Dr. Andrew Weil, a leading expert on alternative medicine, has extolled the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet for decades. He has written numerous books on the subject (including the 1997 bestseller 8 Weeks to Optimum Health), founded the nonprofit Weil Foundation and offers a subscription-based online guide for lifelong health.
In 2008, Weil founded True Food Kitchen with restaurateur Sam Fox, centered on Weil's anti-inflammatory food pyramid. Fox sold True Food Kitchen in 2016, and in 2018, Oprah Winfrey invested in the company, joining its board of directors. Today, the restaurant chain boasts 32 locations, including its first Vegas operation in Summerlin, which opened in October. A second local location, inside the Strip's Forum Shops at Caesars, is slated for a February opening and will feature an adjacent cocktail and juice bar called True Bar.
True Food Kitchen stands out among corporate franchises, many of which favor large portions over quality. The approach has clearly caught on with mindful eaters, bringing together the rustic touches of North Italia with the health-conscious, fresh approach of Flower Child, two more Fox creations with Vegas outposts.
True Food divides its menu into refreshers (booze-free juices and teas), starters, salads, pizzas, bowls, burgers and sandwiches, and entrees. Plump edamame dumplings ($11) swim in light, nearly under-seasoned dashi but explode with rich truffle flavor at first bite. Charred cauliflower ($9) is slathered in a nutty harissa-tahini concoction and balanced with chunks of medjool date and pistachio. The lasagna Bolognese ($15) with fennel chicken sausage is a tasty menu staple, if slightly over-salted for my taste. Freshness is played up, too.
With a number of craft cocktails on its menu—the Juniper Rose ($12) tastes like biting into a fresh, ruby red grapefruit—and an extensive wine list, True Food doesn't sacrifice taste for health. Sticking to your New Year's resolutions has gotten a little bit easier.
TRUE FOOD KITCHEN 10970 Rosemary Park Drive #160, 702-863-1000. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
