Seasons 52 Coming in the Fall

I've eaten at the Seasons 52 restaurants in Atlanta and in suburban Chicago, and the news that the small, Florida-based, health-oriented chain will open in Cincinnati this fall could not be more welcome.

Its location, in the Rookwood shopping area (Hyde Park/Norwood) is also great news, since there are so few interesting eating choices (IMHO) in that neighborhood. Also, I go over there a lot for various reasons. Seasons 52 will become my #1 lunch-with-a-friend choice as well as an excellent spot for dinner. That assumes that the Cincinnati version will be as fine as the ones I've tried elsewhere, and there's no reason to doubt that outcome.

What's so great about Seasons 52? Food, food, food. The ambiance and service are similar to many other upscale chains, and what sets this one apart is that the menu offers healthy AND delicious food, with (get this) no menu item weighing it at over 450 calories -- including entrees. In other words, it's a HEALTHY FOODIE approach to dining: letting us enjoy delicious food while staying fit and healthy.

The chain also promises to change the menus seasonally and be conscientious about sourcing ingredients that are healthful and environmentally responsible -- which I trust includes a commitment to avoid industrial meat and poultry.

Check out the current lunch menu, with such tasty treats as Sonoma goat cheese ravioli (had that twice, it was SO GOOD) and a Summer Vegetarian Tasting that looks just as good.

Keep your eyes open for news about when the Rookwood location will be up and running.

Healthy flatbreads are a specialty