endless color topanga

I love a local, neighborhood spot. Even better if it serves vibrant, deli and flavorful food! Endless Color Topanga is just that and more, serving up wood-fired pizzas and organic market plates, along with a nice selection of biodynamic wines and beer & hard kombucha on tap! They have a lovely outdoor patio where you can enjoy your eats, and hang with friends over a drink. What’s even more fun is the ambiance inside the joint- they have a stellar selection of records for sale. So feel free to peruse the albums while you wait for you pie.

The fresh, organic, market-driven plates vary by the season, and are on display when you order, so pick a few that look good to nosh on while your pizza is cooking. The brussels sprous with citrus and the roasted rainbow carrots are always a good move. When it comes to pizza, I’m a fan of the Super Greens, which comes loaded with spinach, leeks, mozzarella, goat & cheep cheese, or the Zucchini, which is a tasty combo of zucchini, confit tomatoes, goat cheese, fennel fronds, mint & arugula. Yum! They also serve classics like pepperoni and margherita for the purists out there. At Endless Color, all the pizza dough is made in-house using 100% Dark Northern Spring Wheat (grown in the deep volcanic soil of the Pacific Northwest), and is fermented for 72 hours to give it that perfectly crisp, yet chewy texture. And if you’re gluten-free, fret not- they also offer a gluten free dough using heirloom rice and millet flours, which is fermented for 24 hours! Don’t skip the homemade (gluten free!) cookies either! I’m partial to the double chocolate with cashew, or oatmeal with golden raisins & walnuts :)

For the longest time, Endless Color was only open in the late afternoon/evenings, which I thought was somewhat of a missed opportunity given the lack of decent food options in Topanga (but also understandable given the state of the world…). I’m happy to report that they’re now open all day, and plan to launch a full on breakfast and lunch menu soon! For now, I love stopping in for a coffee and pastry on my morning commute. Yay for delicious local spots!


nectarine grove

If you’re looking for fresh, flavorful, and healthy eats in the Encinitas or San Diego area, I definitely recommend checking out Nectarine Grove. Everything here happens to be gluten-free, in case that’s of interest to you. But after dining al fresco recently with my family, we found delish eats to meet please everyone’s palates. Nectarine Grove churns out food created with intent, love & your health in mind. Whether you’re paleo, vegan, keto, a health food enthusiast, or you just like good food, I bet you’ll find something up your alley. From grass-fed burgers to falafel tacos to roasted veggie bowls with butternut noodles, there were tasty eats for the whole fam to enjoy. I love that they use fresh, organic, local, and sustainable ingredients- that quality is really evident in each prepared dish. Everything was so tasty and flavorful! Nectarine Grove also has an impressive amount of beverages on tap- take your pick from nitro coffee and kombucha to biodynamic wines and gluten free beers! Yum! I can’t wait to go back and try some of their smoothies and baked goods soon- that cinnamon roll is calling my name!

xi'an famous foods

Let’s talk about a classic New York spot for delicious, fast-casual Chinese food, shall we? Xi’an Famous Foods, which has several locations around the city, is super popular for good reason. The chain of restaurants focuses on Western Chinese fare, and I’m particularly fond of their hand-ripped (or pulled) noodles! They’re perfectly tender yet chewy, and come offered in a variety of sauces and soups (think stewed oxtail, spicy beef, & pork belly). I’m partial to the spicy cumin lamb version: Xi’an’s wide hand-ripped biangbiang noodles topped with sauteed slices of spicy cumin lamb, seasoned with a proprietary sauce consisting of soy sauce and vinegar, and served in lamb broth. BRB, drooling!

