True Food Kitchen Is Truly Delicious

On a a recent Saturday, I drove to LA to spend the day with my mom, always a treat.  The day began with David and fiancee Tracy coming over to show me "the ring."  It is gorgeous, they are adorable together, and I am so happy that my son finally found a wonderful woman to spend the rest of his life with.  They are so busy, that 45 minutes was all the time they had for us, but that's all right, mom and I were busy too.

We rustled up a delicious lunch of herring and sour cream, with pickled onions and apples.  It was just enough to hold us until an early dinner.  Next, we were off to the Academy, to see a new film, "Two Days In New York."  It's by Julie Delpy, starring herself and Chris Rock.  The movie will not appeal to everyone, but we thoroughly enjoyed.  I know when I don't look at my watch through the entire film, I liked it. 

Next, we were off to Santa Monica Place (completely redone) to have an early dinner at True Food Kitchen.  This particular day was one of the hottest and most humid days we've had in a long time.  Everyone was at the beach or at the shopping mall.  For lack of parking, we almost gave up and came home.  I'm so glad we didn't.  True Food Kitchen was great.  Here's a little background on the restaurant. (information taken from Dr. Andrew Weil's website).

True Food Kitchen Factsheet

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, Ariz. 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.
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, and include soups, appetizers, salads, pasta, rice and noodle dishes, wood grilled dishes, sandwiches and burgers, brick oven pizzas and desserts.

Mom and I shared a few items, giving us a chance to taste several items on the menu.  We started with grilled sardines.  These are nothing like the little ones that come in the can.  These are about 6 inches long.  They butterfly them and grill them, and serve them with a lemon wedge and a small watercress salad.  What a great way to start a meal.  Other good looking appetizers included hummus, with pita, tomatoes and feta, vegetarian potstickers served in a warm broth, and a raw veggie bowl, filled with all kinds of raw vegetables, beautifully arranged, and served with several dipping sauces.

For our main courses we ordered a sashimi tuna salad, with avocado, edamameme, sesame seeds, and a most delicious ginger-sesame dressing.  We also ordered a hot casserole of spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, garlic and cheese.  Absolutely wonderful.  Other items which I didn't get to try included a delicious looking kale salad, steak tacos with red beans, small pizzas, a bison burger and sea bass with veggies.  Presentation of everything was wonderful, and except for the fact that they serve no Diet Coke, everything was perfect.  They do, however, have some interesting fruit and vegetable drinks, including a lemonade infused with cucumber. 

Lucky for us in San Diego that True Food Kitchen has recently opened in Fashion Valley.  It's a bit far for me to go for a meal, but it will give me an excuse to go shopping, something I don't like to do.  The one negative is that Ron doesn't like the menu, it will be a place I will go to for lunch with my women friends.  He wants something heartier, and kept saying, "What will I order?"  He could always go for the bison burger or the pizza, but whereas True Food Kitchen is exactly the kind of food I like, it's exactly what Ron does not like. 

Give this restaurant a try if you're in the area of Fashion Valley.  The prices are moderate, the setting is contemporary and comfortable, and the food is delicious.