Ripe Tomato

What's it like?

If it weren't for a few friends who live or work in the area, I would rarely make it out to Fig Garden Village. Fortunately, these friends often suggest lunch locations that I haven't tried, as was the case with Ripe Tomato.

The restaurant is tucked away in the southwest corner of the shopping center, easily passed within a few steps. Inside, it's small and cozy, with a lofty ceiling and the decor of a French bistro (to be honest, that's how it was described to me—I don't know what a French bistro looks like). My friend called for a reservation, but no one answered the phone.

As we walked in the door, the gentleman at the host stand inquired about the reservation, and seemed a bit stressed that neither we, nor the parties in front of and behind us had one; about half of the tables inside were full, and only one of the patio tables was in use, so we opted for outdoor dining. What a gorgeous patio.

Our server (the gentleman that greeted us) seemed to work up quite a bit of a sweat seating so many tables at once (three, by my count); he was also new, which he admitted when we inquired about the menu. Fortunately, another server stepped in to help him out, knowledgeable about every dish and more than capable of remaining calm amid the apparent stress.

My friend and I both opted for the salmon, which came with steamed peas and carrots, pilaf, and a very sweet cranberry sauce. Without the sauce, the salmon would have been perfect, but the cranberries were quite sweet, and overpowered the fish; next time I'll order it on the side. Overall, it was good, though a bit pricey at $15 per lunch entree (the salmon being among the lower priced items).