Playing Outside: Walden Pond, and Going Veggie at Clover Food Lab

 Last Friday the weather cooperated and gave Geneva and I the chance to head out and make a day of it. With no longer any good reason to go to the library, we drove out Route 2 to Walden Pond. I had never been and this was the perfect opportunity. 
We took the path around the pond and only saw a few other people on our way, a handful of walkers and a couple fishermen.
The sandy beach area was nearly empty, I would imagine the water was quite cold, but Geneva said that in the summer it is full of children.
After a relaxing flat "hike" around the pond, we decided it was time for lunch. On Geneva's recommendation, we took the T to Harvard to check out a new vegetarian spot called Clover Food Lab. Upon arrival I knew this was unlike most other dining establishments; there was no counter, simply two large menus on easels and staff members with iphones ready to take our order. The space was large and open with two floors and a high lofted ceiling. The kitchen area was open and people people were furiously preparing food behind a short wall. Apparently Clover was a food truck before they became grounded with an address. They traveled around trying out new recipes to figure out what worked and what didn't.

The menu was grouped into categories and by price. We ordered off of the 'Lunch $5' section. Next to each item the time is listed so customers can know how long their order will take. This could be extra efficient on a ten minute lunch break. Luckily, we had more time to spend, so we could walk around and look at the pots of fresh herbs on the tables and the parchment paper table cloths with crayons for diners to enjoy while eating.

 Geneva ordered the soy BLT, with soy bacon, tomato, lettuce, and mayo on a whole wheat pita. Hers was delicious; the soy bacon kept the integrity of the hearty, salty B in the BLT. I was definitely surprised by how good it was.

 I ordered the egg and eggplant, with hard-boiled eggs, grilled eggplant, cucumber salad, tomatoes, hummus, and yogurt dressing on a whole wheat pita. It was incredible. The eggs and eggplant gave the sandwich some heft, while the cucumber salad added a fresh crunch. The yogurt sauce was the element that tied it all together, making this vegetarian sandwich seem like a mediterranean specialty.

I would return to Clover Food Lab anytime, or everyday if worked nearby.
Low prices, healthy, fresh food, fun atmosphere, fast service; definitely a place where you leave feeling great about what you just ate.

Clover Food Lab
7 Holyoke Street
Harvard Square, Cambridge