Tag Archives: True Food Kitchen Newport Beach

A Gastronomic Delight at True Food Kitchen

It’s no secret that I love True Food Kitchen.  I’ve blogged about it numerous times and waxed poetic about the cookbook (and no, I am not sponsored by Fox Restaurant Group).  When I was invited to participate in a media dinner at True Food, I jumped at the chance to dine at my favorite restaurant.

As much as I love True Food Kitchen, I tend to order the same thing every time I go.  Brunch is almost always the Greek Frittata, Lunch is the Chicken Chopped Salad or Turkey Pita, and Dinner is the Turkey Burger,  Tuscan Kale Salad, Sweet Potato Hash or Pizza.  This dinner was a great opportunity for me to try some of the other dishes True Food Kitchen had to offer.

Our meal began with a variety of appetizers – pita with hummus, raw crudités and edamame dumplings.  All of the appetizers were delicious and I was so preoccupied with them that I forgot to take a picture.  If you are really curious as to what the hummus looks like, check out this post.

The next two courses were salad courses.  The first salad that came out was the Farmer’s Market salad made with kale, radish, carrot, broccoli, beet, avocado and manchego cheese with a champagne vinaigrette.  This salad was light and refreshing and I know I will be recreating this one at home.

The second salad (and when I finally decided to whip out my camera) was the Harvest Chopped which came with squash, apple, pomegranate, goat cheese, walnuts and greens and topped with a balsamic vinaigrette.  I thoroughly enjoyed this salad as well (except for the walnuts since I am allergic) and loved the squash texture and flavor to the salad.

After the salad courses, we were presented with the Panang Curry, which came with tofu, potato, brown rice, broccoli, carrot, ginger and mushroom in a coconut milk broth.  I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t care too much for curry, so I only had a couple of bites.  It definitely had a fair amount of heat to it, and if you like spicy things, then this dish is for you.  The Englishman loved this dish which is saying something since he does not normally like tofu.  Well played, True Food.

Entree number two was the Grilled Albacore Slider with the Tuscan Kale Salad and Sweet Potato Hash.  I was particularly excited about this dish since I love the kale salad and sweet potato hash.  The grilled albacore came on a flax seed bun with avocado and wasabi mayonnaise and was delicious.  I loved that the albacore was seared and more on the raw side.

Finally it was time for the piece de resistance – dessert.  We were presented with three different desserts to share amongst the table, and I think it’s safe to say that they were all delicious based on the mmms around the table.  The first dessert I tried was the Squash Pie with coconut whipped cream.

Since I am a huge fan of pumpkin pie, I had a feeling I would like this dessert and I did.  The coconut whipped cream just took it over the top.  And if you are a vegan, then this dessert is definitely for you.

The next dessert was the Flourless Chocolate Cake, which I have had before and found it as tasty as ever.  If you have a gluten allergy, then this cake is definitely for you.  It’s made with 72% cocoa and is covered with caramel and vanilla ice cream.  Decadent indeed.

Last but not least was the Apple Crisp with Pecan Maple Ice Cream.   This definitely seemed to be the crowd favorite.  The apples were warm and the crisp topping melted in your mouth.  And I must figure out how to make pecan maple ice cream.

The best part of this meal is that everyone left pleasantly full but not feeling overstuffed or lethargic which often happens after big meals.  The dishes at True Food are so light and fresh that you can’t help but feel good after eating them.  I’m really glad I got to try a few new menu items and happy to report I have new favorites to add to the list.

Until we meet again True Food Kitchen!

 

 

True Food Kitchen: Appetizer Edition

Every year for my birthday I have gotten to pick what restaurant I want to have my birthday feast at.  Past year choices have included Bluewater Grill, Taste (in LA), and Lola’s (also in LA).  This year though the choice was pure and simple:  True Food Kitchen.

Since discovering True Food Kitchen this past spring, it’s become my new food obsession.  I love the open decor of the restaurant, the simplicity of the dishes, and of course the mojitos.  Everytime I walk out of the restaurant I leave with a smile on my face and a happy belly.  And no, True Food did not ask me to write that, but if they are looking for a spokesperson, I am available…

So why is this post called appetizer edition?  Well, I’ve written about the mojitos, commented on the overall food, so why not focus on a couple of appetizer standouts?

First Up: Carmelized Onion Tart with Fig and Gorgonzola

What better way to kick off a birthday celebration than with this beautiful tart?  It was light, crispy and loaded with flavor.  I loved that the onions didn’t overpower the fig and gorgonzola taste and it didn’t feel heavy at all.  I could’ve eaten another one of these.  Seriously.

Next: Pita and Hummus

I don’t know what True Food Kitchen does to their hummus, but it is pretty fantastic.  Maybe it’s the fresh tomatoes, olives and feta on top, but I almost ALWAYS order this dish when I dine here.  The pita is whole wheat and fresh out of the oven, and the servers are always willing to give you extra pita triangles to scoop up the remaining bits of hummus.  Definitely a win.

And Last: Chicken Sausage Pizza with Fontina Cheese

Source: StyleEater.com

I may have cheated and ordered this dish as my entrée, but I have ordered it as an appetizer in the past so let’s just roll with it ok?  This pizza has delicious chicken sausage with just the right amount of spice and is topped with tomato sauce and fontina cheese.  It may not sound like the most exotic pizza around the block but it is definitely loaded with flavor.

Once again I had another delicious meal thanks to the wonderful people at True Food Kitchen.  I was even brought out a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble as a dessert!  As you can see there is no said photo of the Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble because I was about 1.5 Mojitos deep and the camera was long forgotten.

Looks like I have an excuse to come back to True Food Kitchen for a special “desserts” edition next!