Back in 2001 in Portland, Ore., when Tali Ovadia quit the world of software start-ups for food, she could afford only a pushcart for her business, the Whole Bowl. “There was room to do only one thing, but it was successful so I’ve kept at it,” she said. She now has 11 storefronts and food trucks in Arizona, Ohio and Oregon and has just opened her 12th, her first East Coast outlet, in Brooklyn. Her product is a fast-casual bowl: Black and red beans, avocado, Tillamook Cheddar, olives, sour cream, cilantro and salsa are layered on a bed of brown rice, and dressed with her signature golden garlic sauce. Vegans can omit the cheese and sour cream, and hot sauce is available. The bowls come in 12-, 16- and 24-ounce sizes ($8.95 to $11.95), and, for a party (tailgate, New Year’s Eve or Super Bowl), there’s a “hyperbowle” ($69.95) that serves 8 to 10 people.
The Whole Bowl, 488 Metropolitan Avenue (Rodney Street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 347-599-1717, thewholebowl.com.
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