The South End Art Hop begins on Friday, September 6. A couple of days before the festivities I stopped for lunch at Tomgirl Kitchen in the Soda Plant on Pine Street. The building will be the site of art exhibits this weekend, but a set of vivid colors — purple, orange, green, pink and yellow — was on display at Tomgirl before the show began.

Red cabbage and beets, carrots and pickled squash, kale and cucumbers, radishes and bell peppers, were the source of the rainbow atop Tomgirl’s counter. They formed the ingredients of a make-your-own salad bowl for $10.95, though its actual construction was performed by a pro behind the counter.

All I had to do was point to my choice of grain, the four veggies I wanted, my protein pick, and select any add-on seeds that struck my fancy. Before my eyes, a salad took shape on a bed of arugula and kale, topped with a scoop of black rice and spoonfuls of local cucumber, cabbage, beets and pickled squash.



I chose avocado for my protein  and said yes to hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and dried apricots. With a few squirts of cilantro-lime-curry dressing, lunch was served. I ate at a picnic table outside the Soda Plant.

Some businesses in the building were getting ready for Art Hop, including special pickle prep at Pitchfork Farm & Pickle, and chit-chat at Brio Coffeeworks about the Latte Art Throwdown to be held there on Saturday, September 7.
Over the weekend, Tomgirl will team up with Co Cellars, a drink biz in the Soda Plant, on an Art Hop peach mimosa, according to Tomgirl owner Gabrielle Kammerer.  Co Cellars is a hot company to pair with: A joint venture of  ZAFA Wines and Shacksbury Cider, Co Cellars was recently named one of the 100 greatest places in the world  to eat and drink by Time.

It’s a small room with a bar, some benches and barrels, and glass vessels that hold “just fucking fermented juice,” to borrow ZAFA’s motto.

As a longtime Pine Street walker — and Bob Dylan fan — I can attest that the street has changed over the years from a dining "Desolation Row"  to a foodie "Positively Fourth Street." Now it’s broken into the world’s top 100.

Dining on a Dime is a weekly series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.