MAD Greens, known for its made-to-order salads, opened its first Utah restaurant in Lehi on August 11. MAD Greens was founded in 2004 by life-long friends and chefs Marley Hodgson and Dan Long in an effort to bring healthy, local food to the fast-casual market. Today, MAD Greens has 25 corporate-owned locations across four states, with seven additional openings scheduled in 2016.
“We are thrilled to bring our delicious, chef-inspired creations to the community of Lehi and surrounding areas and are excited about the area farmers and growers we’re now meeting with in order to source ingredients from the local community very soon,” Hodgson says. “Utahns are similar to MAD Greens’ loyal fans in our other markets because they seek out great food that is thoughtfully prepared in a fun, fast, and affordable setting. There are endless outdoor activities to enjoy in Utah, and we pride ourselves on giving our guests a variety of craveable, customizeable, better-for-you options to help fuel the adventure.”
In addition to the customizable salad offerings, where guests choose among leafy green bases and then add toppings such as pears, artichoke hearts, edamame, eggs, goat cheese, and more than 20 homemade salad dressing varieties, there is one salad crafted specifically with Utah in mind. The Butch Cassidy includes baby greens, grilled citrus chicken, walnuts, mango, celery, and grilled sweet onions with honey mint vinaigrette.
“Utah is the Beehive State, so my inspiration for the Butch Cassidy salad began with the honey mint vinaigrette,” Long says. “The mint pairs well with honey, giving it a freshness while tempering the honey’s sweetness. The mangos and the grilled sweet onions complement the honey flavor whereas the celery and walnuts balance it out, especially the walnuts that add a richness without overpowering. The grilled citrus chicken adds a smokiness from the grill that pairs well with the other flavors. Altogether, the Butch Cassidy is a sweet twist on a traditional salad.”
MAD Greens is known for its signature salads named after “MAD” famous people and literary characters such as Dionysos, Ty Cobb, and Edgar Allan Poe, in addition to paninis, wraps, soups, and fresh juices which are all prepared in-house, from scratch on a daily basis.
As part of MAD Greens’ commitment to community organizations in each market in which they operate, the company is establishing a strong partnership with Wasatch Community Gardens and will kick off this relationship by donating a portion of opening day sales to the organization.
