True Food Kitchen - An Arizona-Chain and "Anti-Inflammatory" Restaurant Featuring Healthy Ingredients

[John William G]

I received a gift card for True Food Kitchen in the Mosaic District. I’ve never been there, but their menu looks interesting. If you’ve eaten there, what would you recommend? Or recommend I avoid?

[DonRocks]

On 6/19/2016 at 3:24 PM, John William G said:

I received a gift card for True Food Kitchen in the Mosaic District.  I’ve never been there, but their menu looks interesting. If you’ve eaten there, what would you recommend? Or recommend I avoid?

I've heard some criticisms of True Food Kitchen, but for my one meal there, I liked it, and almost went back a second time. They serve a lot of healthy items (kale, quinoa, etc.), so it can come across as gimmicky and boring, but I thought my food's preparation was very pleasant - my advice is to study the menu online (currently, they have their Spring menu, which I assume will turn to Summer shortly):

TrueFoodSpringMenu.pdf

See what "reads" good, and go from there. Their concept seems to be "guilt-free, repeat dining," like Seasons 52, except True Food is better and more serious. It's a chain, but it does seem to be "chef-driven" and certainly "ingredient-driven." I look forward to going back, but I can't recommend one single thing - slabs of protein are probably good to get here, because the sides will tend to be healthy. I'm a little surprised we don't have a thread for it ... I stumbled upon it one day, and went in randomly - I wasn't blown away or anything, but I was pretty impressed, and there's nothing keeping me away for a second visit.

If you eat a normal diet, get something that sounds somewhat normal, such as the Street Tacos with Grass-Fed Steak, which will still contain some "health-food annoyances," but be within the realm of normalcy. 

Honestly, I'm not sure this concept can succeed in the DC area, because most people just aren't ready for this kind of "out there" restaurant yet, but unlike a lot of other health-food concepts, you can walk out of True Food feeling satisfied.  

I should add that I went not long after they first opened, and they probably had an opening crew in place.

[pras]

Also coming to Bethesda (per Bethesda Magazine).

[B.A.R.]

Ive eaten at the Mosaic location perhaps a half-dozen times. Always had a good meal (and drinks)

 

[pras]

I was invited to the Bethesda location for the soft opening.  The official opening date i s Wednesday June 14.  Although there were some rough spots with the service, which is to be expected, especially during a soft open, we were very pleased with the experience.  Like Don said above, it does seem gimmicky, but the food really was very good and healthy. It is a very exciting place for a vegan or vegetarian (all but one desert is vegan).  The food is very flavorful and beautifully presented.  Of special note, the crudites bowl is very underplayed on the menus, but is a beautiful dish, displayed like a flower arrangement.  We are very excited to eat here again, hopefully very soon.

[MarkS]

We have been to the Annapolis location.  Food is solid and reasonably healthy.  Each time there we left feeling full but not stuffed or regretting what we ate.  A god place to meet up with friends as they offer a good range of dishes.