4Roots Café — Restaurant in Orlando

Surprisingly good food, bad ordering app, poorly organized staff and ordering system. If you order on the website/qr code/website, it isn’t linked to inventory. So they were out of one of the proteins for a bowl, the chips, and the fruit punch. But we didn’t know until I inquired about our order (they give a pickup time 60 min after ordering) and they asked about substitute protein. I had to stand in line to figure out where the order was because it was late and no one was saying anything. The line was long maybe 15 people with one a person building bowls and taking orders, very slow not moving. The kids orders both were missing their sides and their drinks. It wasn’t until we sat down to eat we realized that and had to go back and figure out a substitute and it was too late to change the order (they said substitutions was the only thing they could do). Also, there’s a mandatory 10% tip billed even though you have to order yourself, stand in line and wait for food, figure out missing items, seat yourself, and bus your own table. Incidentally, our table leg was broken and we had to repair it ourselves by turning it to the side and screwing a bolt that had come out back in. That said, the bowls were good and it was nice not to have to leave the...

The concept of plant-based and education about the "whole" of eating is excellent. The living plant wall was my favorite thing about the restaurant. Starting with the person who served me who seemed to be amused that I couldn't understand him because he talked so fast and was just wanting to run me through the line and ending with the taste of the food, this restaurant needs an overhaul of the chef and management. There was no one waiting in the line behind me yet the server who was assembling my bowl seemed in a very big hurry. Very offputting to say the least. Server also did not assist with understanding what the options were since it was my first visit. The base of the bowl was supposed to be mixed greens...there were 8 small pieces of lettuce which was meant to suffice. Really...for $8.99? The white rice was so spicy it was difficult to eat...I have no idea why regular white rice would be that spicy from the beginning (btw I love spicy food and have even been known to enjoy a jalapeno by itself from time to time). Tofu was rubbery and overcooked. The sauce on the tofu was nice. All in all...this restaurant needs new...

I ended up trying two options and both were terrible.

The first item I ordered was the Cuban pork bowl. Being Cuban myself, I expected a mojo pork. Salty and sour, made with lime and garlic. What I got was basically orange marmalade in shredded pork. It was both sweet and disgustingly bitter because they put whole orange peels in the meat.

I asked to exchange it, and they graciously complied, though that was the extent of the positive.

On my second go I stuck with something simple, the barbecue chicken. While the overall flavor was better, it was so salty I couldn’t eat more than a few bites. (Again, I’m Cuban. What I am used to is what most American would already consider salty!) Ended up throwing the whole thing out.

My kid is in summer camp there and I send a lunch daily so they don’t have to eat that cafe food.

As someone who really enjoys 4River, I’m honestly shocked at how bad this was.

If they want input on how to actually make a Cuban style/inspired pork, I’m happy to provide input but please don’t market whatever I ate as Cuban. You’d get a much better value and authentic taste at either Zaza’s or...