Denver just became one of six lucky cities to have a True Food Kitchen -- ahead of New York, Chicago and San Francisco. True Food was created by Dr. Andrew Weill, best-selling author on health and healing.
We've been friends since he was a Harvard Med School student, and he's always been the best cook I know. Now, with two partners, he's created a restaurant that serves organic local food that tastes delicious, doesn't make you fat, boosts your health and immune system, and doesn't empty your wallet. Sounds impossible, right?
Wrong.
They've opened three of these in California, two in Arizona, and number six opens this week in Cherry Creek.
At a trial opening, I gorged my way through the menu and would especially recommend dishes you've probably never eaten:
- Edamame dumplings, filled with mashed soy beans the consistency of whipped potatoes, floating in white truffle oil.
- Autumn ingredient salad: tiny pieces of roasted squash, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts mixed with mulberries and pomegranate, in a horseradish vinaigrette that delivers a joyful blast to your senses.
- Shirataki noodles, made from Asian tubers so they're gluten free and low in carbs and calories. You can order them in green curry or with red chili shrimp.
There's no bread that lands on the table to fatten and fill you, and what I love is that a vegan guy and meat-eating girl can find happiness here. If your party includes a vegetarian, a person who can't eat gluten, one who eats high protein and low-carb and another on the Ornish diet, there's something great for them all, clearly marked.
My sole complaint is that it's noisy. Dr. Weil agrees -- loud noise is not good for digestion or relaxed conversation -- but when he told his partners that people were unhappy with the noise, they asked: "How old are they?" Weil had to concede: over 30. He says it would take a tsunami of young diners to persuade the group to abate the noise, which, unfortunately, has become a national trend. Restaurant owners feel insecure unless their places are noisy. So please weigh in with your comments -- about the noise and the True Food food.