Cava vs. Sweetgreen with Adam Pally

"Munch Madness: CAVA vs. sweetgreen with Adam Pally" is Episode 387 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell. "Munch Madness: CAVA vs. sweetgreen with Adam Pally" was released on March 2, 2023.

## Synopsis

Adam Pally (*Happy Endings, 101 Places to Party Before You Die, Who Invited Charlie?*) joins the 'boys and Commissioner Evan Susser to set up the rules for Munch Madness 2023 and kick off **The Tournament of Chompions: BOWL**!

## Nick's intro

Approximately 20,000 years ago, neolithic Chinese potters pioneered the concave serving-and-eating basin that remains an essential part of any kitchen: the bowl. This versatile vessel has become the most utilized dish in the world, besting even its flatter sibling, the plate.

And while Americans have always eaten out of bowls, be they filled with soup or salad, the bowl-focused chain restaurant is a relatively recent phenomenon, spawning from a market demand for healthier and/or budget-friendly yet filling meals ready to eat.

And so it falls to this podcast to settle: Whose bowls make us say “bravo?”

Eight wannabes enter in four first-round matchups:

* **The Poke Region**: Poké Bar v Sweetfin
* **The Açaí Region**: Jamba v Pressed
* **The Rumblies Region**: Chipotle v Yoshinoya

And this week, the **Work Lunch Region**, which matches up two fast-growing fast-casual concepts that have found success as go-tos for the once-cubicle-now-Zoom set: CAVA, an endlessly customizable Mediterranean outlet founded in 2011 by a trio of Greek-American friends, with 250 locations nationwide. And sweetgreen, the hipster farm-to-table approximation founded in 2007 by a triforce of college classmates, with 150 outlets across the 'land of opportunity'.

Both headquartered in our nations’ capital, Washington, DC, and both currently lurking on the outside of the Golden Plate Club, which of these office-drone filling stations will advance in the quest for the most hallowed trophy in chain-restaurant podcasting, the Dave Thomas Cup — or shall we say, the Dave Thomas Bowl?

We shall: It’s the Dave Thomas Bowl now!

This week on *Doughboys* — the first quarter-pounder final matchup of **Munch Madness 2023: The Tournament of Chompions: BOWL: Work Lunch Region** — CAVA vs sweetgreen!

*Let's a-go!*

## BOWL: Rules 📜

Commissioner Susser joins the pod to welcome us all to **Munch Madness 2023: The Tournament of Chompions: BOWL**.

They agree to following rules, some of which rhyme.

* Salad ain't valid. No salads!
* Chili is silly. No simple bowls of chili.
* Stew won't do. Bowl viscosity must be stew-level at minimum. Goop not soup!
* When it comes to strikes, we're at the bowling alley. Strikes are good! Three strikes and you are in. Nobody knows what a strike is yet.
* ~~Drinks are in the gutter. Sides are also in the gutter.~~ (Adam Pally talks Susser into allowing drinks and sides in this Tournament.)
* Cookies are ookie. Cookies cannot be considered, but it must be asked: is Christmas a cookie holiday?
* When it comes to bread, there is more that will be said.
* Silverware and the bowl itself can be factored in to the decision.

## BOWL: Work Lunch Region 🍲

The Doughboys prior review of CAVA was in 2019, when Nick gave it 3.5 forks and Mitch 3.75.

They also previously reviewed sweetgreen twice. First, in 2016, when everyone gave it 4 forks and it made the Golden Plate Club. A year later, Nick would canonically bump his score to 5 forks in this episode. Then in 2022, they returned and Nick gave it 4.5 and Mitch 3.75, and it fell out of the Golden Plate Club.

	+ SplendidGreens
	+ Saffron Basmati Rice
	+ Tzatziki
	+ Crazy Feta
	+ Roasted Eggplant Dip
	+ Falafel
	+ Kalamata Olives
	+ Pickled Onions
	+ Lentil Tabbouleh
	+ Persian Cucumber
	+ Hot Harissa Vinaigrette
	+ Skhug
	+ Tofu (replace Blackened Chicken)
 Mike Mitchell
* Harissa Avocado Bowl
* Crispy Rice Bowl
* Foccacia
 Adam Pally
	+ SuperGreens
	+ Brown Rice
	+ Grilled Chicken
	+ Fire Roasted Corn
	+ Cabbage Slaw
	+ Greek Vinaigrette
* Side of Falafel + Pita + Hummus
* Custom Bowl (The Pally)
	+ Shredded Kale, Warm Wild Rice
	+ Raw Carrots
	+ Cucumber
	+ Shredded Cabbage
	+ Toasted Almond (x2)
	+ Parmesan Crisp
	+ Tortilla Chips
	+ Roasted Chicken
	+ Spicy Cashew Dressing (heavy)

## BOWL: Work Lunch Region: Scoring 🍲

For this Tournament, The Doughboys rate the bowls on their Greens, Grains, Proteins, Dips/Dressing, Bowl, and Silverware/Drinks/Bread. They do not rate numerically or on any scale, but just say which one they prefer.

## BOWL: Work Lunch Region: Results 🍲

Which of these bowls are being given to The Dude in *The Big Lebowski* and is so good that it resurrects Donny back to life?

The winning bowl gets a strike. (Three strikes and you're in. Turkeys are good! But also two strikes is a 7-10 split decision and you advance as well.)

If it loses, it is declared a gutterball and is given to The Man.

 Mike Mitchell
 Adam Pally

CAVA gets two strikes! Thus it is a 7-10 split decision, given to The Dude, and advances to the next round. Mitch immediately regrets his vote.

sweetgreen is given to The Man, and will compete in Fat Chance Kitchen.

## The Feedbag

 Mike Mitchell
 Adam Pally
soy sauce and onion powder

## Related Episodes

* 387. BOWL: CAVA vs. sweetgreen
* 387. BOWL: Work Lunch Region
* 389. BOWL: Semi-Soft Finals
* DD. BOWL: Bread Dead Redemption
* 107. Jersey Mike's (score revision)
* 362. sweetgreen 2
* 387. BOWL: Work Lunch Region
* DD. BOWL: Bread Dead Redemption
* 391. BOWL: Finale
* DD. Poké Region
* 388. Acai Region
* DD. Rumblies Region
* 389. Semi-Soft Finals
* DD. Toilet Bowl Region
* 390. Semi-Soft Finals
* DD. Bread Dead Redemption
* 391. Finale

## Photos

Harissa Avocado BowlGreens + Grains BowlPitaCrispy Rice BowlMiso BowlFoccacia