MBE was hosted by True Food Kitchen, but opinions are our own
It's been several weeks since my hubbie and I were invited to try the seasonal fall menu at True Food Kitchen, which recently made OpenTable's 50 Best Restaurants for Vegetarians in America list. As you'll see in our review, this tried-and-true eatery is really that good. Both of us can't seem to stop talking about how much we enjoyed all the delicious and healthy vegan and vegetarian options we sampled here and can't wait to go back again before this limited edition menu is retired at the end of the season.
Beautiful Food & Ambiance
From start to finish of this tasting experience, we spent three blissful hours on a Sunday afternoon drinking and eating outdoors at the True Food Kitchen El Segundo, California location where you can smell the ocean which is less than a mile away.
As you can see from the photos throughout this family restaurant review, this was truly an Instagramable culinary adventure overflowing with imaginative and beautifully presented healthy dishes that will appeal to kids and grownups who appreciate good food and a creative range of tastes and ingredients. Speaking of kids, parents will be glad to know there is a mini-me menu of children's foods the kids will love that are actually good for them, too.
Brunch on Weekends
On weekends, both Saturdays and Sundays, brunch is served until 3 pm, then the restaurant switches over to the regular menu -- both featuring the special fall menu items. Since we arrived shortly before the turn over between meals, my husband and I had the opportunity to try a few things off the brunch menu first. Camille, a student at USC School of Business, served us starting with a Banana Nut Expresso Muffin ($4) and Smashed Avocado Toast with eggs cooked to order ($12). This was followed by an artfully presented fall-inspired Cinnamon Latte ($6) for me and a refreshing tangy and not too sweet Pomegranate Chia Limeade ($5) for my sweetie.
Cocktails & Starters
After a short breather, we went on to sample some seasonal and regular items from the standard menu. We began this stage of the meal by trying two fall limited edition cocktails: a spicy Pomegranate Margarita (organic reposado tequila, apricot, lime, ginger, jalapeno, $13) for the hubs and a Lime & Coconut Colada ($12) which was only 220 calories and elegantly garnished with a pineapple leaf for me.
With eight starters on the menu to choose from, it was hard to narrow it down. But, we pushed forward, finally deciding on three dishes for this course including Brussels Sprouts with Chili Threads ($10) from the fall options and Charred Cauliflower ($10), and Farmers Market Crudites with Tzatziki and Black Olive dips ($14) from the year-round selections.
All the vegetables in these dishes both cooked and raw were divine. But, I was really wowed when the exotic crudites (watermelon radish, broccolini, green cauliflower, multi-colored heirloom carrots, and more) were presented at our table in a galvanized ice bucket -- making it crystal clear to me why this is True Food Kitchen's most photographed menu item.
Pizzas, Sandwiches, Entrees & More
Moving on to the main part of our dining experience we were again confronted with many more options than we could imagine actually eating. So we opted to try the filling and lovely looking Butternut Squash Pizza ($16) which was bejeweled with dried cranberries, along with organic kale, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, sage, and vegan almond ricotta "cheese."
In the sandwich category, I just couldn't resist ordering the T.L.T. Sandwich ($13) which I last had here over the summer and is thankfully available year-round. This popular vegan sandwich is presented highly stacked on my favorite Dave's Killer Multi-seed Bread. It features tempeh smoked "bacon," butter lettuce, tomato, avocado, and vegan mayonnaise, served with your choice of kale salad with lemon vinaigrette and/or sweet potato hash.
For an entree from the fall offerings lineup, we tried the Grilled Salmon ($24) which is served with caramelized onion farro, quinoa, arugula, roasted beet and cilantro pumpkin seed pesto. The ancient grains were absolutely wonderful so I wasn't surprised when Camille told us this grain blend is very popular with diners.
We just didn't have room to try all the delicious main courses ranging from dinner sized salads to vegan bowls featuring eclectic flavor combinations. For example, on the fall limited edition menu is the vegan Dashi Ramen Bowl ($15) made with sweet potato glass noodles, grilled portobello and other interesting locally-sourced fresh ingredients.
Dessert & Coffee
But, there's always room for dessert and coffee, right? So kindred spirits aren't going to want to miss having a perfect ending to your own dining experience here. By all means, try the vegan Squash Pie ($9) in a graham cracker crust with coconut whipped cream.
This treat is made with naturally-sweet butternut squash not pumpkin, so it requires less added sugar. Not only is it delicious and healthier, a generous slice clocks in at just 480 calories, making this less fattening than traditional pumpkin pie. The Cappuccino ($4.50), even without the rock sugar it is served with, is a great guilt-free way to enjoy this dessert with some really good coffee.
