My First “Healthy Fast Food” Experience

So we went to my grandmother’s house yesterday to help with some computer troubles (my whole family is glad I married an engineer), and she took us out for lunch to a new “Feel Good Fast Food” chain, EVOS. This new franchise recently set-up shop in Henderson, NV (Las Vegas) and currently has a few locations in Florida. I am guessing, more locations will begin popping up soon.

We were all intrigued with the menu of free-range burgers and sandwiches (hormone and antibiotic free), air-baked French fries, and the assortment of vegan options. My grandma ordered the turkey and avocado wrap that was on special for the day, my husband ordered the EVOS Freerange Steakburger w/ air-baked fries and a drink, and I picked up a large Mango Guava Fruitshake and a large air-baked fries.

No, I am not on a diet, but alas, with the current wheat-free diet my doctor has recommended, my choices on the EVOS board were a bit limited. The sandwiches and wraps were out (the idea of eating the filling without the wrap or bun just isn’t my thing), and though the Spicy Thai Chicken Salad sounded fabulous, they bread (and of course bake) all of their chicken and fish.
The verdict?...

Grandma loved her wrap. Oh yes, she also got a small Strawberry Banana Fruitshake, which she polished off, in a snap. Since she is even a bit smaller than me, she opted to take the second half of her wrap home for dinner. For the price, it was actually a very modest sized wrap…enough to fill, but not for too long. But, the smoothie was enough to put her over the top.

My husband gave the burger a B rating. It was good, but quite small and nothing special beyond the better quality meat aspect. Since he is trying to keep his sugar intake in check, he liked that they had several unsweetened and freshly brewed iced teas available to choose from rather than just the usual soda pop suspects. Though, he was majorly turned off by the raspberry one, which was shockingly red and overpowered with raspberry.

Both my husband and I gave the fries a B as well. They were air-baked potatoes. Not bad, but nothing I would crave. We added a sprinkling of salt and opted for a honey mustard dip. They had several varieties of ketchup to choose from (garlic, spicy, etc.), but they didn’t excite for some reason.

My smoothie was very tasty. I could tell it was more juice based than fruit, for this it also receives a B. It filled me up in the very short term, but didn’t leave me feeling fantastic as I would after an all-fruit smoothie.

EVOS has several vegan options available, including their signature soy burger, three varieties of Fruitshakes, a Southwest Soy Taco, Veggie Chili, Salad options, and their air-baked fries. Several other choices can be made dairy-free. You can check out their menu here.

Overall, this wouldn’t be a place we would repeat unless it began popping up on interstate highways. We would certainly choose it over the golden arches, for both health and taste, but my husband and I only go to fast food restaurants when on the road, and don’t really crave “simulated” bad food, which is what this seemed to be. I was disappointed to see that their veggie burger was a burger-like “soy” patty. I much prefer the true “veggie” burgers. The prices aren’t bad, but not great either.

However, I do think this is a great option for kids. The kid’s menu was respectable in price, and since most kids crave that fast food experience, starting them with a place like EVOS will be a much healthier option. It also may help them to dislike the greasy franchise competitors.
I am wondering if these “healthy” fast food chains will continue in momentum. It is certainly the first of its kind that I have seen here.