Sweet Tomatoes

Ah Sweet Tomatoes, why oh why aren't you in Michigan? The closest location is in Illinois, but that's not nearly close enough to get a regular fix. With your delicious salads, lots of fresh veggies, great soups, and freshly baked muffins, it's the perfect place to bring my whole family. Where we can each create our own perfect meal and eat our fill. I can still taste my last bite of Won Ton Chicken Happiness Salad and the sweet crunch of the broccoli, cashew, and bacon concoction called Joann's Broccoli Madness. Oh how I love lining up with my plate and piling it up with all the salad fixing's I love. More carrot, fresh peas, red onion...yes please. Hold the olives, jicama, and squash...no problem.

Since I love Sweet Tomatoes so much, it only seemed fitting that we ate there on Valentine's Day, last month while in Florida. Once I knew we were going to Disney World, I hopped on line to see if any would be on our driving route or near the parks. Luckily for me, one is and I made sure we planned to go there. I know, you're all thinking that sounds real romantic. However, heading where we could skip the long lines and waits everywhere else with a hungry and tired crew from a long day at Animal Kingdom, made it the best choice we could've made. And it WAS very busy and crowded but the staff did a great job of moving people along and getting every one seated and fed.

The love affair with Sweet Tomatoes began when we lived outside of San Francisco, one was in the very next town to us and we went there, A LOT. When we moved to New Mexico, it was a little harder to go to, as it was an hour away in Albuquerque, but when we still got there pretty often. It's an awesome place to eat at and great for families because everyone can get exactly what they want and it's priced right too. Plus there's usually no waiting, which means not having to deal with crabby or fidgety kids at the table. It's one big healthy and fresh buffet where all the peeling and chopping is all done for you. You start by making your own salad from what is literally 55 feet of farm fresh fare of vegetables, premade salads, and every topping imaginable.
Now that I have ER I miss being able to go there whenever I want even more, because she loves fresh veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, corn, and carrots. A couple of scoops of that along with some cheese, plain pasta, pickles and she's good to go. Then give her some mac and cheese or rice and she's in heaven.
Add a slice of bread or seriously delicious muffins, and I am usually NOT a big muffin fan but these are great and baked in the right proportion, and everyone's happy. The absolutely yummy honey whipped butter they have is good on, oh just about everything. Brad almost always gets a baked potoato that you can load up. There are even fresh cooked veggies you can pop on top, not that he does, I'm just sayin' one COULD skip the sour cream, bacon, and green onions.

Let's see salad, pasta, breads, oh yes and we can't forget their soups. Several are available every day, and my mom really liked the Golden Yam Bisque. These rotate all the time, right now the featured soup is Classic Creamy Tomato, which I've had before, and it's one of my favorites. You can get another limited time item, grilled cheese focaccia dippers to go with it. Delicious!
Alas, every great meal must come to and end, but oh what an end! No one needs to ask me twice to make my own sundae and cover it with hot fudge sauce, all of this piled on top of the most wonderful hot chocolate lava cake!!! Yum is definitely not adequate enough to describe the whole thing.

Tell me I'm not alone with my obession over certain places to eat...what's yours and why do you crave it?

PS: I think I should credit Brad as my photographer for all the photos in this post except for the top two. I made him go around and take pictures, because it was crowded and I didn't want to look weird taking them☺ Good thing I have a husband who doesn't mind getting stared at.