SoFresh Needs Refresh

-3 Snaps! Try it. You might like it.

SoFresh fried rice bowl

I like fresh ingredients prepared to order and SoFresh seemed like it would be a good fit. I ordered the Stir Fry Bowl- brown rice, broccoli, carrots, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, sweet chili sauce with chicken ($10). There's a $3 up charge if you want steak, salmon, mahi, or shrimp. It comes standard with tofu, chicken, or zoodles (zucchini noodles). The chicken is GMO and antibiotic-free but looks and tastes pre-seasoned and prepackaged. What a disappointment.

The veggies are cooked well except for the very thinly sliced mushrooms that are more stems than caps, and look like they came from a can. The entire bowl is overpowered by a lot of soy sauce which should be used to influence, not carry the dish. The accompanying sweet chili is of the variety one might get with spring rolls. It's a gelatinous sweet sauce and doesn't mix well with this dish. This bowl would benefit from the addition of eggs like those typically found in fried rice and like dishes. SoFresh is following the trend of build-your-own meal with bowls, wraps, and salads. But the process doesn't work well here. It's what happens when you take a food concept and commercialize and franchise it. The food becomes formulaic and uninspired. The store is popular and crowded during meal time. The vibe is modern with high energy music and brightly lit interior. Lunch prices are moderate to high, with a bowl (no add-ons) and drink nearly $13.00