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New salad concept sprouts in Chicago

Be Leaf, a new fast casual salad concept, opened this week in Chicago.

July 9, 2015

Be Leaf, a new fast casual salad concept, opened this week in Chicago, according to a company press release.

Owner Becky Marks worked with Consulting Chef Martin Cabrera to ensure each ingredient and chef-designed salad at their 29 N. Wacker Drive location was well-rounded and highly nutritional, Marks said. Diners can build their own creation or choose from more than eight designed salads, bowls and wraps along with two seasonal salads in rotation every three months.

Guests will also be able to use theDecision Tree, a wall-mounted maze of a menu, which will walk them through their creative culinary choices. The first stop is the Green Wall, featuring a choice of arugula, kale, mesclun, romaine and spinach or quinoa and farro. Diners then choose from The Goods, which includes a list of local produce and crunchy toppings from kale chip, grapefruit and caramelized onions to house-made multigrain croutons. The third choices comes from The Works, highlighting proteins, including bacon, steak, tofu and baked Sweet Potato Falafel, locally sourced cheeses, dates, roasted shishito peppers, soba noodles and more.

The house-made dressings, available by light, medium and heavy pours include: Maple Yogurt Dijon, Bacon Tahini, Chipotle Date, Yuzu Miso and Ginger Lemon Sriracha.

Be Leaf’s Seasonal Shoutouts kick off with two salads, the Peachy Keen and Watermeloon, tossed with grilled peaches, radishes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, watermelon and heirloom tomatoes from Local Foods farmers. Customers can also opt for the chef-created Signature Salads, Beleaf-a-Bowls or Wraps bundled in a wheat or spinach tortilla, according to the release.

All meals are served with complimentary freshly-baked breads from Logan Square’s La Farine Bakery and grab-and-go snacks include some of Marks’ favorite bites from Spruts Almonds to Hilary’s Cookies in Lincoln Square.