Cafe Yumm!

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Food: I inhale meals in minutes (literally — if there’s still food in front of me five minutes after it’s been served, something’s wrong). Because of this, and as a perennially single 30-something, the time and effort I would put into cooking something for just myself is usually not worth it in my mind. Fortunately, Bend has no shortage of restaurants serving quality food at reasonable prices. Since moving here in 2015, Cafe Yumm! has been my go-to healthy option when I start to feel the weight of too many burgers clogging my arteries. I ordered my standard meal on a recent visit to the Old Mill District location: a medium-size, original Yumm! Bowl, which is made up of brown rice, black beans, mild red salsa, tangy Yumm! Sauce (you can buy it by the bottle at the restaurant), tomatoes, avocado, black olives, cilantro, cheddar cheese and sour cream. (As usual, I substituted extra avocado for the dairy items). It’s said that humans can live off nothing but rice, beans and some source of green vegetable, and a Yumm! Bowl dresses that basic meal up in delicious style. I’ve had some bum visits to Cafe Yumm! (hard, unripe avocado ruined my meal here a few months back), but most of my visits — including this recent one — have left me satisfied.

Service: Fast and friendly. The woman at the counter suggested extra avocado when I mentioned I wanted no dairy items in my bowl. Within minutes, the bowl was served tableside.

Atmosphere: Fine, though some of the tables (or at least mine) could have used a wipe-down or two.

MORE INFO

Location: Old Mill District, 325 Powerhouse Drive, Suite 130, Bend

541-318-9866

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday

Cuisine: Asian fusion (rice-and-bean bowls, sandwiches and bento boxes)

Price range: $5 to $11

— Brian McElhiney, The Bulletin