Mid-week De-stress Dinner at True Food Kitchen

True Food Kitchen is just what I needed after surviving the first half of the week. The food and atmosphere was very enjoyable, and I am fueled with enough energy to kick butt for the rest of the week! I went there for an early dinner tonight with my friend Lindsey. When we arrived inside, we were stunned by how big, open, and stunning the interior was. We were both drawn to the outside patio area, which was almost as huge as the inside, and so we requested a table outside (despite the massive wind today!). I loved the setting, because it felt really relaxing.

We were greeted by our server shortly after, and she told us that the restaurant is actually partnered with a nutritionist, so their menu boasts an assortment of nutritionally balanced meals and drinks. And let me just say, their drinks are amazing... They have interesting combinations of ingredients for their drinks, and I was so excited that I wanted to try many of their drinks. At last, because I could not make a decision, I asked our server for her recommendation and ended up ordering the Cucumber Refresher, which is a mix of freshly juiced cucumbers (unpeeled for full flavor) and honey lemonade. I sipped up every last drop!

Lindsey ordered the Oogave Natural Sodas which consisted of Cola, Mandarin Key Lime, and Ginger Ale. When it arrived, it looked like Sprite, but upon further inspection, we saw that it had a pretty light green tint. And the taste was as equally attractive.

Left to right: Water, Oogave Natural Sodas, Cucumber Refresher from True Food Kitchen.

As a starter, I ordered the soup of the day, which the server described as a mushroom broth mixed with carrots, onions, chives, and mushrooms. She called it the Immunity soup I think? Anyway, it had really simple flavors, and tasted pretty basic. However, it had a really nice mushroom aroma that I enjoyed.

Immunity soup from True Food Kitchen.

Afterwards, came our main dishes. We were anxious to eat them, but unfortunately, it took longer than usual for the food to come out. We waited a good twenty minutes maybe. When the dishes came out though, boy were we excited. Lindsey ordered the Panang Curry with chicken, and I ordered the Wild Ahi Sliders with two sides of sweet potato mash and kale salad.

Lindsey's Panang Curry from True Food Kitchen.

Wild Ahi Sliders from True Food Kitchen.

I wasn't sure you'd realize how amazing my slider was, so I included a close-up.
Wild Ahi Slider from True Food Kitchen.

The sliders were PERFECT. The meat was cooked amazing, and I love the way it tasted combined with the avocado and sprouts. At first I was a little worried that two measly sliders would not fill me up, but it was the perfect amount of food (maybe even more than enough). Although I have my eyes on other dishes to order for future visits, I am already very tempted to order the sliders for my next ten visits to True Food Kitchen. They are that good. SERIOUSLY. The only part of the plate that was a little unsatisfactory were the two sides. The sweet potato mash was ok in taste, but way too filling. The kale salad was even worse. It was completely drenched in a vinaigrette that was way too vinegar-y for my liking.

Lastly, dessert! I was debating between the Flourless Chocolate Cake and the Almond Olive Oil Cake, so I asked the server, and chose the Chocolate Cake. It was a good decision. Although they ran out of vanilla ice cream, she offered to replace it with any choice of ice cream from their dessert menu, so I quickly decided on pistachio ice cream. Again, it took another good fifteen minutes for it to arrive, but I soon forgot about how long the wait was when I tasted it. The cake was just the right amount of fluffiness and crunchiness. Super yummy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Ice Cream from True Food Kitchen.

As you may be able to guess, I will most definitely return to eat here again. Although a bit on the pricey side, I think it is well worth it considering the serene atmosphere and the quality of the food. The best part is that after finishing dinner, although full, I did not feel weighed down from the food. In other words, the portions are good in that I did not overeat and the content was not overly heavy. And now that I am not groggy from eating too many filling foods, I guess it's about time to start studying for my midterm...

True Food Kitchen

451 Newport Ctr Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 644-2400