Sweet Leaf — Restaurant in Virginia

Oh my God. I read the reviews, which is why I dropped by. I have been having the WORST week in ages, and I was in pain, without transportation, in the cold and rain, carrying a heavy bag. I haven't slept in 28 hours. 😣 I just wanted something with veggies and protein, with maybe something fruity to drink. Sweet Leaf was one block away, and the reviews had been fantastic so I had a very faint hope they could cheer me up. I walked in and ordered the Chimichurri bowl. The woman apologized and said they only had a few pieces of meat left. She said they were cooking more, but I could add in some other protein instead. I said I would wait. I asked for her drink recommendation and she said the strawberry kale and avocado Smoothie. I despise kale, but got it anyway. The bill cost an hour of my salary, which nearly made me cry, but the food looked super fresh and smelled incredible. It was the best, healthiest thing I've eaten in a week. It was amazing. Bliss in a bowl. I cannot believe I ate the whole thing. A quarter of my way through it, she brought out freshly seared steak medallions, with two super rare pieces. I nearly cried. The Smoothie looked hideous and tasted like a smooth milky strawberry. Not too sweet, not at all veggie tasting. Amazing. After over 72 hours of disappointment and stress and pain, this was exactly what I needed. I can't wait to wind down and finally get...

Did they cover the desserts yet? You know they're adjacent to the garbage can, and that somebody elbow-leans over the brownies while breathing directly upon them, right?

Food's okay, but staff can be very hit-or-miss. Why is it that as customers we can come in being friendly, polite, and respectful, but are stared at with a hard look?

It can't be that she is sad, because I noticed she had a smile for someone in the kitchen immediately afterward.

Ohh, I understand--I'm the customer, and thus the enemy. I'm the one making her work there, demanding she prepare food for me, etc.

I get it, it doesn't matter that I smile and look someone in the eye, treat them respectfully like a person and not as a servant, say "Please" and "Thank you" (even though most of the people working in these places don't respond in kind), pay too much of my money (mine, not theirs) for mediocre food, etc.

It's because I'm the bad guy.

Also, please put the desserts--brownies and cookies--either in wrapping or under glass, because they sit in open air right next to the counter and an uncovered garbage can, and also where employees constantly work the register, and answer and talk on the phone while leaning on the counter bent over directly above and six inches away, while talking and breathing directly upon them. (That's not an exaggeration, just a truthful--and...

Unfortunately, I am sitting at the doctor’s office while writing this review, following an all-over body allergic reaction to this Cafe’s Steak Taco salad.

When looking at the ingredients on their menu for this salad, I’ve eaten every single individual item in the salad multiple times, so something is not adding up for me. There is a possibility that some ingredients in this salad went bad or were dangerous to eat.

I’ve never in my life had this response to any food until now.

The steak in the salad itself was never cooked fresh and I watched as the very nice female worker added the pre-prepped steak to the salad bowl and the other ingredients all very fast, in her metal bowl and diced it all together. I was in and out of this restaurant in 5 minutes.

As I was eating something was off for me. I was hungry but it didn’t taste good, and I thought to myself, perhaps it’s because I’ve never been there before that I feel this way. It’s a new type of salad. I should have trusted my instinct.

I cannot recommend this restaurant and following the medication I will now need to take after eating here, I hope you reconsider as well. Hopefully this review helps someone.

Beware of raw food ingredients and trust your instinct when trying out restaurants...