I have already talked about Native Foods, but I thought that I could do multiple reviews of restaurants as I make subsequent visits. Click here to see previous posts about Native Foods.
Every Spring, my parents and I make a joint appointment with our accountant to take care of some tax preparation. They have been seeing the same accountant since I was a kid and used to play on the floor of his office during the appointments. We always make lunch plans while we are in the area and last year we went to VegiLicious All Natural Vegan Cafe. While we loved VegiLicious, we decided to try something different. We had made plans to go to Seabirds Kitchen, but at the last minute, I listed some items on the Native Foods menu and my dad was pumped to try it. The Native Foods in Costa Mesa is located in a shopping center called “The CAMP.” It was so cute how every parking space had a little message of affirmation painted on it.
There were a lot of eco-friendly stores, restaurants, juice bars, and other cute establishments. I really wish we had more time before our appointment to explore.
To start, we shared the Butternut Polenta Bites, “pesto baked polenta topped with roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions and toasted pumpkin seeds in balsamic over arugula.” They were tasty, although a little tough to eat without making a mess.
I ordered the Twister Wrap with Crispy Native Chicken. I had been eyeing it on my last few visits and I was excited to try it. It was perfect. I could eat that weekly if I had the budget. I also got my favorite Lavender Lemonade.
My dad ordered the Bistro Steak Sandwich and got a cup of the Watermelon Fresca.
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My mom ordered the Southwest Chipotle Chop and really enjoyed it.
I don’t see how we can get away with trying a new restaurant next year, because they both really loved Native Foods.
I popped into the bathroom before leaving and saw that they use Further soap, distilled from the waste grease from their kitchen. That’s so clever, I don’t know why more places don’t do it.
Native Foods is consistently yummy. I just wish there was one in the Valley!
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On another visit to the Native Foods in Santa Monica, I ordered the Yo Amigo Taco Salad with guacamole. It was delicious and totally hit the spot after recovering from a quick bout of the flu. Bonus: this Native Foods location is one block from Viva La Vegan Grocery.
A Vegan in Progress 