The Habit
www.thehabit.com
Mission Valley
845 Camino De La Reina
619-299-9913
Carmel Mountain
12002 Carmel Mountain Rd.
858-485-9991
I can see why the Reichard brothers used the word “habit” when naming their restaurant. One visit to the grill and I was hooked. Their motto “There’s No Substitute for Quality!” rings true from the clean, cool interior of the restaurant to the counter staff to the food.
I went to The Habit with my son, Jack (8), his friend, Tyler (8) and Tyler’s mom. The Habit is conveniently located in Mission Valley West, near Old Navy. Walking into the restaurant, I was greeted by the smell of grilling hamburgers and French fries. We were greeted by a friendly staff member and the manager.
The Habit doesn’t seem like the traditional fast food restaurant. The food is made to order and doesn’t sit in a warming station. The menu includes five different hamburgers, five grilled sandwiches (such as fresh albacore tuna), six salads and four sides. For kids under 10, there is a choice of hamburger, chicken nuggets or grilled cheese ($3.95). Kids’ entrees are served with a choice of applesauce or French fries, and a soft drink or milk.
I had the BBQ Chicken Salad ($6.75). The salad was fresh and made to order. It was delicious with its romaine, iceberg and red leaf lettuces, chopped tomato, red onion, cilantro, grilled chicken breast, ranch dressing and spicy BBQ sauce. It usually comes with bacon but I ordered it without. The salad was huge and the chicken was grilled to perfection. Jack ate the chicken nuggets with French fries and a vanilla shake. He gave the chicken nuggets high praise, which is quite a feat, considering he’s a chicken nugget connoisseur. Tyler had the cheeseburger (additional $.50) with French fries and a chocolate shake. He enjoyed his food, too. Tyler’s mom had the Teriyaki Burger with grilled pineapple ($3.25) and sweet potato fries ($2.65). She found the flavorful burger to be one of the best fast food burgers she’s had.
While this is a counter-service restaurant, staff circulates among the tables to ensure the customers liked their food. It’s worth mentioning that since everything is cooked to order, it does take some extra time to get your meals. If you’re looking for great food in a clean, airy environment, then make The Habit a habit.
------------------
Michelle Murphy Zive is a mother of three and loves fresh, tasty food like the kind they have at The Habit.