True Food Kitchen is a health-driven, seasonal restaurant. The restaurant offers merging nutrient-rich ingredients and a flavor-forward menu that rotates regularly to let guests experience great-tasting ingredients at the peak of their freshness. Their open kitchen brings guests closer to their culinary craft while showcasing that there’s nothing secret about the way they prepare their dishes. Their scratch bar is brimming with a selection of wines, local beers and seasonal cocktails that are made using fresh-pressed fruit and vegetable juices paired with organic spirits. They take great pride in a menu that caters to nearly every food preference with a variety of gluten-free, naturally organic, vegetarian and vegan offerings.
I loved the interior, with its exposed air conditioning ducts, big huge drum like light fixtures. Even though its modern, it lends itself to being casual but elegant. The food is the real star of the show. Every dish I tasted had its own individual delicious reasons for being so healthy and good.
Here’s what I tried:
Cocktails:
Citrus Skinny Margarita, with ixá organic tequila, muddled citrus, mint, cucumber. Sweet and sour it packs a punch but with little calories, I like that!
Blueberry Royale, with organic vodka, lemon, prosecco, mint. This would be a great brunch cocktail but it went great with my starters.
Ginger Margarita, with añejo tequila, elderflower liqueur, ginger honey, and lemon. It’s a very welcoming soft margarita!
Traditional martini, with olive juice and vermouth. This martini was so smooth that I could not taste the vodka.
Vegetables:
Charred Cauliflower, vegan, gluten free harissa tahini, medjool date, dill, mint, and pistachio. The combination of all of these ingredients makes for one heck of a great guilt-free menu item. The dates give it a wonderful aromatic bouquet that will get your taste buds going.
Starters:
Shiitake Lettuce Cups, Vegan, tofu, jicama, sambal, Thai basil, cashew. It has a bit of a kick, but its concentrated flavors with the super crisp lettuce cup will make for a great starter.
Wild Caught Albacore Tataki, gluten free, avocado, jalapeño, toasted sesame; yuzu ponzu. I just really enjoyed this dish, and ate every piece.
Edamame Dumplings, vegetarian, with dashi, white truffle oil, Asian herbs. One very creative dumpling that I could tell was very popular amongst the folks eating.
Bowls:
Ancient Grains, vegan. Miso glazed sweet potato, turmeric, charred onion, snow pea, grilled Portobello, avocado, and hemp seed. To be a vegan at this time is so wonderful because with a dish like this you are getting so much nutrition that you would not miss the meat.
Red Chili Noodles, vegetarian. Gai lan, zucchini, shiitake mushroom, snow pea, cashew with grass-fed steak. I thoroughly enjoyed the delicious subtle flavors and the noodles were a great addition.
Spicy Panang Curry, gluten free. Organic potato, long bean, bok choy, carrot, Thai basil, coconut shrimp broth, with shrimp. I am very fond of curry and wanted to have one that was sweet with a bold coconut essence and this one satisfied all of my specifications.
Sandwiches:
Smoked Turkey Wrap, with avocado, tomato, cucumber, provolone, hummus. A great menu item for lunch.
Grass-Fed Burger with umami mushroom, caramelized onion, arugula, Parmesan, mayonnaise, flax seed bun. So light and lovely, this was one delicious burger.
Pizzas:
Roasted Artichoke, vegan, with sugar snap pea, smoked onion, roasted garlic, vegan almond ricotta, and black truffle. They make their own crust and the topping on this pizza was super scrumptious.
Wild Mushroom, vegetarian, with asparagus, roasted garlic, and taleggio. This pizza is straightforward with its mushroom earthy flavors, it was very tasty.
Entrées:
Sustainable Sea bass, broccolini, sugar snap pea, roasted mushroom, ancient grains, umami sauce. It’s a wonderful fish that makes for a great entrée choice.
Lasagna Bolognese, gluten free with house-made chicken sausage, mushroom, spinach, lemon ricotta, and herbs. A very hearty lasagna, with wonderful sausage and all of the other ingredients made this dish perfect.
Desserts:
Flourless Chocolate Cake, vegetarian and gluten free, caramel, vanilla ice cream, and cocoa nibs. Imagine, a flourless cake that is a real slice of heaven.
