True Food Kitchen: Wholesome And Delicious Food Hits Atlanta

Attempting to enjoy a healthy, wholesome meal at a new restaurant is pretty much hit or miss these days. Then there's True Food Kitchen. The restaurant follows the same anti-inflammatory diet and pyramid outlined in Dr. Andrew Weil's national bestselling book "True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure," with the ultimate goal being to provide food that is both good for you and delicious to you.

Aesthetically speaking, True Food's newest location in Atlanta's trendy Lenox Mall, is Green Restaurant Certified ingenious. Bright and vibrant in shades of pungent green, yellow, and white with natural wood accents, the eatery takes great advantage of recyclables for use in the chairs, floors made from reclaimed wood, and menus printed from postconsumer fibers and other renewable resources; the take out containers are compostable and the water is purified through a water system versus bottle waste.

In addition to a menu of wines, beers, and cocktails, a long list of non-alcoholic beverages ranging from $4-6 is offered. Titles include Kale-Aid with kale, apple, cucumber, celery, lemon, and ginger; Hangover RX with coconut water, pineapple, vanilla, and orange juice, and pomegranate limeade with lime juice, evaporated cane sugar, Pom Juice, and chia seeds. Of them all, Medicine Man—an antioxidant blast of sea buckthorn, pomegranate, blueberry, and cranberry juices all anchored by black tea and a splash of soda offers amazing taste as well as nutritional benefits. The watermelon lemonade, sweetened with honey, is as refreshing as it gets on a summer day, not to mention the alkaline benefits of watermelon. 

Luckily, the best news of all about True Food is the food itself. From the list of nearly 10 intriguing starters ranging from miso soup, to salmon dip, to edamame dumplings, the standouts included the caramelized onion tart: a sensational flat bread with smoked garlic and savory gorgonzola cheese sweetened with black fig, as well as the albacore tataki made up of a tender slice of tuna in a lime ponzu with sliced chunks of daikon radish, avocado, cucumber, and scallions. The flavors merge together perfectly, as do the textures harnessed by the tartness of the lime and the heat of the ponzu.

Salads are also plentiful. Options range from a Tuscan kale, heirloom tomato, and watermelon to a Mediterranean chopped, and a chicken chopped salad. There is also pizza, including brilliant Margharita, with a classic thin crust and mozzarella, organic tomatoes, and fresh basil, while the chicken sausage pie within tomatoes, fennel, and Fontina cheese creates a huge explosion of harmony in your mouth.

Sandwiches and breakfast items for weekend brunch are served beginning at 10am, and the list includes an entire host of other nutrition conscious, tastebud-pleasing options. However, the show stops with one entrée in particular: the Panang curry. With a choice of tofu, chicken, or shrimp, it will leave you feeling as if you're in Thailand. Carrots, snap peas, broccoli, and other vegetables are combined in a rich and luscious curry sauce adorned with coconut milk for a truly authentic flavor that practically makes you want to get out of your seat and dance. Sure, there are other items such as street tacos, spaghetti squash casserole, grilled steelhead salmon, turkey lasagna, and red chili shrimp, all of which may be equally as delicious, but the Panang curry is the must-try item.