True Food Kitchen — Restaurant in Newport Beach

Vanessa D. and I met for brunch here today. Finally, I get to try this place out and see what all the hype is about. My cousin is all about healthy eating and this place is right up her alley. We tried to make reservations but apparently, they don't take reservations for parties less than 8 people. We arrived at 11:50 am and waited about 10 minutes for a table. Not too bad. However, as we were seated, I noticed that there were quite a number of tables in a section that were open. Maybe that's the section that they use for reserved parties. The restaurant is designed with an open kitchen feel. It's airy, bright, and very modern. The place screams healthy. The salt and pepper grinders on the table were a nice touch as well.

We ordered the cucumber kumquat skinny margarita and the medicine man drink to start. For an appetizer we ordered the onion tart. The tart was more like a flatbread with bits of roasted garlic, caramelized onions, figs, and cheese. It was delicious! Despite being a small portion, it was perfect with the sweetness and saltiness of the ingredients married together with each bite. I ordered the vegetable scramble and V ordered the Greek frittata. Both dishes were vegetarian, but so good that we didn't miss the meat. My scramble was chock full of vegetables. The sweet potato hash was incorporated into the dish as were bits of red onion. Our waitress brought out a dish of chili paste per our request so that we could spice up our food as we saw fit. I finished every single bite.

For dessert we opted for the flourless chocolate cake, with the ice cream on the side since V can't eat ice cream. More for me! The chocolate cake was the size of the small cupcake but every bite was decadent, especially in the caramel sauce and ice cream. I was a happy camper. True Food serves delicious food in small portions. I'd say the right portions since we shouldn't overeat. Don't expect Claim Jumper portions, but rather the right portions for your money. This place will not cause obesity. It's healthy food, done right. I like the philosophy and it's about time SoCal got an infusion of healthy, responsible,...

Local Vegetable Crudites served with Two Dips of Tzatziki and Black Olive. The colorful presentation of vegetables were fresh and crisp. The sweet peppers were crunchy and sweet. The green beans had a nice snap and were vibrant in color and flavor. The cucumbers were just as crisp and refreshing. The tzatziki sauce was reminiscent of a ranch dressing dip and complemented the vegetable medley.

Thai Shrimp Dumplings with basil, mint, & jalapeno. These little dumplings were awesome! The shrimp was perfectly cooked, crisp and flavorful. The basil, mint, and jalapeno played nicely with the palate yet let the shrimp flavor shine through. These would be great in the winter time as part of an Asian noodle soup.

Asparagus & Artichoke Pizza topped with smoked mozzarella, sweet onion, and oregano. This was not my favorite. There was something a little too sweet on it, not sure if it was a sauce on the pizza or just the sweet onion. The asparagus was not cooked enough and was a bit too crunchy for me, almost like raw broccoli. The crust was pretty good – chewy interior with a slight crispy exterior.

Tuscan Kale Salad tossed with lemon, parmesan, and bread crumb. This was absolutely fabulous! You’ll definitely have an OMG moment or two! The vibrant, mineral-rich, green flavor of the fresh kale is tamed by the tartness of lemon, and balanced with the saltiness of parmesan. I could have eaten a whole plate of this delectable salad all by myself. I would definitely order this again!

All Natural Steak Tacos topped with avocado, cotija cheese, tomatillo salsa, red onion, cabbage and tomatoes. The steak was tender like a good carne asada. The toppings worked well making it a flavor packed, yet healthy taco. I believe the tortillas were whole wheat which added another layer of flavor to this dish.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp topped with vanilla ice cream. The rhubarb was a bit overbearing on this dessert, a little sour for my taste, but appealing to those who love rhubarb. The crisp topping helped tone down the sourness a little. The ice cream was a little disappointing perhaps because it had melted a bit much...

This place was delicious! I am dabbling, and that's being gracious, in healthy eating. A friend and I decided to take the drive out to the Newport Center location and try this place out. I was torn whether to get the grilled chicken avocado wrap or the grass fed steak tacos. Ultimately I decided to nix the red meat so I got the chicken wrap. The pita wrap tasted so fresh, like they must have made it that day. The chicken was perfectly grilled and not an ounce of fat on it. All the flavors of cucumber, avocado, and the lemon-oregano vinaigrette went together perfectly! I would get this a hundred times over if I wasn't so excited to try other things on their menu. Oh yeah, I also sampled my friends spaghetti squash casserole, and it was super flavorful and delicious. Either I'm going to get that next time, or do the steak tacos. We shall see! Last tidbit....the ambience was beautifully done, comfortable, and welcoming during this pandemic. Our server was attentive and very friendly. I definitely recommend this place, and will most likely be writing another review in the next month because I can't wait to try something else here!

UPDATE* Without writing another long review, I came to enjoy more of the delicious food. I got the steak taco and the lasagna bolognese. It was sooo good! You could taste the quality of the steak, and it really needed no condiments at all. The lasagna...well every ingredient in there was perfection. Too bad it's only on the fall menu because I would get this more often than not. So far I've tried quite a few things and have yet to find something I didn't LOVE. I'm looking forward to my next visit so I can try the burger! I also had a non-alcoholic cocktail....The Cape to be precise. I was driving so I knew I couldn't drink, but I did have a sip of my friends alcoholic version and they told me they could make it for me without the alcohol. The service here has been awesome every time! I asked for you Nancy, but you weren't in. Bummer...maybe next time lol I did speak with another manager and she was super helpful and a pleasure...