Tar and Roses: Eating through the Garden

My cousin Barbara was coming from Pasadena to celebrate her 50^th birthday with us so I wanted to pick a special restaurant.  After numerous raves from clients I chose Tar and Roses in Santa Monica.

After making a reservation I looked over the menu and had some hesitation, since it was not the standard fare but decided to be adventurous and give it a try.

We arrived at 5:30 on Sunday and were promptly seated on the outdoor “patio” area, which is actually enclosed with a glass ceiling.  The room had a cool feel and fun vibe, especially during the golden hour.

Our waiter Joe greeted us as if he had known us and gave us a guided tour through the menu. He explained their “snacks” which are tiny bites of things, “smalls” which are considered appetizer portions, “veggies” which are appetizer plates of different vegetables with interesting combinations of spices and additives, and “large” items, which are entrée portions with various sides.

We decided to try several items and share.  We ordered roasted beets with feta and tarragon, cauliflower with pine nuts and lemon, king trumpet mushrooms with soft egg and rosemary, ricotta gnocchi with asparagus (all small and veggie dishes), and then 2 large plates:  wild king salmon with roasted tomato, eggplant, artichokes and peppers, and pork tenderloin with creamed corn, kale and smoked peach.

I am not a beet lover but have to say the roasted beets with feta looked like they were fresh out of the garden, roasted perfectly with a hint of tarragon and embellished with feta.

The ricotta gnocchi were as our waiter said – little “puffs of heaven” – teeny, tiny with only 3 each to share but worth every little bite.  The cauliflower and mushrooms were tasty and fresh.

The salmon came with a tomato sauce, which was new and interesting and perfectly cooked.  The roasted peppers, eggplant and artichoke accompaniment was exceptional.  I did not end up tasting the pork but the creamed corn, kale and smoked peach taste I had was memorable on all taste bud levels.

For a birthday treat they brought us Strawberries seasoned with thyme on a thin bed of ricotta, atop a flakey pastry coupled with honeycomb ice-cream.  It was pure bliss.  Who would have thought to season strawberries with Thyme?

Johnnie the manager came around a few times during the dining experience asking for honest feedback –something you don’t see too often at restaurants in general.  They are really interested in providing fresh wholesome healthy food with flare.

When we left I felt extremely satisfied but not bloated, and happy to have tried some new fun interesting combinations.  Although I had a few more carbs than I normally eat, I had no physical repercussions showing how fresh their food is.

If you want to go to a cool hip place where everyone is craning their necks to see what other people are ordering, give Tar and Roses a try.  I know we can’t wait to go back and try the rest of their menu. 

“The Damage” as they say when you receive your check may be a little high but it’s worth every penny.

My rating system is below and these are the numbers (out of 5)

1. Clean Food (sampled) – 4 (no grass-fed meat)

2. Clean Space – 5

3. Friendly Staff – 5+

4. Balanced proportions of protein/carb/fat – 4.5

5. No Food Hangover – 4.5

Tar and Roses got a 4.75/5

Boulettes Larder at the Ferry Building

This past weekend I was in San Francisco for my annual diabetes conference and was beyond excited to go back to my most favorite restaurant of all time – Boulettes Larder.  I do a fair number of restaurant reviews for “clean eating” restaurants but never have I found such amazing flavorful, sustainable food within a warm setting.  And everyone in the restaurant from the patrons to the kitchen workers seem happy to be there and in sync with those around them.  It is a well-balanced environment that is very harmonious.

Jeffrey and I elected to sit at the community farm table to enjoy the kitchen action and Bay view to savor our long awaited lunch.

We started with cauliflower and parsnip soup, which had little dots of apple cider vinegar on top.  The mix of vegetable/root vegetable was a hit and the vinegar gave it the right tartness to balance the soup.  I rarely order soup in a restaurant since after one taste I’m salted out but this was light, perfectly flavored and filling.

Next I had to choose an entrée, which was hard given all the choices, but with the help of our waiter Cole I selected the braised lamb shoulder with citrus zest, saffron and rosemary carrots and cauliflower.  The lamb was lean and fell off the bone in a wonderful tasty broth that was pure comfort food – perfect for the sunny yet nippy weather outside.

It reminded me of those pictures you see in a magazine of the perfect stew that looks amazing but is hard to replicate yourself. 

Jeffrey chose the boneless chicken breast with sautéed spinach and spicy lentils.  The chicken was perfectly cooked and the spinach/lentil combo was refreshing and new.  He could not stop talking about the flavors and how his meal kept the perfect temperature from start to finish.

One unique touch I have not seen other places is that Chef Amaryll Schwertner assembles and oversees every plate of food that leaves the kitchen – maybe one reason why their food is flawless.

If you read my reviews you know I rarely have dessert but this is one place dessert is an absolute must.

After laboring, we decided on the olive oil ice-cream apple cake.  It was a hardy, thick cake with homemade ice-cream and baked apples – not too sweet and just the right size and balance of all 3 so the carb content did not leave you feeling bloated or like you really went south on your diet.

At the end of the meal Jeffrey thought there was something odd underneath the table and reached down to pick up the “coat” and then we noticed it was a dog – a Hungarian sheep dog named Boulette with chocolate dreadlocks– she was there the whole time and just hangs out and sleeps while the customers enjoy their food.

If you happen to be going to San Francisco this is one you don’t want to miss – open for breakfast and lunch only. 

This lunch coupled with all the delightful treats in the Ferry Building make a wonderful addition to a SF retreat.

