True Food Kitchen is a must-try

Tucked between the brand new parking structure and the side of Macy’s in the fancy new Broadway Plaza is another fashionable restaurant: a friendly hostess, tables scattered everywhere, a kitchen and a cozy patio with extra seating.

And soon enough, this spot will be teeming with Walnut Creek foodies trying to get a reservation.

True Food Kitchen, which was founded in 2008 in Phoenix, has now spread to six states and will be opening up locations in five more over the next couple years.

The reason for its success, I presume, is the trend towards healthy whole food! They say “it’s honest food that tastes really good,” and it really does.

Most of the menu consists of meals that are made up of healthy ingredients to make you feel good. They try to make everything organic and locally sourced because they believe one can eat healthily and sustainably and still have a delicious meal.

I have now visited a couple of times and had two really great meals with friends. One time, I split the roasted Brussels sprouts appetizer, and I ordered the albacore tataki starter and a grapefruit martini, which was delicious!

The second time I went was with a paleo foodie! We split the spaghetti squash casserole and the roasted Brussels sprouts; it was like eating lasagna without the meat. However, she did inquire about the gluten-free pizza and found the crust was made with potato and tapioca – which are not really the best options if someone is really focused on truly clean eating.

The good news is there are a lot of great-tasting gluten-free options and you can decide for yourself. It is a large space and, of course, there was a long lunch wait of almost 50 minutes over the weekend. Both times I sat on the patio as it does not seem as loud. As we walked through the dining room, many tables were empty, so they still need to work on seating and flow.

I would love to hear your thoughts on True Food Kitchen!

Walnut Creek starting to rock the foodie scene

Do you smell that? It must be the eclectic mix of fresh, local dishes and fancy San Francisco-transplanted restaurants that dot the little town of Walnut Creek. It’s no secret anymore: Walnut Creek has become a foodie haven.

In fact, earlier this year, Livability.com ranked Walnut Creek as the 10th-best foodie city, based on the residents preferring independent and locally-owned restaurants over fast food chains (that might explain the disappearance of McDonald’s and Taco Bell over the last few months!).

Also getting a shout-out was The Art and Wine Festival, which draws thousands of visitors every year. From highly-rated stops like Walnut Creek Yacht Club, to the neverending list of new restaurants popping up, Walnut Creek has put itself on the radar among the best food cities in the country.

Is it any wonder that Walnut Creek is getting so much attention for its culinary game when places like Teleferic, Rooftop and Slice House can all pop up within a few months in the same building? A building that is next door to long-time favorites like Tomatina and La Fogata? Just down the block from hip dessert shops like Kara’s Cupcakes and Cream?

Walnut Creek has become an extension of the nearby food meccas of Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco.

It has become the crown jewel for tourists craving good eats in the East Bay. It may not have any restaurants listed in the Yelp Top 100 nationwide, but the Bay Area has a ton.

So if you are looking to expand your epicurean tastes, check out Open Table top 10 Diners’ Choice Winners for the greater Bay Area. We are so lucky to live in this beautiful place and taste the bounty of menus it has to offer.

Calling all Foodies, Walnut Creek’s Restaurant Boom!

Good luck reading this blog and not drooling everywhere. In the most recent issue of Walnut Creek Magazine, they laid out a long list of new restaurants coming to town. Here is a quick run down of twelve new places to eat.

As part of Walnut Creek’s transition from sleepy suburb to must-see Capitol of the East Bay, the already thriving restaurant scene is getting another injection of new, hip hot spots.

First, let’s talk about pizza. As if we weren’t already spoiled by good pizza joints in Walnut Creek, MOD Pizza is moving into The Orchards, Slice House – from the world-famous Tony’s in San Francisco – will set up shop right below Teleferic and Rooftop, and Pizza My Heart will snag Project Pie’s old space on California.

The artist formerly known as Pyramid is going to be (highly-anticipated BBQ joint) Sauced, McCovey’s is turning into brunch king Momo’s, and the Hubcaps team is transforming their space into Broderick Roadhouse.

Lemonade, a SoCal chain that serves fresh California cuisine, is coming to the old La Boulange space, and the aforementioned Rooftop is already enjoying a swell of crowds every night to dine and drink under the stars.

Looking for comfort food among all the fancy feasting joints? Hops & Scotch on Treat Blvd. will bring a restaurant and bar with mac n’ cheese, chicken strips, fried cheese curds and more.

And just to pile on top of the never-ending sushi craze, Kona Grill will enter at The Agora on Main, and also offer burgers and pasta.

Lastly, look for Limon Rotisserie and Lokanta Mediterranean Grill & Bar on Locust St.

Whew … just in time for summer dining!