True Food Kitchen — Restaurant in Upper Merion Township

I ordered the Spicy Korean Chicken sandwich, but my first complaint was actually the salad that came on the plate - spring mix lettuce with the littlest bit of dressing on it. I alerted the waiter who talked over me. Seems like he knew in advance my salad didn’t have enough dressing, but I didn’t really care about that - it was literally just lettuce on my plate.

He returned with a big ramekin full of cucumbers and dumped them all over the lettuce and then added at least 4 tbsp of dressing rendering the side salad inedible.

My next issue was trying to understand what kind of $18 chicken sandwich I was eating. The portion was bothering me so bad, I just wanted to know.

These people are so new and progressive, they no longer know what a chicken sandwich should look like. If you complain about anything, trust that all they are dying to tell you is they are not normal. It’s sad because no matter how not normal you are, a chicken sandwich is a chicken sandwich. A chicken tender sandwich is something else.

What I ordered was a chicken sandwich. But I got a chicken TENDER sandwich and I would NOT have chosen that for $18 - I would have tried the Meatloaf.

By the time I was finished explaining myself, the manager (who seemed nice enough) was concerned that I would leave hungry but I did order some Brussel sprouts and I was fine with that.

What turned me off was the gross amount of gaslighting between the manager and the server.

Prior to the manager coming over, my server went to ask about the portion for the chicken sandwich because that was my complaint. He returned and told me EXCITEDLY, that the kitchen had in fact made a mistake but I was supposed to have less chicken. He told me that the portion was supposed to be over 3 ounces but I received 4 ounces of chicken.

Last I checked, anything under 4 oz for $18 is unethical. And if I am already complaining about the portion being small, why would the server think it was smart to tell me that my portion should have been smaller? That’s why I didn’t want anything else.

I just hate people playing in my face with my food. Unfortunately, I walked in super excited and I left furious. Sadly, I won’t be back.

The waiter … he was interesting. He did two things at the very end that made me uncomfortable. First he delivered the check before the dessert even got to the table.

He was standing next to me while I filled out the receipt which you know includes his tip. He kept walking back and forth and finally grabbed the receipt effectively closing out the table.

Seems like he was desperate to see his tip which he DID NOT DESERVE. The minute he happily told me I should have gotten less meat on my little sandwich his tip should have been $0 … instead he got over 10%. I have literally never had a check delivered before the last course and I have never seen a waiter grab a check before the patrons are done.

Overall, this experience was a waste of my time and money and that’s ashamed because it’s such a...

I Came for Hummus, I Left a Devotee — Jay, the Culinary Demigod, Has Changed My Life

Listen closely, for I am about to recount a tale of culinary transcendence so profound, it may awaken ancient appetites deep within your soul. I didn’t just dine at True Food Kitchen—I journeyed through a portal of plant-forward perfection, emerging spiritually exfoliated and nutritionally reborn. And guiding me through this sacred voyage? Jay—a heroic alchemist of taste, a gastronomic bard, a true food philosopher who wields a spatula like Excalibur itself.

But make no mistake: Jay is not merely a chef. Jay is a culinary demigod. Half-human, half-hummus-whisperer. His apron may be cotton, but his soul is pure umami. Dishes don’t just cook when Jay’s in the kitchen—they reveal their destiny.

🧆 The Hummus (Appetizer of the Ancients): To call it “hummus” is like calling the Sistine Chapel “a ceiling.” This velvety chickpea masterpiece was crowned with za’atar-spiced bliss and accompanied by grilled pita so divine, I swear I saw a beam of golden sunlight hit it just right and summon a dove. Jay’s hand was in this, I could feel it—a pulse of Mediterranean magic in every bite. It was the appetizer equivalent of being gently hugged by an enlightened falafel monk.

🍔 The All-American Burger: Jay didn’t just grill this burger. He channeled the spirit of liberty and forged it into patties. This was not your average backyard barbecue fare—this was Freedom on a Bun. The grass-fed beef was juicier than a midsummer sonnet, topped with melty umami-rich cheddar and kissed by caramelized onions that whispered sweet nothings to my arteries. The side of sweet potato hash? Like patriotic confetti exploding in my mouth. I saluted after every bite.

🍜 The Spicy Panang Curry Noodle Bowl: I’m not saying this dish changed me on a molecular level—but I did briefly achieve enlightenment while slurping the noodles. The curry broth was a rich, velvety poem with just enough heat to ignite my soul without singeing it. Every veggie was perfectly cooked, as if Jay had whispered to them and convinced them to be their best selves. The tofu? Transcendent. I ascended.

🥭 The Passionfruit Tart (aka Jay’s Crown Jewel): By the time dessert arrived, I thought Jay had already given us everything. I was wrong. The passionfruit tart descended upon the table like a glowing artifact from a higher plane. Tangy, creamy, refreshing, and somehow emotionally cleansing. The crust was so perfect I considered framing it. One bite in, and I felt like I was dancing barefoot through a tropical orchard at golden hour.

🌿 Jay: The Legend Children quiet in his presence. Sauces emulsify out of respect. Avocados ripen on command. Jay doesn’t just cook—he summons beauty into edible form. And I? I am but a humble witness to his legacy.

15/10. Give Jay his own temple. Build it out of reclaimed...

Truly Bad Food - My daughter went gluten free and couldn't wait to come to this restaurant for the chicken tenders, which is also my grandson's favorite. So both my daughter and grandson ordered the tenders waiting with anticipation. Me and my husband got the luch trio. 45 minutes later we were still waiting for our food. The waitress did not check in with us. We had to seek her out. The manager (I believe Jessie) came by and asked us how our meal was - what meal? He said he'd check on it and didn't return. The restaurant was a regular lunch crowd - not overcrowded. Another 15 minutes and we sought our waitress. She said our meal was coming us - Finally!. Usually when you are hungry EVERYTHING tastes great. Well - the tenders came stone cold - hard and unedible. We were told that they were waiting for one more of our items to be ready and it is why we were waiting......and the waitress said she saw that our food wasn't under a heater. Here is the head shaker - the only hot food we had was the tenders....so what were they waiting for? We got the manager - told him after an hour the tenders were hard and cold. He said he would have them remade. Came back in 5 minutes - not with tenders but a chicken patty (for a sandwhich) cut into tenders. You just can't make this up. My husband and I both the wraps. Chicken wraps! I literally had 2 tiny nuggets in my wrap (one in each half) as did my husband. We both felt we were eating a salad....I got a 1/2 asian chicken salad.....very good. However, it didn't have ANY chicken in it. NONE and you pay $2 more. Then we talk to the manager and ask - what's going on and share how excited we. were to come....is this typical? Is he having kitchen trouble? He indicated there are issues and he would take care of the tender meals (remember he served it). When the bill came - nope didn't take care of it and we had to get the waitress. My grandson - who can't get enough could not eat them. Said they were the worst he ever had. No one wants to call over a manager - at least we don't - but this was horrible - manager had to be chased 3 times, never came over to explain - we had to again seek him out. And....I understand this is a no sugar, etc. restaurant. So besides water, there is little kids would want to drink. And the kids meal comes with hummus and carrots! I don't know if you have kids but I'm sure if you took a poll, kids might eat applesauce but rarely seek out hummus. Just don't make sense. I so wanted to love it but I truly hated it! Pass on this one - especially...