The witty name does not prepare you for one of Wholly Bowl’s most popular dishes.
One guest began dancing in her seat after digging into the brimming bowl. Another reached for his phone to dial his mother, ready to announce that he finally loved his vegetables after 21 years.
Piled high with grains, greens, leaves and spices, layered with tender shreds of meat, topped with avocado and lime the bowl contains just about everything the little kitchen can throw at you. It is at once weighty and light, filling and healthy.
And when you see it for the first time — holy mama!
Yep — the Wholly Mama, a marriage of the restaurant’s commitment to vegetarian health and rich, meaty flavors.
“It’s just loaded,” agreed Wholly Bowl owner Jennifer Allen-Malinowski, who lent the dish her nickname. “That bowl says the most of what inspires me.”
The dish was something Allen-Malinowski prepared for herself in the quiet times after hours. She simply added either the restaurant’s densely spiced shredded pork or sweetly burnished chicken — or both — to the regular vegetarian bowl, adding a few extras.
She ended up with a thrill ride.
From the palette of rice to the dressing of creamy Sriracha and that personal twist of lime, the Wholly Mama threatens to finally settle the age-old debate over the number of flavors humans can actually define. In fact, it may even add to the list.
There’s the sweet tang of Allen-Malinowski’s Asian-style slaw, the sting of ginger and earthy pierce of garlic, the mellow nuttiness of quinoa, peppery, savory and snappy greens, the crisp tolerance of lettuce, mustiness, creaminess, dripping marinated meat and however you describe the inscrutable flavor of avocado.
“It’s got everything,” Allen-Malinowski said.
Knitting it all together is a lattice of that simple yet clever creamy Sriracha. The rich cream serves as a platform for kale and other greens while preserving the soothing tone of the grains. The tartness of it elevates the slaw. The reined heat reaches out to the marinade in the meat and sharpens the bite of ginger.
Somehow in spite of all the action, all the intricate flavors, this remains a well-paced ride. Instead of a bold, spilling bowl, the impression build in a calm, measured manner. The heat rises only to a certain point, the garlic lays dormant until ready to nip.
And it is good for you.
The Wholly Bowl celebrated its first year in their nook near the Grocery Outlet over the weekend. In year two of the small but much admired space, Allen-Malinowski plans to add specials and seasonal items, produced as much as possible from local ingredients. The new menu, when it is ready, will include soups from scratch.
But the Wholly Mama will remain unique.
“That’s the heart of the Wholly Bowl,” Allen-Malinowski reported. “It’s what I eat.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
