Food to put you in a Good Mood

DINING OUT

You’ve just come out of the 24-Hour Fitness on Springdale Street and

Warner Avenue feeling relaxed but hungry. What do you see but a

storefront with the catchy name Good Mood Food Cafe specializing in

raw, organic food?

This is a “cool” spot for summer not only in mood but in food --

all raw all organic. There are no stoves in the kitchen, just a fresh

breeze from the open back door and the sound of churning and

chopping.

Cabbage slaw, cucumber and dill soup is one of the lunch specials

($7.90) shown on the blackboard menu. It comes with soup, half salad

and half a sandwich.

The cup of pale green soup is a swirl of dill in cucumber froth as

if it had been turned like an old fashioned milk shake and so cool

with an intensity of flavor that belies its simple appearance.

Manager Roland Oehme places it on the counter for you to take to the

small round table surrounded by green whicker chairs. Nothing is

formal at Good Mood Food. There is a friendly familiarity, just place

your order, pick it up, return for the salad when its ready. And what

a great salad -- red and oak leaf, romaine and iceberg all slicked

with a light lemon vinaigrette dressing with mushy avocado, Roma

tomato slices sprinkled with seeds.

There is no bread on the gluten-free sandwich, held together with

a cracker-like wafer with very soft ripe avocado, mushroom and tomato

slices and greens -- a tasty lunch that is light but satisfying.

Though the wafer is called cornbread, don’t be misled -- it’s a crisp

cracker of corn, black seeds, pumpkin and almonds.

Expect the unexpected in the lasagna ($7.50). There are no pasta

sheets, only layers of sun dried tomato, sliced zucchini, spinach and

herbs. Only the shape is familiar -- I thought the taste fresh and

strong but my friend disagreed.

Don’t miss the desserts ($4.50) -- a strawberry mousse-like one

has the pebbly texture of a just picked berry, and the slice of pie

is layered with pureed apricot with tiny bits of dried fruit on a

crust of seeds and nuts.

Everything at Good Mood Food is prepared daily according to

recipes mostly created by owner and chef Ursula Horaitis who searches

cook books to re-interpret the familiar dishes made with non-organic

foods.

According to Roland, “People love our nutburger ($6.25) on the

‘cornbread’ wafer with greens, tomato, pickles, onions and nut mayo.”

The menu includes Ursula’s interpretation of a Greek-style Moussaka

($7.50), pizza, juices and smoothies.

The only thing canned I’d like at Good Mood is a soothing tape

rather than the annoying radio music/talk radio.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, call (562) 493-5062 or e-mail

[email protected]