Remember the days when you got a grilled cheese sandwich with a small cup of tomato soup from your school cafetaria? Ah. Those days are not these days.

When I go to the work cafeteria for lunch, 95% of the time I get the same thing, the salad bar. 100% of the time when I get the salad bar I choose the same things, which I can tell you in order of how the show up at the bar: mixed greens, beets, cucumber slices, mushroom slices, red pepper, carrots, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts if I’m feeling sassy, then a combo or one of these proteins: turkey chunks, grilled chicken chunks or tuna. If I didn’t eat an egg that morning I might have some sliced HB egg instead. The kalamata olives and tuna have been a recent introduction. I’ve stayed away from peas, chick peas and edamame since going paleo (which I no longer am, but old habits die hard). I sprinkle over some EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar and call it a day. My salad-by-the-pound is never more than $6, even though after 1 lb (or $8, i think) they call it “max salad” as in anything over one pound is the same price as a pound.

A couple of weeks back my co-worker challenged me to create a max salad. I tried. I didn’t make it, it was more like $7.50. The cashier looked at my bowl and suggested next time I add more beets. I ate my salad and had stomach cramps for the afternoon, on account of eating too much frikkin salad. But, I digress.

Most of the days I go upstairs to eat, rather than make a beeline to the salad bar I do the tour to see what else is being served. Then I go back to the salad bar. Lately, however, I’ve been swayed. And that’s because the caf brings in a rotating station of local eateries to hawk their goods. Special guests have included Mayuri, Thai Ginger, BitterRoot, La Isla, etc. Considering the demopgrahics of our workplace it should not be a surprise that there seems to be at least one Indian and/or Asian food choice every day.

Last week as I was walking through I saw someone waking away with a bowl of noodle soup. I don’t even know what kind of soup but I saw a tea egg amongs the greens and meats and without a hesitation said to myself, “I’m getting that”. Nevermind that I didn’t need that much food. That I definitely didn’t need the noodles. The soft, yummy noodles. I got it. Beef Noodle Soup from Shanghai Shanghai:

Oh. Yeah. If you grew up in my little house with my family, THAT is comfort food right there, my friends.

Today, I entered in from the opposite door than usual, which meant the salad bar was furthest from my entrance instead of the first thing I see. Instead I noticed people walking away with pho. And what do you know, What The Pho? was there. And, yes, that is the name of the restaurant.

Sooo, I did it again. Had noodle soup, chicken and vegetable medley. Except this time I asked them to skip the noodles.

Not quite as yum as Shanghai Shanghai, but still a pretty tasty lunch.

Back to salads, though. More on why in a later post, I suppose.