BRYSI CAFE 233 S. 33rd St. (215) 573–7918 Don't Miss: BRYSI’s sandwiches and Peanut Butter Banana Recovery Shake Skip: Subpar Salads
For those of you who frequent Fox Fitness, Brysi Cafe is your new source of post–exercise revitalization. At Brysi, located in Penn’s Weiss Pavillion, refrigerated shelves play host to a wide variety of energy and protein drinks, yogurts and fruit cups and counters glitter with every brand, flavor and form of protein supplement. Hungry for a full breakfast or lunch? Blackboards list daily specials in addition to the cafe’s traditional menu — a mix of sandwiches, salads and all–natural fruit smoothies.
After our own intensive workout, we decided to sample from each part of the menu (excluding breakfast, which served only until 11 a.m.). From the greens, we chose the Beet and Goat Cheese Salad ($7.49) a mix of red beets, goat cheese, fresh baby greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. Unfortunately, this plate neither sparked nor satisfied the appetite.
But where salads faltered, Brysi’s sandwich options satisfied. The King Chicken Sandwich ($7.49) came grilled to perfection with juicy, tender chicken stacked on fresh greens, tomato and mozzarella (the herb mayo is not necessary and can be removed). Also appeasing, the Caprese ($7.29) consisted of fresh mozzarella, vine ripened tomatoes, baby spinach and a flavorful pesto spread. All sandwiches are served either on white or whole–wheat toast.
In search of a sweet ending, we were recommended the Berry Patch smoothie ($3.99 for 12 oz) with an added pinch of protein powder ($1.25) and the Peanut Butter Banana “Recovery Shake.” The Berry Patch is a blend of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries with banana. Its frothy, cotton candy–like sweetness can be attributed to the lack of fresh ingredients (only strawberries and blueberries are fresh while other fruits are from an organic puree). The heartier Peanut Butter Banana smoothie — made of banana, peanut butter, skim or soy milk and low–fat vanilla ice cream — was surprisingly light and airy, while still managing to maintain a rich peanut butter taste.
