The Root, Part Three

My hankering for the fresh, reasonably-priced food at The Root had reached critical mass. I'd wake up in the morning and wonder how I could come up with a breakfast that would look and taste like something I'd find at my new favorite place. As I thought about it I would drive to work and scarf a Tupperware container full of oatmeal or yogurt and fruit, because my culinary dreams infrequently become reality.

I stopped in for lunch one day, and although I was immediately drawn once again to the scallops, the waiter told me that they had a special salad for lunch that day. Halfway through his description I was nodding like a bobblehead and told him that I would like the salad, please, and 400 pieces of bread.

Spring mix, yellow and red halved cherry tomatoes, chopped avocado, thinly-sliced radish, pickled onion, scallops and chorizo, avocado-buttermilk dressing, cracked black pepper.

I was trying my best to listen to the ladies next to me talk about Houghton Lake, because they seemed to know about a restaurant there that isn't on my radar and should be, but I couldn't lift my attention from this salad. I want to eat this everyday.

The avocado was creamy. The radishes were spicy. The greens were crisp and, after I ate this salad at warp speed, I dragged a chunk of bread across the plate so I wouldn't miss a speck of anything. The combination of scallops and chorizo was decadent, a combination I'd not thought of before and haven't stopped thinking of since.