Flower Child, a New Fast Casual Restaurant, Raises the Bar on Healthy, Fast-Casual Cuisine
Image: Courtesy Photo
On Monday, May 12, Lakewood Ranch welcomed Flower Child to its Center Point at Waterside shopping district, near Owen’s Fish Camp and Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar.
Owned and operated by James Beard-nominee Sam Fox’s restaurant group, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Flower Child focuses on healthy-ish menu options with a fast casual service style in which guests order and pay for their meals at the counter and then receive table service once they select a seat—including servers who deliver your meal, bring whatever else you may need and clear your table after you're done.
The menu offers array of wholesome, scratch-made dishes ranging from salads to wraps, plus a huge variety of vegetable-based bowls to which guests can add chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon or tofu for extra nourishment. There's also beer, wine, and a killer sangria if you’re in the mood for a little indulgence.
Starters are limited to four options: avocado toast, green chile queso, avocado hummus and classic hummus. Main dishes and sides, however, are plentiful, with numerous combinations once you factor in protein additions.
Some dishes come with protein included. A Peruvian braised beef bowl, for example, is comprised of shredded beef over rice with black beans, housemade pickles and a spicy salsa verde on the side. It’s fantastic—a welcome departure from the typical build-your-own bowl model found at other nearby restaurants. Chicken enchiladas are another thoughtful dish, made with guajillo chile, smoked gouda, poblano crema, black beans, roasted corn and avocado.
Finish your meal with a tender olive oil lemon cake, or opt for chocolate in three versions: a chocolate chip cashew cookie, chocolate pudding and brownie.
From Waterside Place to S.R. 70, as Lakewood Ranch continues to grow, it continues to add new and exciting dining options for residents and visitors. Flower Child is no different.
Flower Child is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week at 6532 University Parkway, Suite 160, Sarasota. For more information, call (941) 373-0199 or click here.
