Everything served at Urban Plates is organic, including the soft drinks! Unlike the usual fountain drinks, which consist of popular sodas, juices and water, the sodas at Urban Plates are fruit-flavored carbonated drinks. While that does not sound like a huge change, the difference in flavor and taste is amazing. Kate Wang, an employee of Urban Plates, said, “The ingredients we use are always fresh and healthy – right down to the last detail. The sodas we have aren’t artificially flavored, and it shows when you go take your first sip.”

I ordered the Asian salad and really enjoyed it. In comparison to the salads served at TGIF or Salad Republic, the salads at Urban Plates were larger and more impressive. The diverse ingredients and rich dressing in Urban Plates’s salad made their salad one of the best I have ever had.  I also tried their blueberry soda, which combined the bubbly taste of soda and the fresh flavor of blueberries. Urban Plates is dedicated to using healthy ingredients in their dishes, which is easy to see in the food they serve.

The atmosphere at Urban Plates feels similar to that of Souplanation. Customers are given a tray and a menu upon entry. Then, they can  head to the soup or salad section to select an entrée. Afterwards, you are directed to the cashier where you can also order drinks or a small desert. The portions here are fairly large, so I would recommend just ordering the entrée and drink combination, which costs $13. After getting your food, you can either choose to sit inside in a booth or under the outside canopy. Both areas are fairly cozy and relaxing.

If you are a fan of Souplanation or Salad Republic, you will feel right at home at Urban Plates. If you are looking for flavorful yet healthy and filling entrees, look no further than Urban Plates.

3972 Barranca Parkway
Irvine, CA 92606
Sunday-Thursday: 11:30am – 9:30pm
Friday-Saturday: 11:00am – 10:00pm

Written by RYAN CORNELLIER
Staff Writer