Last week, when I was in Santa Monica, CA, a good friend recommended that I check out True Food Kitchen. I was definitely going to check it out, as my friend is a foodie who travels around the country for his job and has had an opportunity to eat everywhere. Imagine my surprise when I hunted down the Santa Monica, CA location to find it in a mall area downtown! Still not deterred, I ventured in to find an inviting atmosphere that felt nothing like a mall restaurant. Focused on healthy, sustainable food choices, True Food Kitchen is truly a find! The menu had vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free items clearly marked, as well as healthy, fun drink options (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
A short 20 minute wait on a Sunday evening led my dining companion and me to the bar. There, we each ordered a beverage. He ordered a gluten free beer called Omission, while I tried the Ginger Margarita, a spicy, yet sweet, margarita, complete with the bartender lighting the orange peel with a match! What fun! We also had time to order an Albacore Tataki as an appetizer. Delicious, especially with the avocado.
After the hostess texted us to let us know our table was ready (great idea in case you wanted to shop around the mall and did not want to walk around with one of those buzzers with a 30 yard reception), we sat outside on the patio. It was a beautiful evening and the patio had a great atmosphere. When the air temperature cooled, heaters mounted above the diners were turned on to keep the area comfortable.
For the main meal, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try the gluten free Panang Curry, a dish of rice, potato, broccoli, ginger, carrot, and mushroom in a coconut milk and curry sauce. I added shrimp to my dish. The dish had great flavor. It was a little too spicy for my taste (keep the water handy), but I would order it again with more coconut milk and a little less curry. I really enjoyed the flavor and was pleasantly surprised that my venture into the unknown was rewarded with a delicious dish.
My dinner companion chose the gluten free Street Tacos with avocado, cotija cheese, tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and a side of Anasazi beans. He added the sustainable sea bass to his tacos. Since I am corn free, I could not try them out, but he said they were very tasty. There was a plentiful amount of food atop each taco, and the ability to order the tacos with the sea bass or grass fed steak made the dish interesting and delicious.
I was really impressed with the gluten free selections at True Food Kitchen, as well as their commitment to sustainable foods and nutritional options. I also appreciated their commitment to flavor. Healthy food does not have to be bland. Your senses are definitely piqued throughout your dining experience.
The great thing about True Food Kitchen is that it is a one-of-a-kind restaurant, but with multiple locations. With three locations in California, two in Arizona, and one location in each state of Colorado, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia, one can find a healthy option across the country. I am looking forward to checking out the Atlanta location in a couple of weeks!
True Food Kitchen
www.truefoodkitchen.com
