For years the northwest corner of Elmwood and Hodge was home to burgers, fries and shakes. Today that same corner is a hotbed of health foods, served up by Paul Tsouflides, owner of Newbury Street (see back story). Today was the day that I decided to try out the new restaurant, even though it has limited offerings due to its soft opening mode.

First off, I love the new corner entrance way, flanked by patios (seats and chairs coming next week). Then, the open market-style windows make a huge, positive impact on the space, from both inside and out. It’s literally a breath of fresh air. On the interior, the walls are painted to reflect their signature health smoothie called Ventura Boulevard (kale, banana, raw cashew, agave nectar and almond milk). Of course I couldn’t resist, so I walked up to the counter and place my order.

Next I decided to “build my own salad” since the rice bowls and soups are still under wraps (coming soon). I picked out the romaine lettuce (there are five options), and then moved on to the four free toppings station where I asked for wild rice, garbanzo beans, grape tomatoes (halved) and feta cheese. Step three in the process is to choose (or not choose if you like) a premium topping. Premium toppings include spicy organic chicken, spicy quinoa, hemp hearts, avocado, etc. The topping that I opted for was the hummus roasted beet. Then I picked the creamy cucumber basil dressing and stood back to wait (while sipping on my smoothie).

As I waited, I observed others as they went through the process, which appeared to be fairly efficient. I also took a good look around the joint, observing all of the menus broadcasted on flat-screens, the streamlined furniture and accent lighting, and the customers who all appeared to be excited to try out Buffalo’s first organic, non-GMO approved, healthy lunch and dinner outfit (at least that I am aware of). Newbury Street also hangs its hat on veggie washing stations, the water that is first filtered and then reverse osmosis purified, right down to the recyclable serving containers.

If you don’t want to go through the process of building your own salad (starting at $7), then you can request a signature salad with names like Wild Orchid, Detox Salad, Brainy Beet and Chicken Chia Berry (prices range from $8-$10). You can also experiment with cold pressed juices and wheat grass boosters, all while soaking in the sun or people watching on the corner (it’s like being in a fishbowl when the windows are cranked open).

In short order the offerings will include soups (large $7 and small $4), and brown and spicy quinoa rice bowls ($7). The great thing about the menu is that you can’t eat anything unhealthy even if you wanted. Which means that you’re not going to be tempted by anything that’s going to attack your waistline or your heart (thankfully).

As for my lunch, it was delicious, and surprisingly filling! The addition of the wild rice was perfect. There were certain items that I didn’t see on the menu that I might have liked to see, like a scoop of cottage cheese, but I soon realized why they were missing. “Most everything that you eat these days is GMO grown,” Paul told me. “Even the yogurt that you think is so healthy – that’s all GMO. Buffalo politicians for the most part just don’t get it – even the ones that you think are looking out for your best interests. Be sure to make your votes found when it comes to who cares about the state of our foods – Kearns gets it, and so does Crystal Peoples. Even the local supermarkets are against GMO labeling, because they’re afraid that you’re going to see just how much food is GMO derived. It’s time that we start paying attention our foods. At this point we have blinders on and go about without asking questions or demanding change in the system. Newbury Street is my way to educate people about the benefits of eating healthy, delicious food. From procuring produce from local farmers to keeping our eyes peeled for organic items, we’re making healthy eating fun, easy and delicious.”

Newbury Street | 470 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo NY 14222 | 716-88-NOGMO | Facebook