Ask to sit at the community table so you can enjoy the food and action and tell owner Lori Regis I said hello.  You will not be disappointed – I’m just disappointed B/L is not in Los Angeles…but then again it would not have the same wonderful feel it does in San Francisco.

My rating system is below and these are the numbers.

1. Clean Food (sampled) – 5

2. Clean Space – 5

3. Friendly Staff – 5+

4. Balanced proportions of protein/carb/fat – 5

5. No Food Hangover – 5

Boulettes Larder got a 5 – highest I’ve ever rated a restaurant!

Clean Indian Food in Santa Monica

Jeffrey and I wanted to celebrate finding a new puppy today and go out for a pre Valentines dinner since the cost and going out that night is prohibitive.  We were running some errands near Main Street and the sign for Dhaba caught Jeffrey’s eye.

“I really feel like Indian food.”  I previously blogged about Dhaba restaurant takeout in my SELF blogs and had wanted to try it again so I thought “why not?”

The restaurateurs’ could not be friendlier.  If you want a great vibe of fun, friendliness and tasty food go to Dhaba.  You can order things a la carte or as a dinner.  We decided to order a la carte for the blog to try the more items.

We ordered an appetizer of hummus with cucumber/tomato/onion combo and some naan.  The hummus was different than traditional Middle Eastern hummus – thinner but just as tasty and went well with the vegetable dish.  I had a few bites of naan but it really was fine without it if you are avoiding bread/gluten.

We then ordered channa masala (garbanzo beans with onion/tomato curry/ginger), the special of the day, which was Kale with garlic/radish, and tikka masala (chicken tikka in onion/tomato curry).

The channa masala was my favorite – the combo of spices and beans is amazing and kills the appetite fairly quickly if you are looking to eat less.  I’m passing this along as a good thing since eating less is always challenging.

The Kale was a nice change from regular west side kale salad – quite spicy and filling.  The tikka masala chicken was just the right balance of protein with veggies and spices.  I had some chai tea, which had a wonderful taste and is a tad sweet but goes well with the balancing the spices.

I noticed a family which had ordered the dinner combinations and they reminded me of the “lunch box” look you get when you order at a Japanese restaurant – a fun combo of a lot of different things on the menu.

I would definitely recommend Dhana as a great “Clean Eating” Indian restaurant to add to your list to try.  They have organic local produce from the Farmer’s markets and use mostly organic meats.

My rating system is below and these are the numbers.

1. Clean Food (sampled) – 4.5

2. Clean Space – 5

3. Friendly Staff – 5+

4. Balanced proportions of protein/carb/fat – 4

5. No Food Hangover – 4.5

Dhana got a 4.6/5

Lunch at Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop in Century City

One of Jeffrey’s friends Lance told me about a new lunch place in Century City a few months back.  Since Lance is a bit of a foodie I had recommended it to a few clients based on the menu and selection but decided it was time to try it for myself.

Friday was the day and although gloomy for pictures it fit the schedule so Jeffrey and I headed to Century City for lunch. Greenleaf is a welcome to restaurant poor Century City for those who want a quick healthy lunch without having to take the time to sit at a fancy hotel.   They offer a selection of salads, sandwiches, healthy pizzas and a few entrees.

Greenleaf has a clean industrial looking feel without pretention.  Their mission is using recycled and compostable products to help with the environment.  Chef Kristi Ritchey is committed to healthy living and helping create a menu based on her own journey of losing over 100 pounds after a health scare.

Ahead of time I decided I wanted to try their most popular “Antioxidant Salad” since it contained a mix of veggies, fruits, and nuts.  It normally comes with blue cheese and Agave walnuts but I substituted sliced almonds and one of their other cheese options – the herb crusted goat cheese.

Although Agave is currently the rave I don’t recommend it based on its high fructose (85%) content, which has more fructose than HFCS.  One great thing about Greenleaf is substitution is easy and they have lots of other nuts or seeds that are raw and plain.

I also chose the Lemongrass chicken salad since it sounded the most interesting with mixed baby greens, grilled chicken, pineapple, jicama, and toasted coconut.

The sides I selected were the quinoa Salad, green lentils, Tuscan kale salad and tuna salad.

Although pizza is not something I normally recommend Greenleaf uses crust a very thin whole-wheat tortilla as the “crust” so I selected the wild mushroom and truffle pizza.

My favorite was the Lemongrass salad – the taste of sweet from the pineapple, savory from the spices all mixed together for a very satisfying meal.  I would have liked to see a little more protein/chicken on this salad but all in all it is excellent.

The Antioxidant salad is great for achieving for “5 fruits and veggies” for the day all in one meal.  I would have liked more cheese (only one slice came on it) but great look, presentation and taste.

My favorite of the small salads was a surprise – the green lentils, which had an amazing tangy and refreshing taste I would order again.  The Tuscan Kale salad had a strong lemon punch and very satisfying with some shaved Parmesan cheese.  The tuna salad tasted fresh and had great crunch from the slices of carrots in it.

The pizza tasted pretty phenomenal and is a great way to get your “fix” without ordering the usual kind.  The “crust” is so thin it is almost a holder for the ingredients of arugula, Parmesan cheese and mushrooms with truffle oil.

They have meat, chicken and fish, which are “hormone-free.” Although the fish is not wild, the meat is not grass-fed and the chicken is not organic I’m sure this is probably due to cost and wanting to provide organic produce is the main ingredient in their selections.

My rating system is below and these are the numbers.

1. Clean Food (sampled) – 4

2. Clean Space – 4.5

3. Friendly Staff – 3.75

4. Balanced proportions of protein/carb/fat – 3

5. No Food Hangover – 4

Greenleaf gourmet chopchop got a 3.8/5