Fresh City

[dbrociner]

Fresh City, 6115 Town Center Way, Livingston (973) 422-0005.

Fresh City

First restaurant of several places to open in the new Livingston Center. Busy, chain restaurant serving salads, wraps, sandwiches, smoothies etc. Cafeteria style with almost no personality despite all the colorful menu boards behind the counter. Its hard to get good help and the manager at Fresh City could probably write a book on this. The first person to try and take my order didn't understand English. The woman running the smoothy station had that "anywhere but here" look on her face and seemed put out by my order.

I ordered the "feta compli" wrap which was feta cheese, portabello mushrooms, roasted peppers and brown rice. The ingredients should be listed in reverse order, as this was almost entirely brown rice. Also had the Hoe-Down Barbeque Chicken Sandwich which, as the old joke goes, wasn't very good and such a small portion. Seriously, they're keeping prices down here by keeping portion size down. The only value I could see was the salad bar, two different size plates one $4.99 and the other $6.99. The choices here all looked fresh and at least you wouldn't go away hungry with that $6.99 salad.

The majority of this chain's locations are in Mass. and this is their first store in NJ. Given the location they should have enough time to work out the kinks, the center is just getting off the ground and they should benefit from being first out of the gate. I'll wait awhile before going back. While I'm waiting I'll buy a good sub at a good price at Tutto Fresca just up Mt. Pleasant Ave. across from the Livingston Post Office.

Edited May 19, 2006 by dbrociner (log)

[hitmanoo]

Fresh City, 6115 Town Center Way, Livingston (973) 422-0005.

Fresh City

First restaurant of several places to open in the new Livingston Center. Busy, chain restaurant serving salads, wraps, sandwiches, smoothies etc. Cafeteria style with almost no personality despite all the colorful menu boards behind the counter. Its hard to get good help and the manager at Fresh City could probably write a book on this. The first person to try and take my order didn't understand English. The woman running the smoothy station had that "anywhere but here" look on her face and seemed put out by my order.

I ordered  the "feta compli" wrap which was feta cheese, portabello mushrooms, roasted peppers and brown rice. The ingredients should be listed in reverse order, as this was almost entirely brown rice. Also had the Hoe-Down Barbeque Chicken Sandwich which, as the old joke goes, wasn't very good and such a small portion. Seriously, they're keeping prices down here by keeping portion size down. The only value I could see was the salad bar, two different size plates one $4.99 and the other $6.99. The choices here all looked fresh and at least you wouldn't go away hungry with that $6.99 salad.

The majority of this chain's locations are in Mass. and this is their first store in NJ. Given the location they should have enough time to work out the kinks, the center is just getting off the ground and they should benefit from being first out of the gate. I'll wait awhile before going back. While I'm waiting I'll buy a good sub at a good price at Tutto Fresca just up Mt. Pleasant Ave. across from the Livingston Post Office.

←

I couldn't agree more.

On my first visit, soon after it opened, I had the spicy satay peanut sauce, with chicken. It tasted like one of those frozen stir-fry in a bag items that you can purchase from your local supermarket. I wasn't at all impressed.

On my second and most recent visit, I went with a chicken caesar wrap. I can't really describe how it tasted other than to say generic... I'd rather get overcharged at Tossed.

One thing that bothered me was that they had a variety of Snapple beverages but no options other than diet. I realize we are in the age of calorie cutting, and the Livingston crowd can be a bit...well... let's just say calorie conscious, but couldn't Fresh City have at least one or two regular options, like straight up iced tea?

I didn't have any particular problems with the staff, as I don't really have high expectations for kids working for soft money at what is more or less an upscale take on a fast food restaurant.

[tommy]

and, like, why did either of you bother going here to begin with? was there reason to have high hopes?

[hitmanoo]

and, like, why did either of you bother going here to begin with?  was there reason to have high hopes?

←

Actually, the first time I went here was the day we moved into our new place. We had wanted to go to the Ritz Diner, but it was completely mobbed. Tired and exhausted, we just didn't have it in us to do any traveling, and we saw that it was open from the road, so we stumbled in.

i have no excuse for the second trip...

[tommy]

i have no excuse for the second trip... 

←

ah-HA! just as i suspected. i nailed you. dead to rights.

[hitmanoo]

i have no excuse for the second trip... 

←

ah-HA! just as i suspected. i nailed you. dead to rights.

←

Let's just say that I hope I'm not forced into a third trip, as I was the second trip.

[dbrociner]

and, like, why did either of you bother going here to begin with?  was there reason to have high hopes?

