Yes, Ann Arbor has endless restaurant options, but I think we can all agree it’s lacking a staple make-your-own salad spot on campus.
Enter The Big Salad, a new franchise that opened in Ann Arbor last year. I can only munch my way through Revive’s salad bar so many times, so I was eager to hit up this new spot.
Photo by Julie Mirliss
I walked in with high hopes, as the menu consisted of sandwich, soup and salad options, all of which sounded better than average. I had to remind myself that I was here for the make your own salad, so I went for that.
My excitement quickly faded, as the ingredients didn’t look that fresh and there weren’t as many options I liked as I’d hoped for. I’m a huge fan of fruit in my salad and they didn’t have any fruit options. Also, the meat selections looked extremely processed.
My chopped salad with tuna came to a little over $11, a lot more than I was looking to spend for what felt like a “fast food” salad. Yet, if you go for one of the pre made dishes, it will most likely come in under $10. The meal left me feeling a bit nauseous, but it’s still undetermined whether it was the food or the hangover.
If you make the trip, I’d stick to one of the pre-made options on the menu. The Alaskan King and California sound the most appealing to me and I’m still wishing I ordered the mac and cheese, so make the move on my behalf.
Photo by Julie Mirliss
Overall, I definitely won’t be rushing to make this 10-minute drive from campus anytime soon. If you’re by North Campus, it’s worth checking out, but I don’t recommend going out of your way for it. If you’re craving a make your own salad, I’d stick to Revive, even if you have to smell like it for the rest of the day…
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30 am – 9 pm, Sun 11 am – 4 pm