Here's to healthy, hearty, delicious Haystax!
- Steven Keith
- 6 minutes ago
- 5 min read
New Charleston restaurant adding wraps to menu this week
A newish restaurant that has been stacking up stellar reviews for its fresh and wholesome baked goods, smoothies, breakfasts and bowls is rolling out a new menu option this week.
That’s a wrap!
You may already know that Haystax opened just a few months ago at 700 E. Virginia St. inside the same storefront that previously housed vegan favorite The Loopy Leaf. And similar to its predecessor, Haystax serves up a variety of healthy, hearty and incredibly delicious items.
Actually, saying there is just a “variety” of options is an understatement. Thanks to a long list of available ingredients and the ability to customize your own smoothies and bowls, there are actually (are you ready for this?) more than 20 million different flavor combinations you can create.
The concept is simple. You pick your base, add fresh ingredients, choose a vegan protein, then load on your toppings and sauces to build your own bowl. And starting this week, Haystax is also adding wraps that you can have stuffed the same way.
And while recipes avoid high-fructose corn syrup, limit unnecessary fats and provide vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, what they don’t skimp on is flavor. Southwest, Mediterranean and Asian-inspired ingredients and sauces create such bold bites you won’t miss any of that excess butter, cream and oil.
Breakfast options include the fresh fruit smoothies and healthy grains, oats and granolas you might expect, but also a variety of lower-fat cinnamon rolls, pancake bowls and assorted baked treats. Lunch and dinner bring bowls layered with rice, noodles, beans or corn chips, then piled high with vegetables, sauces and all-vegan proteins like fajita-seasoned steak, chipotle chicken, tofu, falafel and more.
The choices are so plentiful, I gave up trying to decide and let the person taking my order choose for me. (You place your order at the counter, then can enjoy your food in the casual cafe’s dining area or take it to go.)
I was intrigued by the Greek bowl’s combination of confetti rice, saucy chickpeas, mixed greens, tabouli, cucumbers, red onion, mixed olives, feta cheese, tzatziki sauce and quinoa.
But I’ll have to try that next time, because the employee told me The Texan and The Asian were early customer favorites. To which I said: “Load me up!”
I probably wouldn’t have ordered The Texan otherwise, but its bold blend of rice, black beans, spiced potatoes, chipotle chicken, street corn, carrots, red onion, tomato, cheddar cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tortilla chips and zesty “Boom Boom Sauce” was fantastically full of bursting-at-the-seams flavor.
Turns out it wasn’t just good for me, it was also just flat-out good. I’d order it again in a second.
The Asian bowl’s rice, sweet potato noodles, fresh spinach, carrots, beets, red cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, seasoned tofu nuggets and crunchy noodles with sesame ginger sauce joined forces for a lovely sweet-and-savory tang, bite after bite.
Just last week, I stopped back in for breakfast and ordered two meals again.
I already knew I’d probably like The Whole Oat Bowl loaded with groats, which I topped with a tropical-inspired medley of fresh bananas, coconut, pecans, honey and almond milk. Liked it, I did. Next, I wanted to try The Nine Organic Grain Nutri-Bowl, because how could a mix of kamut, spelt, wheatberries, barley, amaranth, quinoa, millet, rice and flax not get your day off to a healthy start?
I thought a better test of Haystax’s vegan prowess, however, might be how well they could pull off The Country Bowl, featuring a bunch of breakfast favorites not known for their health benefits.
But I kid you not, the mix of seasoned potatoes, tofu eggs, vegan sausage and light country gravy over a fresh-baked biscuit was actually very satisfying.
The texture of the eggs (more like crumbles than scrambles) was a little odd and, sure, the gravy wasn’t as thick, creamy and unctuous as what you’d enjoy at most breakfast joints. Yet I would 100% order this again to satisfy a guilty gravy fix – without the guilt.
Like, you might see me down there again this morning.
A celebrity chef comes to town
Something else you may not know is the mastermind behind Haystax is a seasoned caterer and casino restaurateur who came to fame in Las Vegas, where he cooked for stars, hosted several TV programs, wrote a few cookbooks and eventually became a motivational speaker.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Chef Mark Anthony just a few days before his grand opening and was impressed by his passion to bring healthier (but still filling) food options to West Virginia.
He shared stories about witnessing firsthand how a healthier diet could actually help reverse diabetes and other medical conditions in those previously struggling with such issues, allowing them to live happier, higher-quality and – with continued diligence – perhaps even longer lives.
“I’ve seen the positive effects myself from eating less sugar, less salt, less fat, less meat and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables,” he told me as we sat inside the colorful, tastefully decorated space that would open a few days later.
As a chef catering to celebrities in Las Vegas, Anthony himself had easy access to an endless supply of decadent food, which led to significant weight gain and his own health scare. Learning to prepare and eat a healthy, but still flavorful, diet quite possibly saved his life. Now he’s on a “wellness mission” to share his success with others.
“Food is medicine,” the now-lean chef told me. “This is powerful stuff that can have a truly positive impact on people’s lives. We’re excited to bring this new concept to Charleston.”
Why Charleston? How did a chef who spent years in Vegas – and had no connections here – find himself on the other side of the country in the Mountain State?
“I had this idea for a new restaurant and my wife and I just started visiting a few places we thought we might like to live and start it up,” Anthony said.
“We really fell in love with this area and how welcoming and friendly everyone was. We saw this space and thought it would be perfect. We’re excited to be here.”
And we, Chef, are excited to have you.
IF YOU GO: Haystax at 700 E. Virginia St. in downtown Charleston is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. For more information, visit www.myhaystax.com or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at wvfoodguy@aol.com.
Comments