For a tasty vegetarian option, definitely check out the spicy & sour spinach dumplings. These are classic boiled Chinese dumplings, stuffed with a filling of ground spinach, eggs, wood-ear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles, and then wrapped with green flour wrappers made with spinach juice. They’re served in a sour and spicy sauce, and garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds- yes please! The spicy cumin lamb burger is another fave of mine- a bit different than your traditional burger, of course, but delicious nonetheless. I’m a big fan of the warm & crispy flatbread-like bun it comes on. Pro tip- get an order of the spicy cucumber salad, and add some to the burger for an extra flavorful meal! If you’re craving Asian cuisine in NYC, I highly recommend checking out Xi’an Famous Foods for a quick, comforting and satisfying meal.

trilogy sanctuary

On a recent day trip down to San Diego with the fam, we got to spend time with one of my best friends and eat some tasty vegan food in the process. I’d heard great things about Trilogy Sanctuary, a cute vegan cafe and yoga studio in La Jolla, so was pumped to check it out. We sat outside on the rooftop deck, overlooking Trilogy’s setup for Aerial Yoga (which looks both super intimidating yet relaxing at the same time), and enjoyed fresh, healthy, yet satisfying meal. The menu is huge- I already want/need to go back to try out more things- but once I finally narrowed it down, I decided on the raw coconut wrap filled with tasty things like roasted butternut squash, avocado and tahini drizzles, along with a green smoothie full of apple, avocado, cucumber parsley, fennel, ginger, and lime! Zingy and delicious! My hubby, an avid meat-eater, ordered the Beet Burger with fries, and chowed down. I think he just wishes it were bigger, as per usual… My bestie went the cauliflower route, and I have to say her buffalo cauliflower wings and cauliflower crust pizza were super impressive and flavorful as well! I definitely need to come back soon for a dessert sampling: the raw carrot cake, jumbo peanut butter cup, and warm fudgy brownie with date caramel are all calling my name! And who knows, maybe I’ll even try Aerial Yoga?!

atrium

When I think about #BrunchGoals, Atrium in Los Feliz immediately comes to mind. Both the atmosphere and eats are stellar, which is super important for the makings of memorable brunch! The light-flooded restaurant has a gorgeous- you guessed it- atrium in the center, opening up to a breezy, round bar down below. The entire place is bright and cheery, and I just love all the lush greenery they have growing on display. Now onto the eats- there’s pretty much something to satisfy any and all cravings on this menu. From the light and fresh seeded maple granola to the fully loaded crispy smashed potatoes, you’re guaranteed to find something up your alley. I was all about my (better-than-average) avocado toast on chewy focaccia, and the heirloom cornmeal waffle with whipped burrata and guava jam did not disappoint either! Be sure to snag an order of freshly baked biscuits- the salted honey butter is the perfect complement to those fluffy delights! Scroll through the slideshow to check out the rest of our meal, and definitely stop by Atrium the next time you’re on the east side!

verdine

Ok, y’all. I have a lot of praise to sing about Verdine. Not only is this spot serving up some super fresh and flavorful plant-based food in Houston, Texas, but it was opened by none other than my best friend! Chef Stephanie Hoban launched Ripe Cuisine a few years ago, and what started out as a humble farmers market stand soon grew into a popular food truck, and has now been relaunched as a successful (and beautiful!) brick and mortar restaurant! To say I’m proud of my bestie is a huge understatement. Now, although I love my veggies, I’m no vegan; nor is anyone in my family. However, that doesn’t stop us from enjoying all the plant-based eats that Steph whips up on a regular basis. Verdine satisfies herbivores and omnivores alike- there’s truly something for everyone! The menu changes seasonally, and there’s always some fun globally-inspired dishes to try. I’m partial to the Spinach Dosa, filled with hearty turmeric potatoes & green lentils, and served with a zesty cilantro-peanut chutney! Equally delish is the Beet Falafel Bowl, a take on a classic hit from her food truck. Drizzle tahini sauce on anything, and I’m a happy camper ;) You obviously can’t go wrong with her signature Bistro Burger, which features a housemade organic lentil-walnut-mushroom patty and cashew “chevre” cheese! Just don’t forget to order a side of sweet potato fries (served with raisin-sweetened ketchup!). If you’re in the mood for tacos, you must try her slow-cooked & smoked jackfruit carnitas. They’re bright and just bursting with flavor thanks to the roasted corn salsa and chipotle aioli. Yum! Trust me, you won’t leave hungry or unsatisfied after a plain ‘ol boring salad- but you won’t leave feeling uncomfortably full and weighed down either. Getting to enjoy tasty, vibrant eats while also doing good for the planet while you’re at it? Win-win! Next time I’m in town, I have to get back to try her cauliflower crust pizzas at dinner too! I absolutely cannot wait!