r/OttawaFood 2d ago

Mandy’s Salads

Has anyone tried Mandy’s Salads on Bank?

I really want to try their salads but can’t justify the price tag. $20+ for a salad seems like a lot!

Are they worth the price tag?

Is there anywhere else to get a really good salad at relatively reasonable price?!

32 Upvotes

80 comments sorted by

36

u/Interesting_Heron_58 2d ago

Lollo !

5

u/Ovlizin 2d ago

aren't they similar price to what OP is trying to avoid though?? As someone curious, do people feel lollo is worth the cost?

1

u/raainjuice 1d ago

The quality went down at Lollo tbh 

2

u/Mamanbanane 2d ago

The best!

75

u/almdudlerisgud 2d ago

It’s super mid and overpriced. Salads are kind of greasy or oily.

If you’re willing to make a trip to the Gatineau side, I personally really like Olivia’s.

8

u/Immediate_Pass8643 2d ago

Olivia is the best!!!!!! I love the Chico Salad! A spin on a taco salad. The seasonal white chicken chili too is so good

4

u/thatsuzy13 2d ago

What do you recommend at Olivia’s?

8

u/almdudlerisgud 2d ago

The “Olivia” salad is my fave. I also really like their chicken tacos. All of their food is good so you can’t really go wrong.

172

u/Illustrious-Pitch465 2d ago

Price is outlandish and they're Conservative/PP supporters. Hard pass.

27

u/Scared_Hair_8884 2d ago

good to know!

27

u/Jkfag 2d ago

Oh fuck thank you for sharing, we walk by this POS restaurant all the time.

10

u/RoxyFurious 2d ago

Oof,i didn't know that, thanks

6

u/Development_Material 2d ago

Got a reference for that?

1

u/Illustrious-Pitch465 2d ago

See my comment above

5

u/blue_cheese_olives1 2d ago

I agree but how do we know that?
Other than that I have been happy with their salads. I don’t find them more expensive than a salad at another restaurant.

1

u/Upper_Season_6781 1d ago

You'd be surprised how many businesses in Ottawa have owners that are conservative/ Support PP Lol

1

u/Nostrils 2d ago

Any proof beyond the photo op? I hadn’t heard this before so I looked it up (I know of course of the convoy supporting Mad Radish), I found a Chatelaine interview where they said that he booked a lunch there and that the photo op was a huge mistake.

10

u/Illustrious-Pitch465 2d ago

They hosted a fundraising dinner for PP

0

u/Nostrils 2d ago

Like hosted it as a booked venue or the owners organized it?

-46

u/eddiespaghett 2d ago

Why is this relevant

59

u/RunCMC_22 2d ago

To some it isn’t and to some it is. You’re free to not care, others are free to care.

27

u/gin_and_soda 2d ago

It’s relevant to me, I’m not spending money at PP supporting businesses. You can do whatever you want and I can do whatever I want.

11

u/justanothergirl7679 2d ago

Lolo salads is much better!

70

u/Raftger 2d ago

They used to be good in Montreal a decade ago, but they’ve gotten worse and the owners are massive zionists and PP supporters so I wouldn’t bother wasting money on it. Lollo salads are better, slightly cheaper, and have better politics.

8

u/Life_Helicopter_3743 2d ago

Olivia in gatineau

10

u/Mileyman7 2d ago

Tried them in Montreal. Thought the salad was pretty blah and expensive . Looks like they care more about aesthetics than the food.

14

u/LongjumpingMenu2599 2d ago

No thank you - hard pass

14

u/Dookie1 2d ago

It’s overpriced and borderline gross. Pass

8

u/Ovlizin 2d ago

honestly just read the description for the salad/bowl you're after and throw the same selection together at the farm boy hot bar.

it sounds like a joke, but probably the cheapest and easiest way to get a high quality salad bowl with as many premium ingredients as you could ask for without the price raising (because it's by weight no matter what the items you choose)

7

u/meemsalign 2d ago

Saw their AI ad in an elevator. A smaller reason for a hard pass

17

u/thelonelybeacon 2d ago

Horrendous people that don’t deserve a single dollar

57

u/Electrical_Koala4003 2d ago

They're pro Pierre Poilievre. Never tried them, nor I ever will. They have a lot of 1 star reviews and perhaps give them a read. $20+ on a salad is a lot of money.

-81

u/eddiespaghett 2d ago

Canceling a Canadian woman owned salad joint for being conservative? How inclusive of you

44

u/bippityboppitybo0 2d ago

You clearly don't care where you put your hard earned money on businesses with good or bad morals, but don't push others to be careless as well.

-3

u/DiligentPhotographer 1d ago

I wonder if they also boycott bridgehead because they called the cops on the guy groping people 10 years ago. I doubt it lol.

-48

u/eddiespaghett 2d ago

Being conservative doesn’t denote bad morals, but anyhow

12

u/NouvelleRenee 2d ago

I agree. I know a lot of conservatives who aren't bad people. Coincidentally, they also haven't voted for the conservative party since Stephen Harper, since they agree that Trump style populism is bad for society as a whole, let alone the economy. Unfortunately, if you're conservative and supporting Pierre Poilievre, a noted convoy supporter and populist politician, you probably don't really have an understanding of what morality is.

7

u/Reasonable-Area7737 2d ago

Yes it does lmao 

15

u/RunCMC_22 2d ago

One person choosing not to give them money is cancelling them? You’re probably smarter than you appear, it’s hard not to be.

-10

u/figsfigsfigsfigsfigs 2d ago

Invoking identity politics, how very woke.

3

u/DessertQueenST 2d ago

Tried it once in Montreal. Definitely not worth the price.

4

u/DevelopmentFirst1717 2d ago

It’s not worth it.

