Inside: Phat Wraps

Pita joint is bringin' healthy back

By Dana Stewart

Special to Metormix

At first, the most noticeable thing about Phat Wraps on 12th Avenue is that the location is sneaky enough to be hidden from view of High Street passersby. Once people notice the place, curiosity is likely to walk them off the beaten path and right into the new fast and healthy food stop, brought to the campus area by North Market's Lac Viet Vietnamese Lunch Counter.

Phat Wraps has donned the moniker "hot, fast, healthy," or "a hot way to eat healthy," and that's not temperature hot. Numerous cheesy slogans and the throwback spelling of fat aside, nothing in the place is bad for diners or for the environment. Nothing? Yes, nothing. Everything from the organic, locally-grown produce bar to the 100 percent biodegradable Primo bottled waters (even the bottles are made from plants) for the health-conscious (and those who long to be) among us.

Food: There is just one item on the Phat Wraps menu but at least a million different ways to put it together. First, choose a pita topping, from chicken, steak and "veggie" (a soy-based meat substitute), add cheese for a little added flavor, and a few seconds later the piping hot pita of choice will appear on the counter (all wraps are $6).

Next, hit up the produce bar. This is the best part of Phat Wraps because each wrap is entirely individualized. Don't like tomatoes? Don't put them on the wrap. Like lots of spinach? Spinach away! Choose from: romaine, tomatoes, bean sprouts, cucumbers, onions, jalapeños, mint, cilantro, purple basil, red peppers and carrots. There are at least a dozen different mild and hot sauces to add to the wraps, but the two house specials are the Phat chili sauce and spicy mayo. Try pairing the spicy mayo with a few extra cucumbers to balance out the heat and for an otherworldly experience.

If the wrap is not enough, add on a bag of Kettle brand potato chips, an all-natural version of a classic. These spuds are gluten-free with no preservatives, with 150 calories per serving, and come in grown-up flavors like New York cheddar, buffalo bleu and sweet onion.

For dessert, grab a vegan cookie that tastes even better than the real deal, courtesy of the Alternative Baking Co.

Libations: Phat Wraps continues its "commitment to a healthy lifestyle" with beverage offerings like Vitamin Water and Primo bottled water. These drinks taste great and perfectly complement the unbelievably healthy sandwiches to a ‘T.'

Décor: The outside of Phat Wraps takes the Chipotle approach to steel in a new direction, with a contemporary, bright blue and stainless combo. The interior is just as cool, with blond wood, steel stools, and modern lighting. Signs are in the most unlikely of places to pass on information about the eco-friendly elements of the food and containers, alongside photos of Lack Viet and the colorful wraps. Seating is along two counter areas, one in the front window for some great people watching and another counter opposite the cash register with a beautiful view of a wall.

Service: All over the store, diners see statements of how fast Phat Wraps is meant to be, and the employees live up to the hype. Perhaps this is because the place isn't super busy all the time, or perhaps because the help only has to sauté the meat/substitute of your choice. Whatever it is, the food comes out seriously fast, and the produce bar is a snap, sometimes. It can be difficult to decide what to put on the wrap, because everything looks good, which slows down the process. But the help is always there to tell you more about where each vegetable or seasoning came from, and shower you with tidbits like the plates and silverware being made of potatoes and bought locally.

Crowd: It can be hard to figure out who comes to Phat Wraps, judging from the blaring techno music that greets everyone to the extremely health and eco-conscious demeanor of the restaurant. Typically, there is a mix of med students, hungry locals and sorority girls. Then there are the curious types—those who just thought the place smelled good from the outside. Unless someone has moral issues with delicious produce, most anyone can find anything to appease an appetite at Phat Wraps. 

Insider's Tip: The best way to eat the wrap, which is sure to be overloaded considering the eyes-wider-than-stomach defeat, is to keep it wrapped in the thin layer of paper that the pita rests on. This will provide a Chipotle foil peel-as-you-go affect and is good for minimal sauce drippage/pita combustion.

Bottom Line: Phat Wraps does what it claims, serving Columbus a "tasty and nutritious alternative in a fast-paced environment."