Revisiting Nature’s Harvest

I had always considered Nature’s Harvest, the “health food” store in the Confederation Court Mall, to be a place best avoided. Most of what they sell is pills of various sorts, not unlike the new “improved” Root Cellar. And I’m not a big pill guy.

Recently, though, I’ve been stopping by several mornings a week at their juice bar, and this has given be a chance to wander around the store a little. There are still lots and lots of pills, and weirdo products with names like “Fat Burner” and “Nutrobooster.” But there’s also good whole-wheat bread — the same bread you can otherwise buy at the Farmers Market — and, in the cooler, some low-fat snacks (vegetables and dip, yoghurt and granola parfait). And they do make a mean juice.

The staff are very friendly too.

So while I’m not converted over to the pilly dark side, I have become a regular customer.

Comments

Al O'Neill's picture
Al O'Neill on February 5, 2004 - 19:45 Permalink

I’d bet money that none of the staff there actually consumes any of the pill stuff, they probably just make fun of the suckers that shell out for such things.

Ann's picture
Ann on February 5, 2004 - 20:01 Permalink

On another culinary note: check out the excellent hot and sour soup at the Golden Wok. It’s not a place I ever went but a friend who, like Al, loves their lobster sandwiches, took me there.
The soup was incredible. Sort of a cross between the hot and sour soup you may be more familiar with and an excellent chicekn soup. It’s delicious — very filling and cheap — and the restaurant is an oasis of calm.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on February 5, 2004 - 20:06 Permalink

I used to go to the Golden Wok quite a bit when I had an office on Connaught Square and it was handy-by.

Brian Howatt's picture
Brian Howatt on February 5, 2004 - 20:28 Permalink

Al, I’ll happily take your wager, becasue I know that both the staff and the owners (my wife and myself) do actually consume various of the “pill stuff”. I can also guarantee you we do not make fun of the customers, nor are they suckers. Most of them are simply well informed enough to select products that they find help address their particular concerns….same reason I take such products as echinacea and glucosamine sulphate.

Peter, thank you for your business and the positive comments.

Al O'Neill's picture
Al O'Neill on February 5, 2004 - 21:54 Permalink

I knew that would get me in trouble :) I wonder who _doesn’t_ read this site?

GiArc's picture
GiArc on February 6, 2004 - 00:36 Permalink

I would also like to add that I purchased some tiny homeopathic pills (arnica) that provided some tempoary pain relief. And I was glad I could find them somewhere. But don’t get me started on the Root Seller (misspelled on purpose),

Wayne's picture
Wayne on February 6, 2004 - 01:09 Permalink

Hint:Next time, check the readership setion.

Al's picture
Al on February 6, 2004 - 01:46 Permalink

Wayne: All in good fun, don’chaknow. :)

Me's picture
Me on May 6, 2005 - 17:46 Permalink

Nature’s Harvest would be a great place if they were fair to their employees and provided a good work place. Unfortunately, they don’t. It has all the pitfalls of a family owned business—family employees do what they please, and “real” employees take the heat and the slack for them.

Avoid the frozen foods too, unless you want to eat something that comes out sideways in its dish which indicates that it was frozen, and defrosted, and frozen again. Yuck.