If the name Purple Potato sounds familiar to local diners, that’s because it has been reincarnated. Originally the lunchtime alter ego of westside favorite Yonaka, Ramir De Castro’s healthy eatery got its start when he began to prepare family meals at that Japanese restaurant.

“Everyone started liking it, and then we [thought], why don’t we just share it with other people,” he says, explaining how the lunch service attracted everyone from CEOs to students. “We thought, maybe we’re onto something. People were asking for a brick-and-mortar location, so ... there’s no harm in trying.”

Purple Potato opened near the corner of Eastern and St. Rose in September as a stand-alone joint with a simple concept: Eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland or boring. “We want to make it taste good first, and then also have it be good for you,” says De Castro, whose top-selling items are salad bowls (starting at $8) with vegan options like falafel or mushrooms and tofu.

There are also chef specialty bowls (starting at $8), for which you pick a protein along with other options like veggies, grains, toppings and dressings. The 1,300-square-foot restaurant seats around 30 people and offers everything from porridge bowls in the morning to sandwiches for lunch and dinner, along with freshly made muffins, cookies and more. Even desserts are created with a lighter approach—Japanese-inspired homemade treats that taste less sweet and intense.

Purple Potato 10090 S. Eastern Ave., 702-685-7338. Daily, 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.