My First Whole30 Restaurant Experience at True Food Kitchen

Last week, I went out to eat with my good friend, Angi.  We planned to go to a Vodka tasting dinner prior to my committing to the Whole30 challenge.  As the day came closer to the dinner, I explained what I was doing and she suggested going to the True Food Kitchen at the Fashion Valley mall in Mission Valley.  She said that they have a lot of gluten-free meals and all of the food is completely fresh and has no additives.  The reason I was excited about eating there was that I knew they would understand if I asked to have something prepared a certain way.

Such a wonderful space, even with temptation in the background (in the form of cheesecake)…

We first started off with a couple of drinks.  Angi had the Kale Aid, which seemed a little too intense for my first experience there (kale, apple, cucumber, celery, lemon and ginger).  I opted for the Hangover Rx, which consisted of coconut water, pineapple and fresh squeezed orange juice.  This drink was so refreshing and actually tasted like ice cream (almost like a 50/50 bar).  It was a nice complement to the meal I was about to have.

A Hangover Rx and a Kale Aid

Angi was torn between a salad or an entrée, but decided to get the Ricotta Cheese Ravioli.  Knowing I had to be a bit more picky for my meal, it also took me a bit to make my choice.  I finally settled down on the Panang Curry, not only because it had been awhile since I had a good curry, but because it seemed the easiest to alter to fit my Whole30 needs.  When I mentioned to our server that I was doing a Paleo style diet and needed to have my dish altered, he knew instantly what I meant and that they most definitely would be able to remove the brown rice and potatoes.  This left ginger, carrot, mushroom, broccoli in a coconut shellfish broth, and I had chicken added for my protein source.  This dish was so delicious, but with just enough of a kick to make the dish quite flavorful (my Hangover Rx drink actually helped to quell the slight heat of the broth).  I was so pleased that my appetite was satisfied without being overly full.

Without a doubt, I will be visiting True Food Kitchen a few more times during my Whole30 experience, and will return again afterwards to take full advantage of their menu.  I feel confident that my husband and son would also enjoy it because the meals are quite tasty, but also incredibly healthy to boot.  Cheers!

 Panang Curry (sans brown rice & potato).  Whole30 approved, no?

4 comments

  1. Oh, yum! From the refreshing drinks to the description of the entrees, this sounds like a place I would love to eat. Is it a chain with other locations? It is nice to know there are places to eat out that are healthy. And tasty!

    1. Hi Laurie!

      Yes, it’s a chain. If you click on the link, it should take you to the main site and you can select a city to see what’s near you. There is only one in the whole of CA right now, so I feel lucky that it’s in San Diego! It definitely is nice to know there are these alternatives, especially since I’m deep into the Whole30 this month.

      Thanks for stopping by! I’ll check our blog out, too!

      xoxo

  2. There are actually 3 True Food locations in the state of California (so eat up and enjoy!). One is in Newport Beach at Fashion Island, one is in Santa Monica at Santa Monica Place and the one visited here in San Diego at Fashion Valley Mall. Check them all out at http://www.foxrc.com. Cheers!

    1. Yikes! Thanks for the clarification…I should have searched the site first, lol! I guess we’re lucky that they’re all in Southern California, right? 🙂

      Cheers and thanks again!

      xoxo

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