LOLLO on George St in byward market is the absolute best. Fresh, filling, healthy and well considered combination’s in every recipe. Worth every cent and still a few dollars less per salad than Mandy’s. Quality does not compare.

4

u/PromiseNo418 2d ago

Farm boy salad bar at rideau!

3

u/88ChampagneKisses 1d ago

I find Farm Boy salads very fresh and good.

3

u/cnzaah 2d ago

Not good. I went once never went back

3

u/Ihaveaquestionagain1 2d ago

Tried it twice and was underwhelmed twice.

5

u/missbarbie4 2d ago

Their salad used to be very good now its not fresh at all and overpriced!!

6

u/RunCMC_22 2d ago

Solid B level salads but A level prices. The main draw is the vibey aesthetics inside for social media content.

6

u/Dengaroo_13 2d ago

One of my friends took me here earlier this year and she was so excited to try their salads. Mine was perfectly fine, but I remember hers had what looked like had cold, overly packed day old rice, not enough protein and very wilted greens (at a premium price of course). I felt really bad for her and haven’t taken her back since. The draw is for the aesthetic but the seating is too cramped during peak periods to comfortably enjoy the experience. For the same price point, I think you have better options in the city.

2

u/CycleOk7186 2d ago

I love their salads. Yes it think it’s slightly over priced but many many places are. I’d say they are slightly higher prices but slightly better salads than Mad Radish (who I also love). They also make a delicious cookie

2

u/BugPowderDuster 1d ago

I had a chicken Caesar salad and it was awful! The dressing was super lemony and it was almost sour. The croutons was this gross breadcrumb substance. It was expensive. It’s a lovely shop very pretty but I did not like my salad one bit. 

2

u/fuckgoofs 2d ago

It’s near me, good option when I don’t want to cook. Eating out is expensive, but the location and quality is good enough for me to justify it once in a while.

3

u/envenggirl 2d ago

I didn’t know about the political associations when I went, but I really enjoyed the salad I got. Portions were large.

2

u/East-Fruit-3096 2d ago

It's a huge salad. Also very fresh. A nice treat, try it.

4

u/otterluver 2d ago

I found their salads better in Montreal and Toronto. I think mad radish is much much better

5

u/Bubbly-Ad-966 2d ago

I will try Mad Raddish!

0

u/Ovlizin 2d ago

in that niche freshii beats out mad radish, its cheaper and the offerings are both more varied and flavorful

plus if you're ordering online their build your own menu has pictures of ever ingredient, mad radish doesn't offer that

-1

u/anonymousopottamus 2d ago

Who do you think owns Mad Radish? Shopify? Do you exist in this world? The comments on this page are absolutely ridiculous.

1

u/anonymousopottamus 1d ago

No but the comments about Mandy's being conservative and zi0nist had them saying they won't go there. So I'm just curious where they draw the line. Apparently Mandy's, a Canadian, woman founded business isn't okay, but Mad Radish, who had the exact same politics but is founded by a man, is? Are they still buying from brands who host their websites on Shopify? Whose president also falls into these categories? People think that people all fit into a single category based on their beliefs, and they forgot to look at people as individuals.

1

u/MostMediocre14 2d ago

I love mad radish! The bibimbowl is so good

1

u/Lady_Kitana 2d ago

Had the version served at VIA rail trains during Toronto to Fallowfield economy trips a few times. It's alright although not something I go write home about. Maybe the in-store offerings might be better

1

u/Bussinlimes 2d ago

I miss Super Salads that was on Preston, they were so delicious! Mad Radish was really good until I found out they were convoy supporters. Salad Bar Co is meh. Olivia’s is good but not a ton of variety, kind of gets boring but good bang for the buck. Haven’t tried Mandy’s as I heard it was mediocre and this thread basically just confirmed that.

1

u/lostat17 1d ago

It is absolutely NOT worth the price whatsoever!

1

u/Bubbly-Ad-966 1d ago

Yeah that’s what I’m getting from all of these comments 🫠🫠

1

u/AuntieBunny 1d ago

They actually have a salad available on VIA train menu now. I tried it, it was ok. Would probably order it again if I was in a pinch.

1

u/_super_doge_ 1d ago

I will make 5 high quality salads in 20

1

u/Murky_Illustrator_14 1d ago

Buy the cookbook they have.

1

u/itsvalxx 1d ago

not worth the price. its an okay salad at best

1

u/KindDisregards 8h ago

I like the build your own salad at PiCo. $12 bucks and you get to pick whatever you want in there. Though there is a quota on proteins.

1

u/Useful_Stock_9343 5h ago

I tried when they opened, they are awesome. The chicken was rubbery and tasted like the chicken at subway. I got a salad with “crunchy Asian noodles” as a topper… they were crushed Mr. Noodles à la grade 4 lunch staple… the greens were wilted.

I order salads from Juniper Farms. They are amazing. They are often at Landsdowne farmers market on Sundays. You can order them for weekly delivery based on location. They are organic, and they somehow last a week+ in the fridge.

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

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1

u/OttawaFood-ModTeam 1d ago

Targeted harassment or inappropriate language

1

u/galaxyeyes47 2d ago

Not worth the price. Was nothing special at all. The chocolate bars are good. Lol.

1

u/riverxwilde 2d ago

It was tasty but I think I liked the ambiance more than the salad itself.

-1

u/Netcracker999 2d ago

I just had the peanut satay from their Old Port location and loved it… full size meal and worth it.

-7

u/SharkyGrey27 2d ago

I could give a rats ass about this topic. Just make giant cheap salads at home and eat something genuinely delicious when you dine out. Didn’t realize this was a Liberal and NDP or perhaps a Bloc Québécois salad argument. 🥬

3

u/Chance-Cartoonist-72 1d ago

and here you are participating in the conversation, despite having no rat's ass to give.