For nearly a year and a half, The Goods (1255 Dundas West) was run out of the kitchen at the recently closed Brockton General. Despite the small space, and the fact that the entire operation had to be set up and taken down every day, the business thrived. And walking into their brand new shop on Dundas West it quickly becomes clear why it managed to do so well.
Lisa Labute and Cat Parker are The Goods. Seriously. These are two of the friendliest and funniest business owners we’ve met in a long while. Combined, the two of them seem to have more energy than a mosh pit. Only they don’t spend their time throwing elbows – instead, they focus on what gives them their energy, namely the raw, vegan-friendly selection of food they have to offer. The Goods delivers a simple menu: smoothies, salads, and soup. The only non-vegan item you’ll find in the kitchen is honey and it can be switched out if necessary. Everything is raw except a few grains and, you know, the whole soup thing – but we’re pretty sure sweet potatoes should always be cooked anyway.
We start off with a few samples of their smoothies, including the carrot top (kale, spinach, carrot, lemon, ginger, apple or pear, plus hemp, chia or flax) and the appropriately named insteada, as in, instead of coffee, featuring a delicious chocolaty taste made purely from nutrient-dense superfoods like cacao, maca, chia, honey, and a touch of cinnamon and spice. They’re the kind of drinks that make you feel better just looking at them. Luckily, they also make you feel better after you’ve had them too. So yes, you could say Lisa and Cat already have us drinking the juice.
All of the food is 100% organic and the menu changes on a weekly basis (they post it as it does so). To be clear, The Goods is more of a ‘stop in and say hello’ kind of place. There aren’t tables to eat at, but there’s a heck of a welcoming atmosphere. Perhaps the reason for the lack of dining space is that The Goods ships out so much. Want to beat the mid-day office blahs with the goodness of a King’s noodle bowl (mixed zucchini, carrot, and kelp noodles with ginger garlic sauce, red or white quinoa, and pumpkin seeds)? No problem. They’ll deliver right to your office. If the order’s over $50, there’s no delivery charge; under, and it’s only $5 extra. Basically, it behooves you to get your co-workers eating as well as you. Currently, The Goods is sending out nearly 200 lunches a day across the city.
Having studied at the Pure Joy Academy under raw food guru Elaina Love (yes, that really is her name), Lisa quickly realized that conscious eating was going to be her life’s passion; meanwhile, Cat lost 35lbs in the first four months after switching her diet. Both seem like pretty strong reasons to believe in what they’re doing.
Even so, they’re not pushy about it. They just want you to eat well when you can. If they can get you replacing a starchy, sugary mess of a meal once a week with one of theirs, they’ll be happy. If they can get you to do it once a day, all the better. Simply put, The Goods tastes great, makes you feel better, and gives you more energy than most alternatives. Try them out and see for yourself – just don’t blame us if you’re suddenly dealing with 4am kale cravings and struggling to survive without your afternoon smoothie.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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