Ryan Storm
  • Meet Me
    • In The Media
  • Hire Me
    • Public Speaking + Events
    • In-Store Demos
  • My Reviews
Ryan Storm
Connect
Ryan Storm
  • Meet Me
    • In The Media
  • Hire Me
    • Public Speaking + Events
    • In-Store Demos
  • My Reviews

Native Foods

  • January 11, 2015
  • 3 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

[This post is part of a series of reviews from my Winter 2014/15 trip to California]

What can I say about Native Foods? Well, considering the fact that there aren’t many options for healthy eating at restaurants in Palm Springs, we were VERY excited when we enjoyed Native Foods the first time (we ate 3 meals in our week stay there). I wouldn’t say that it’s fine dining, or the finest ambiance, but it’s real food, made fast, and very fresh, served by happy people, featuring LOTS of avocados, which made me very happy!

Usually vegan restaurants cannot accommodate people with nut allergies, but Native Foods was not only willing, but they even provided us with a separate menu that had every allergen marked on it, which is a very good sign, if I might say so. If you know your ingredients, and keep a clean kitchen, you can confidently serve people with all different needs. Although there might be traces, and it’s always a gamble, we were very confident, and they delivered on their promises with a smile.

The menu is large – and there is something for everyone, as long as you are excited and willing to eat a plant-based meal and embrace Native Cheese, Native Chicken and many more “Native” items. I do wish it was all 100% organic, but they certainly use a lot, all while supporting local!

Their salads are HUGE. My mother and sister loved the Mexican Cobb salad so much they had it multiple times. Even the black beans that were plain were great. I thankfully got a few chunks of jicama from their salads, so crisp and palette cleansing! The salads were so big and so fresh that there was often leftovers for the next day. My friend Sandi loved her Ensalada Azteca, chock full of quinoa and mounds of veggies, also including one of my favourite veggies, Jicama with a Mango and lime vinaigrette. My brother loved the nachos (watch out for those jalapenos!) and my friend Ryan enjoyed his Soul Bowl – you can’t believe the mound of dark green kale that was included in this dish!

We don’t eat fried foods at home, and only occasionally when out, but Native “chicken wings” with Buffalo sauce sounded too good to pass up – and ordering them was a real treat and great move! You can order them grilled or crispy (fried) and even my mother, who doesn’t like “mock” anything liked these, as did our friend, Sandi. The spicy Buffalo sauce that they put on the tofu based appetizer hooked us all! My mouth is watering even thinking about them.

I had 3 different things (plus trying everybody else’s dishes each time) in our 3 different meals. First, I had the Crispy Club Sandwich that was served with avocado (of course!), herb crusted native “chicken”, tempeh and many more delicious toppings that came together perfectly and made me very happy – let’s call it amazingness on a multi-grain ciabatta. Not the cleanest of choices, but their dishes are all colourful with lots of fresh ingredients and very enjoyable. The second time I tried an Italian Seitan meatball sub sandwich with marinara sauce, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, pumpkin seed pesto and ranch dressing on a baguette. I thought of chef Doug McNish as I was eating it, as he introduced me to seitan. My third meal was the Scorpion Burger which was blackened tempeh, creamy chipotle sauce, crispy romaine leaves, shredded carrots, avocado and shaved red onion. I am not sure which one of the 3 was my favourite, but they were all things that I would order again.

For those of you who would not want wheat meat, or soy, there are plenty of choices too. They even have great drinks – some lightly sweetened with organic agave or unrefined organic sugar, but most impressively, they had a delicious unsweetened  blueberry hibiscus organic tea. For dinner, organic wine and beer – all vegan also, of course. I tried their Oatmeal Cream Pie for dessert and it was just delicious.

This restaurant was always full, and no one seemed bothered waiting in line since they knew what they would be getting – Good value and truly decent fast food! If you go, just ask them to accommodate you and I bet they will with a smile – how nice is that?

Native Foods has many locations across the USA, but have TONS more locations due to open this year, let’s hope one comes to Toronto.

