Walking into True Food Kitchen at Santa Monica Place, you’re greeted with planter boxes filled with fresh herbs, a living wall blooming next to the hostess stand and expansive ceilings with exposed beams, but it’s the menu that illuminates True Food Kitchen’s commitment to sophisticated, sustainable and healthy cuisine.
Chef Michael Stebner, helms the kitchen that offers a globally inspired menu—with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options—that spans from drinks to dessert. Start with any one of many natural drinks like the cucumber refresher (cucumber, honey lemonade), hangoverRX (cocoanut water, orange juice, pineapple), or the natural (fresh ginger, agave and soda). Menu musts for lunch include the pillowy edamame dumplings with daikon radish and white truffle oil; shiitake & tofu lettuce cups with ginger, cashew and toasted garlic; Andy’s favorite “TLT” (tempeh, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mayo and whole grain bread), Alaskan halibut tacos and Tuscan kale salad. Dinner brings slightly heartier dishes including miso-glazed black cod, roasted chicken, grass fed Wagyu steak tacos and Panang curry. A variety of pizzas are available for lunch and dinner, while desserts include: chocolate pudding, flowerless chocolate cake, strawberry-rhubarb crisp and banana-chocolate tart. The Santa Monica location also features a full bar with an array of specialty cocktails, craft beer and sake offerings, in addition to wine selections that are chosen based on the wineries’ commitment to organic, sustainable farming practices.
True Food Kitchen is open daily for lunch and dinner, including brunch on the weekends. Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 172, Santa Monica, 310.593.8300. TrueFoodKitchen.com