←

When you work in an area and eat out everyday you burn out on places. You end up trying almost every new place just because it's a new place. Fresh City didn't look promising but you never know. I've learned not to write off chains just because they're chains, LS for example. Fresh City look mediocre and forgetable from the outside and they didn't dissapoint. Oh well.

[tommy]

and, like, why did either of you bother going here to begin with?  was there reason to have high hopes?

←

When you work in an area and eat out everyday you burn out on places. You end up trying almost every new place just because it's a new place. Fresh City didn't look promising but you never know. I've learned not to write off chains just because they're chains, LS for example. Fresh City look mediocre and forgetable from the outside and they didn't dissapoint. Oh well.

←

i hear ya. we need a Chipotle. Chipotle rocks.

[dbrociner]

Not to sound ignorant but what's a Chipotle?

[Kear]

On the week they opened I stopped and spyed the salad bar, grabbed a "large" bowl and put together a lite lunch. Took it to the cashier and then found out they charge by the bowl not the pound. I could have gotten enough salad for 2 people at the Shoprite for 6.99, instead of the little bit I got at Fresh City. I know it's my fault for not paying attention, but even if I had I think both their bowls are overpriced by by about 2 dollars.

No more Fresh City for me! I think I'll wait for Baumgart's Cafe to open next door, or Mama Tucci's upstairs, and if neither of those are any good I'll go into Omaha Steaks, pick up a ribeye and make my own!

[NJ2FLA]

i hear ya. we need a Chipotle. Chipotle rocks.

I wholeheartedly concur!

[dbrociner]

I'll wait for Baumgart's Cafe to open next door, or Mama Tucci's upstairs, and if neither of those are any good I'll go into Omaha Steaks, pick up a ribeye and make my own!

←

Is this Baumgart's the same as the restaurant in Englewood? Never been there but heard a lot about it and it sounds like a place that would do well in Livingston. Mama Tucci was in Madison and was a very small restaurant on Main St. I wonder how they'll do in much larger space. I liked the old place, Rosie didn't. You'll have to go and see for yourself.

Omaha steaks? I wouldn't bother. Better to buy a dry aged steak from the meat counter at Kings a few blocks down Livingston Ave. I think there may be a good butcher in West Orange, maybe someone else could chime in here?

[tommy]

I'll wait for Baumgart's Cafe to open next door, or Mama Tucci's upstairs, and if neither of those are any good I'll go into Omaha Steaks, pick up a ribeye and make my own!

←

Is this Baumgart's the same as the restaurant in Englewood? Never been there but heard a lot about it and it sounds like a place that would do well in Livingston. \

←

not a terribly good place. family-oriented, though, which i think is why it's so successful.

[Cook456]

and, like, why did either of you bother going here to begin with?  was there reason to have high hopes?

←

When you work in an area and eat out everyday you burn out on places. You end up trying almost every new place just because it's a new place. Fresh City didn't look promising but you never know. I've learned not to write off chains just because they're chains, LS for example. Fresh City look mediocre and forgetable from the outside and they didn't dissapoint. Oh well.

←

i hear ya. we need a Chipotle. Chipotle rocks.

←

I have a Chipotle a few doors down from my office.( NYC). The line to get in, at lunchtime, is out the door. The smells wafting from this place are devine.

[gailtm]

I ate at Fresh City - very disorganized. As far as food, not great. But than again, why would you expect any better? Looks like novices are preparing the food and it is fast food wraps. Of course the quality of the food wont be great becuase most of it is probably no freshly prepared by a highly trained chef.

Prices are cheap, but you get what you pay for. If you want cheap go there. But if you are into quality, go somewhere else.

Also, did anyone have issues with parking? Very frustrating. About 1/2 of the stores still need to open - it will be a parking nightmare.

[hitmanoo]

I ate at Fresh City - very disorganized.  As far as food, not great.  But than again, why would you expect any better?  Looks like novices are preparing the food and it is fast food wraps.  Of course the quality of the food wont be great becuase most of it is probably no freshly prepared by a highly trained chef. 

Prices are cheap, but you get what you pay for.  If you want cheap go there.  But if you are into quality, go somewhere else.

Also, did anyone have issues with parking?  Very frustrating.  About 1/2 of the stores still need to open - it will be a parking nightmare.

←

I thought parking was a nightmare, but then I realized that they plan to have an indoor parking garage. I haven't parked in the garage yet, but I'm sure that will start off as a disorganized nightmare, kind of like the situation over in Montclair.

[Kear]

The parking garage is opened already. It's 166 spaces on 4 floors and, it's FREE!!

There are 2 decks actually, one for shopping and another right next door that will be for the condos.