 

IMG_0334
Read this if you can, their Native creed is very impressive.
IMG_0332
Small with counter service, but efficient, real fast food (and my father photo bombing from inside if you can spot him)
IMG_2455
Asian cucumber salad with black sesame and wakame, although hard to see the seaweed in this picture.
IMG_2454
Roasted beet steak sandwich on sprouted rye toast – love at first bite!
IMG_0330
This is my Scorpion Burger with blackened tempeh and (not enough ever) avocado! Great salad and sweet potato fries.
IMG_0326
For those of you who have been reading my reviews for a while, you will know that one of my biggest pet peeves is when a restaurant promoting sustainable and organic food serves not organic condiments, so this made me happy – and my sister happy too!
IMG_2450
Speaking of happy, I think my brother had a gallon or more of organic, unsweetened blueberry hibiscus tea, watermelon juice and lemonade – all in varying combinations in his forever self-refilling cup. I have NO idea where he puts it all.
IMG_2446
Menu! A big one!
IMG_0322
Did you know that all wine isn’t vegan? Some are made with fish bladders. Ew. Native Foods serves organic and vegan wines. These are not part of the Native free refill deal!
IMG_20141224_131001
Native Foods can accommodate those with allergies! THANK YOU for cleaning the surfaces and utensils and making our meals with special attention!
IMG_20141224_124536
The Mexican Cobb – the white stuff in the top right hand corner is the delicious Jicama, which is hard to find in Toronto. Great combinations of flavours and colours.
IMG_20141224_124431
Nachos – minus the Native Cheese since it’s cashew-based. Watch out for those hot jalapenos, my sister loves spicy, but one nearly burned her mouth off!
IMG_20141224_124427
Buffalo style tofu. YUM.
IMG_20141224_124414
I’m happy here, what more can I say?
IMG_0304
Native!
IMG_20141224_123635
Ensalata Enoteca! Thanks to the Silvers (our friends) for always letting me take pictures of their food, even when they really wanted to dig in!
IMG_0302
Specials come with a free side!

 

 

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
You May Also Like
View
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Uncategorized

Planta Queen

  • admin
  • June 20, 2019
View
  • In the GTA
  • Out of Town
  • Restaurant
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special

Community

  • admin
  • February 18, 2019
View
  • Restaurant
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special
  • Toronto

Away Kitchen on Queen!

  • admin
  • December 19, 2018
View
  • Product
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special
  • Toronto

Guud Hummus!

  • admin
  • December 18, 2018
View
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special
  • Toronto
  • Trade Show

CHFA 2018 – A Decade In The Making!

  • admin
  • November 28, 2018
View
  • Restaurant
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special
  • Toronto

Quetzal

  • admin
  • September 1, 2018
View
  • Farmers' Market
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special
  • Toronto

Shopping For The Best Food: Summer 2018 Edition

  • admin
  • June 21, 2018
View
  • Food Shop
  • Ry's Ratings
  • Ryan Storm Special
  • Toronto

The Big Carrot in the Beaches!

  • admin
  • June 19, 2018
ABOUT ME!
I started reviewing food on my blog at 8 years old. Now I have applied my passion for real food to public speaking, product demos, and convincing people to eat more organic hummus!
Latest Reviews
  • Planta Queen

    • June 20, 2019
    View
  • Community

    • February 18, 2019
    View
  • Away Kitchen on Queen!

    • December 19, 2018
    View
  • Guud Hummus!

    • December 18, 2018
    View
  • CHFA 2018 – A Decade In The Making!

    • November 28, 2018
    View
about

Part of Taste Is Feeling Good About What You Eat

I started reviewing food on my blog at 8 years old. Now I have applied my passion for real food to public speaking, product demos, and convincing people to eat more organic hummus!
  • About Ryan Storm
  • Public Speaking + Events
  • In-Store Demos
  • Press
  • Ry’s Ratings
  • Get In Touch

Input your search keywords and press Enter.