Wednesday, May 25, 2011

No. 194: Fresheast (West Hollywood)

Exterior
As much as I like Tender Greens (and I'm still stoked about its upcoming Pasadena opening), I'm so thrilled that West Hollywood has got another healthful fast-casual option - fresheast. And as an added bonus, they are pretty earth-friendly too, using recyclable & biodegradable serving ware (I'm digging the palm leaf plates!)
Miso-Glazed Chicken w Quinoa
One of my favorite dishes there is the Miso Grilled Chicken; yes, my eyes initially glazed over too when I saw the "miso glaze" on the menu, but this is far from the cloyingly thick & sugary sauce @ most places. It's more delicate and refined, with light notes of umami and just a smidgen of sweetness, which works well on the freshly-grilled Jidori chicken thigh pieces that had a pleasantly light crispy char on the outside with an impeccably juicy and moist interior.

And stir-fried vegetables are worth shouting out for too,as they were perfectly cooked, retaining a delightful snappy crunch and its bright-and-vibrant flavors (unlike so many vegetable sides that are overcooked to a bland, soggy mess.) Also love the option to pick your own starch (and the fluffy, poppity quinoa is worth paying the little extra for.) In short, a well-balanced meal that's wholesome, flavorful, affordable and convenient!

And while the miso grilled chicken is one of my consistent faves there; at a media dinner a few months back I also sampled other tasty-yet-healthy fare, including:
Palak Paneer w Brown Rice
Palak Paneer w Red Lentil Daal and Quinoa - one of the better palak paneers around town, it's aromatic without going overboard on the spices (i.e. you can still taste the spinach!) and the paneer are just fluffy, heavenly cubes of cheesiness.
Goa Shrimp w Brown Rice
Goa Shrimp w Tandoori Roasted Vegetables, Raita Dip and Brown Rice - Sounds spicy, but like other dishes, the spices here are more for the fragrance than tastebud-burning. Again, props to the vegetables that tasted as colorful as they looked.
House Red Wine (Front)
Last but not least, their House "Jolie" Bourdeaux-style blend from Paso Robles, which drinkable on its own but it really works its magic when paired with the bolder & spicier dishes (and single/couple-friendly since it's sold by the half-bottle.) And definitely worth trying during their happy hour everyday from 4 to 7 p.m., when this (and all their other wines & beers) are half off!

And while there are quite a few eateries in town that shows healthy can be tasty too, I definitely love the Asian influences fresheast provides -- which is refreshing change of pace from the standard salads, soups, sandwiches and wraps. And you can count on me to be back again, for the Miso Chicken & the Palak Paneer (and maybe discover something new to fold into the regular rotation!)

What Do Others Say?
- Pleasure Palate also thought that Fresheast "a great addition to the West Hollywood dining scene" for its healthy Asian fare.
- The L.A. Restaurant Examiner said this is a "perfect solution" for those "looking for a way to eat healthy without sacrificing taste."
- ShopEatSleep noted that it "offers well-priced meals with quality ingredients, a great option in an otherwise high-priced part of Los Angeles."
- The Actor's Diet simply "love the entire concept behind Fresheast" from the ingredients, to its eco-consciousness, and its meyer lemon & mango sorbets!
- Green LA Girl titled her post about Fresheast "Pan Asian meals made fast, healthy, and green in WeHo." Enough said.
- EstarLA's post is headlined in a similarly obvious manner "Healthful, Conscientious Pan-Asian at Fresh East Is Actually Delicious"
- Quarry Girl gave it her thumbs up too to its vegan-friendly menu, and "honestly can't wait to return."

Fresheast
8951 Santa Monica Blvd- Suite G1
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 859-9989
Twitter
Facebook

5 comments:

lynn said...

ah, i still remember that meal like it was yesterday!!!

Franklin from Dine Delish said...

Cool. I haven't been to a Pavillions since I'v moved towards east LA. Sucks they are only on the west.

kish said...

man...since when did pavilions get so gourmet?!?!?!?!

first time reader. love the blog!

Diana said...

Yahoo! Glad to see Fresheast is part of the Quinoa Qlub!

Will definitely have to check it out some time -- especially since it's in my hood!

H. C. said...

@Actor's Diet, ha! I actually went back a few times -- so the memory is definitely recent for me.

@Franklin, indeed -- hopefully fresheast will follow a Tender Greens like trajectory in terms of expansion.

@Kish, I know! I remembered seeing the makeover a year ago... and thanks for reading.

@Diana, exactly! let me know what you think of it.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...