
It’s a toss-up when it comes to receiving a tortilla cooked in the panini press long enough to rightfully earn its title.

Soups
The soups are pretty tasty and come in a large container, making them easy to save for later. The three soup options seem to be a distant cousin to the Vietnamese soup, phở, sans the accompanying hoisin and red chili pepper sauces.

Frozen Yogurt
Freshii’s frozen yogurt is perfect for the hungry student attempting to dodge the candy section of the C-Store. The low-fat yogurt is sweet on its own, so even as a stand-alone this treat will be perfect for warmer weather — which comes and goes as unpredictably as the rest of Houston’s climate.

Juices and Smoothies
Juice at Freshii is refreshing and simple. You can’t really go wrong with juice, especially when it is made with fresh ingredients. The smoothies were unavailable the few times I braved the long lines of Freshii, so have a back-up plan.

On that note, don’t count on getting what you want, even if you wait in line for a long time. Everything is in high demand, and there’s a chance what you want may not be there when you get to place an order.

arts@thedailycougar.com

—
“A fresh take on healthier eating at Freshii” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar