There was discussion in January about delaying New Year's resolutions until February, but, in practice, many of us already do that. For example, the Monday after the Super Bowl tends to be the biggest day of the year for men making new diet decisions.
In Atlanta, we're lucky to have a local chain called Gusto, where the tahini cucumber feta flavor combination flies under the radar as one of the city's best Mediterranean salads. Lest men looking for new, healthy meal options think that Gusto doesn't cater to them, consider the chain's origin: It was started by Nate Hybl, a former starting quarterback for Oklahoma who made it to the NFL. And, while the menu offers plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, you still can order your meal with a generous serving of chicken or shrimp.
The “gusto” pictured here is a winner: the tahini cucumber feta salad, with spicy grilled chicken over greens. The tahini dressing cools off the spice of the chicken, which does have a nice kick. Salty feta, with an herbaceous note of dill, punches up the flavor even more, while tender chickpeas add nice textural contrast and additional rib-sticking protein.
No salad can overcome sub-par ingredients, but Gusto is remarkably consistent when it comes to serving fresh greens. Though the cucumbers and tomatoes aren’t exactly seasonal, they’re appropriately ripe. And, keep in mind that Gusto is a fast-casual counter-service chain, and this meal costs less than $10 — including the free (and surprisingly addictive) side of sweet potato chips.
That price is comparable to a Homewrecker burrito from Moe’s Southwest Grill, which plenty of guys would consider a healthy choice. But, as often is the case in the sports world, stats tell the real story — the Gusto salad is about half the calories.
Gusto. Multiple locations. 404-352-4157, whatsyourgusto.com.
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