Coconut & Chia Seed Flan, vegan and gluten free. This dessert has wonderful coconut flavors that take away any need for any animal products.
Wines:
Manifesto JB Sauvignon Blanc, a nice crisp taste, worked great with the lettuce cups.
Grogs Leap Chardonnay, the nose is very different from what you get to taste. It’s a very elegant wine that paired nicely with the shrimp curry.
Lincourt Chardonnay, a buttery wine that I would recommend to drink alongside the Sea bass.
Cabernet Sauvignon Long Meadow, spicy, peppery, with a good deal of oak. This wine goes amazing with the burger, and the umami mushrooms.
Petit Syrah EOS, I would drink this wine with the lasagna. The chicken sausage adds a great balance.
Kunde Zinfandel, I used to live around the corner from this winery, so I know it well. This Zinfandel was just good all by itself!!
When it comes to sourcing the best ingredients for their dishes they don’t cut corners. They believe that food is meant to be grown and nurtured. True Kitchen uses organic produce, sustainably raised beef and fish whenever possible. Their wine selection features sustainable, organic and biodynamic options.
It all starts with fresh, honest and thoughtful ingredients that actually taste great together and the passionate people who consciously choose to seek out these ingredients. These are people who respect food. They respect their bodies and the effort it takes to create food that doesn’t sacrifice quality, nutrition or taste.
Their culinary team changes their menu seasonally with four menu changes each year: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. True Food is alive with progressive energy, optimism, and passion for all that is real and natural and good. Each restaurant reflects these principles, featuring a large open dining room and an open kitchen, designed to bring guests closer to their culinary craft and honor the commitment to transparency. On their natural wood walls is vibrant, locally-inspired artwork to bring a contemporary touch and give a nod to the community.
Concept: All True Food Kitchen locations feature dishes that closely adhere to the principles of Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet. They are intended to be a new kind of restaurant: one in which delicious flavors, healthy nutrients, environmental awareness and an inviting atmosphere come together to create an unforgettable dining experience. Dishes are influenced by Mediterranean, Asian and Californian cuisine, that include soups, appetizers, salads, pasta, rice and noodle dishes, wood grilled dishes, sandwiches and burgers, brick oven pizzas and desserts.
History: Andrew Weil, M.D., met Phoenix restaurateur Sam Fox in the late 1990s at one of Fox’s restaurants in Tucson (Fox Restaurant Concepts operates 25 restaurants in Arizona and the Midwest). After spending time with Dr. Weil, and in particular after cooking with him at his ranch, Fox came to understand how delicious healthy food can be and realized that Dr. Weil’s concept for a restaurant; one that serves great food that just happens to be good for you, could work. On Oct. 27, 2008, the first True Food Kitchen opened in Phoenix, Arizona. It was an immediate success, and inspired Fox and Dr. Weil to open new locations in the southwest, with the long-term goal of a national rollout.
Engrained in True Food Kitchen’s ethos is a commitment to a conscious, community-based dining experience, a commitment that ensures that, no matter how many locations are established, True Food will never become what one thinks of as a “chain.”
Food sources: All True Food Kitchen locations use local, organic sources whenever possible. For example, the Phoenix location receives most of its produce from McClendon Farms, a 25-acre, USDA-certified organic produce farm in Peoria, Arizona.
Green features: The restaurants are decidedly “green” with environmentally friendly accouterment including: high efficiency kitchen equipment, low voltage LED lighting, waterless urinals (saving 40,000 gallons/year), ultra low water faucets, low VOC paint, white oak butcher-block tables and counter tops, reclaimed wood floors , recycled quarry tiles and Natura water purification unit: (True Food Kitchen creates both still and carbonated bottled water in-house. Bottles are cleaned, sterilized and reused, eliminating plastic bottle waste).
Everything about True Kitchen screams love, hope, integrity, and health. You will not have a bad experience as each dish is designed to make you happy and healthy. True Kitchen brings back healthful food that keeps you always in the pink. They address every type of eating styles: from vegan to gluten free, you will successfully find a menu item that fits whatever your dining preference allows. There are numerous locations across California and other states across the US, so there is no excuse for you not to try this fantastic cuisine.
True Kitchen
395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 172
Santa Monica, California 90401
310.593.8300
http://www.truefoodkitchen.com/
