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?