My son picked me up for lunch today and we decided to try the new place on Market Street that is sort of hidden in a parking lot square; it is next to Taziki’s and is called Greenthumb Vegetarian Kitchen. It is a vegetarian’s delight, offering fresh garden food.

There were parking spaces in the square where they are located but most of the spaces are dedicated to the other businesses around it. If you plan to be honest, you only get three parking spaces for Greenthumb. I was glad my son drove because it was not easy to park in the space provided and to back out when leaving.

Though tables and seating are plentiful it may be that most of their business during lunch time is for people who pick up their lunch and take it back to the office.

When you walk in, it is very bright with the color lime everywhere. The staff is friendly and wave at you when you come through the door. Their menu is handwritten on the white boards with pink writing behind the counter. They offer a hot bar, sandwiches and veggie burgers.

My son ordered the veggie burger for $6.50. They did not offer any chips or sides to go with it - just the burger. I ordered a combo meal that had a choice of four items and soup and salad for $9.50.

I could not understand the people’s half-English behind the counter – it was similar to when you are in a Chinese restaurant and you don’t speak each other’s language so you do a lot of gesturing and nodding. I tried to ask what the items were that I was pointing to, but the only thing I made out was “rice” and “spinach”.

I knew I liked most vegetables, so it really didn’t matter to me what it was – I was going to try it anyway. One thing looked almost like a mock meatloaf, but was mainly rice and possibly bulgur. There was a squash medley that had cashews and a garlic sauce that I chose. I also got the sweet potato wedges and the spinach.

The spinach looked like the underneath of a lawn mower. It was not my favorite way to have spinach prepared. The soup had tofu in it and I swear it tasted like Thanksgiving dinner! If you put turkey, dressing and giblet gravy in a blender – that is what the soup had the flavor of.

My salad was ordinary but it was fresh – the ginger dressing I chose was not very gingery.

The music playing in the background was familiar hymns. The staff was friendly, it was a pleasant, clean and bright place – but as far as taste, I think it is mostly for die-hard vegetarians. I liked the Thanksgiving soup though; if I am on a diet during the holidays, I may go back for that!