Grilled calamari
I went to The Kitchen thinking mainly about trying their potato chip pie and over-indulging in cocktails with my girlfriends. I was practically tricked into eating healthy.
With so many light options on the menu, I started to wonder, “Is this an underground health food restaurant?” Is The Kitchen part of a conspiracy to make people eat better? For the love of food, one of their salads isn’t even dressed with oil, just ponzu. Ponzu is basically a citrus-seasoned soy sauce. Their indulgent dishes, such as fried luxury shrimp, even seem to have a healthful upside. Since the shrimp are battered with rice flour, they are a great option for the gluten-free to get their crispy-fried fix. The Kitchen is actually obscenely gluten-free friendly. With the exception of three of the dishes, they are all gluten-free.
What was going to be a guilt-ridden girls night of cocktails, fried food and gossip somehow effortlessly became a night of moderate white wine consumption, grilled calamari, blackened steelhead trout and positivity. I love it when the healthy choice is the easy choice. You may actually have trouble deciding between all of your remorse-free choices. That’s where the knowledgeable staff comes in handy. My server, Coleen, was not only super informed about the ingredients and preparation, but about the nutritious options on the menu.
Starters:
Grilled calamari: This is my favorite choice. The classic appetizer is given an unconventional twist and served grilled. It’s a reasonable portion that is still great for sharing. Topped with wild baby arugula, chilies and citrus vinaigrette, you get bitter, spice and texture to keep you from missing the fried.
Spicy winter greens: This is a classic, simple winter salad. It’s not so unsubstantial as to leave you unsatisfied in this cold climate, with a delicious rich Sheperds goat cheese, pecans and cranberries. In continuity with a lot of The Kitchen’s food, it’s lightly dressed and heavy on greens.
Seaweed salad: Any time I see this on a menu, I have to get it. Seaweed is high in iron and has more vitamins and minerals than spinach. You have to be careful with your portion size, though, because the salad is often high in sodium.
Main Courses:
The crudo bar: As shared appetizers or compiled to be a main dish, these raw fish options are always a good go-to for eating light. Since they are raw, you’re getting your protein without all the butter and oil involved in most cooking. Some are lightly drizzled with oil, but, predominantly, your flavors are coming from health-conscious additions such as ginger, jalapenos, radish and ponzu. Guilt-free protein, just what every Jackson athlete needs.
Seared rare longfin tuna: Served in a soy-ginger broth, with braised carrots and daikon radish. While you need to be weary of the sodium content of the broth, this is about as light as it gets in a restaurant without having to order grilled chicken with a side of steamed spinach. The tuna doesn’t come with a starch. Therefore, it doesn’t come with temptation.
Herb-spiced goat loin: Goat is low in calories and fat, while high in protein. If you’re going to eat goat, The Kitchen is the place. You get the thrill of a unique experience, and the smugness of a healthy choice. Since it’s served with braised fennel, turnips and quinoa, it could be found at the health food restaurant next door, Lotus Cafe. Even your starch with this dish, the quinoa, is giving you a protein punch. Luckily, there is a carrot oil and port wine reduction to keep you from feeling obnoxiously healthy.
Blackened steelhead trout: Red lentils, Thai red curry, crispy green onion and lemongrass give this dish depth and flavor. Once again, there’s no heavy starch as a side, and a little coconut in the red curry won’t kill you.
