Love Letter to Pluto's

Where else can you get a ginormous salad with exactly what you like in it for under $10. Please, if you know a place, tell me.

Although I tend to stick to the same-ish salad every time I go to Pluto's, it's nice to know that I have options in life.

Tonight, for instance, I added jicama to my steak salad. Nice twist, right? To be able to choose 7 yummy toppings in addition to choosing the lettuce, meat (or no meat,) and dressing is absolutely fantastic. I am raving about this for a few reasons. I know that Pluto's has a huge following, and I'm not the first to speak on this topic. I feel that at a time like this in my life (that is, 2 weeks to go until Vegas,) it's so important to eat as healthy as possible. Shit, I might bring my minimalist-style diet into normal life, if it takes less booze to get me hammered.

I so enjoy a lovely, fresh salad with all the fixings, which now includes jicama as well. If you want to taste what I like, do this:

Side salad, half romaine, half spinach. Balsamic dressing, and steak cooked medium. Add to this the 7 toppings you like best (make sure to include edamame, cucumbers, blue cheese, and of course... Jicama!)

So I went there tonight with my dad, immediately following a grueling trip to the Sports Basement. It's like, "How long can it take a person to choose bicycle tires? Really?" I should really quit going to any retail environment in his company, but he does have access to way more cash than I do, so I guess that's the trade-off.

*Note to reader: Any time I go to dinner or anywhere else with my father on a week night, there is a 90% chance that he is wearing bike gear. It's true. He wears goddamn spandex more than real clothes. I'm so proud that he decided to embrace life and ride his bike to work every day, but Jesus. He has some really nice suits, and he looks real sharp in them. Not to mention the shame of having to walk around with a 60 year old man wearing a skin-tight yellow and black outfit like a fucking bumble bee. He really does this all the time. It was the topic of all 3 children's speeches at his 60th birthday party, aka Marin Jewfest 2009. The spandex, along with the fact that he constantly has sunglasses on top of his head. Even when it's dark, or at synagogue up by his kippah, while reading torah, also at the office, and my personal favorite: around the house. Don't you have a pocket, Dad? But I digress.

Sandy loves Pluto's as much as the next Jew (maybe more), but the flaw with bringing him there is that it takes him 20 minutes to choose his 7 toppings, and the poor Mexican Pluto's guy is like falling asleep by the time he chooses between beets and garbanzo beans! And then, to top all that off, when we get to the register to pay (my dad adores restaurants where you pay prior to eating) he loves to tell the register worker how incredible the prices of these fantastic salads are! Duh, Sandy. The register dude knows how outrageous the prices are. Then we get to the eating part. Approximately 4 bites into his salad, he begins to make yummy food sounds, such as, "Oh, is this good!" or, "Can you believe how huge this salad is? This is like the best deal in town!" There's also, "How is that steak? Is it good? It looks yu-um." (It's true. He says YUM in two syllables.) He's kosher, so he wouldn't know.

So, Pluto's, thank you for so many wonderful, healthy, and pleasurable dining experiences. You really are top-notch.

*Another note to reader: Pluto's may be a poor choice when you are under the influence of marijuana. Choosing 7 of anything when you're high is nearly impossible. Not that I would know...