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Seeing Green: Top Dublin Restaurants Give Irish Fare a Healthy Makeover

Carley Thornell March 13, 2018 Leave a Comment

Bangers and mash. Fish and chips. Hearty scones. Ireland’s not exactly renowned for its waist-friendly fare—but that’s all changing with a dynamic Dublin food scene that recognizes contemporary trends while honoring local producers and purveyors. Here are top Dublin restaurants serving healthy options this St. Patrick’s Day and beyond.

The Cellar Bar at the Merrion Hotel
Those are microgreens, not shamrocks, on top of Cellar Bar’s vegan salad. Ho-hum pub grub would be burgers and fries, but here, chef Ed Cooney whips up healthy (and often, hearty) fare using local ingredients. Check out the salad with chai and hemp seeds, squash, beets, avocado, broccoli, pomegranate with an almond lime and chile dressing. There’s also the skinny soup with a multigrain bread, as well as the fillet of turbot – all healthy pairings when washed back with a glass of wine or a pint. Make a reservation at The Cellar Bar at the Merrion Hotel.

Rustic Stone by Dylan McGrath
Seasonal ingredients sing and Michelin-starred McGrath lets their flavors shine without using much sugar and cream, with a menu that’s 90 percent gluten- and wheat-free, and 70 percent dairy-free. The results are vibrant colors, textures, and flavors, including the boisterous beetroot salad: Shaved fennel, baby gems, floppy lettuce, avocado, radicchio, chicory with pink grapefruit, pink radish, dill, beetroot, and caramel pine nut are dressed in its own beetroot juice split with heart-healthy olive oil. Make a reservation at Rustic Stone by Dylan McGrath.

Stir
It may feature bangers and potatoes, but the Dublin Coddle is the original food “recycling”—a savory casserole of leftovers meant so that nothing is wasted. Stir’s version is wonderfully browned and the spuds slices of heaven. The Coddle is a special addition to Stir’s menu for St. Patrick’s Day. Make a reservation at Stir.

Sova Food Vegan Butcher
A great fit for vegans and veggies — or those just celebrating meatless Mondays — Sova’s bites look as good as they are for you. Bloody-good seitan steak is served with truffled mashed potatoes, pepper sauce, and kale crisps. Or, try the roasted cauliflower soup with cucumber and cashew salsa, or potato gnocchi with mushrooms and saffron ragu, both available on the lunch and dinner menus. Make a reservation at Sova Food Vegan Butcher.

Keep It Clean: Restaurant Spa Menus for Healthy Summer Dining

Laurie Wilson July 11, 2017 Leave a Comment

Many hotels and resorts, especially those with soothing on-site spas, thoughtfully offer special “mindful menus” in their restaurants — in addition to their regular menus — with an emphasis on refined clean cuisine. Here’s the skinny on five restaurant spa menus that are heavy on health-centric options designed for wellness-conscious diners. Think of it as yum meets om.

Elements at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Executive chef and Food Network star Beau MacMillan flaunts farm-to-table American fare with Asian accents in his health-conscious Spa Bento Boxes available to diners in the hotel’s Elements restaurant — whether or not you get a rub and wrap in the spa. The Japanese boxes feature seasonal, local farmed and organic ingredients and dishes like miso salmon, barbecue tofu, grilled chicken, and fire roasted shrimp, and each is served with brown rice, steamed veggies, and pickled cucumber salad. Make a reservation at Elements at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain.

Lobby Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake, Westlake Village, California
The robust Sustained Living Menu is offered to diners who “embrace wellness, longevity, and sustainability” in the Lobby Lounge restaurant. Most popular of the dishes is the Quinoa Garden Bowl with torn herbs, pistachio, roasted tinker bell peppers, blistered tomato, spicy Thai avocado puree, charred corn, and housemade harissa vinaigrette. A sought-out sustained living morning op is the Breakfast Quesadilla created with egg whites, mozzarella cheese, spinach, sundried tomatoes, green onions, low-carb wheat tortilla. Make a reservation at Lobby Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake.

AVEO Table + Bar at The Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, California
Take charge of your health and order off the Miraval Mindful Eating Menu at this Mediterranean restaurant and bar with executive chef Collin Thornton minding the kitchen. Especially popular for nutrient-dense diners is the Coastal Salad — grilled hearts of palm, avocado, heirloom cherry tomatoes, frisée, Cali citrus black olive oil vinaigrette (and a grilled chicken breast option). Save room for the Whole Grain Carrot Cake with citrus pineapple and avocado cream. Make a reservation at AVEO Table + Bar at The Monarch Beach Resort.

Healthy Eating Trends: Top Restaurants for Your New Year’s Resolution

Carley Thornell January 12, 2016 Leave a Comment

Just because you made a resolution to rid yourself of those holiday pounds off doesn’t mean you can’t have fun when eating out. From the crunch of kimchi-topped sweet potato fries with cashew-chipotle drizzle to the panache of whole-roasted fish presented tableside, there’s a lot more than salad and carrot sticks to enliven any January day with these restaurants embracing healthy eating trends to help you stick to your delicious dining New Year resolutions.

Organic Grill, New York, New York
Business starts booming at the Organic Grill on New Year’s Day. “I think everyone is trying to start their resolutions off right,” jokes owner Julia Chebotar of her family-owned mostly vegan, organic restaurant in East Village. It’s easy to see why if you check out this season’s brunch menu, featuring dishes enticing enough to turn any carnivore’s head (or appetite) — think loaded kimchi sweet-potato fries with cashew chipotle drizzle, cabbage, scallion, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, sriracha, and vegan or dairy cheese. Chebotar says she likes to make the January menu fun for those new to a “clean” lifestyle, and anything that features greens like kale or spinach is a big seller, especially the new sweet green + kale frittata. Organic Grill also features an extensive lineup of veggie burgers, organic wild salmon and tilapia, juice cleanses, and raw foods. Make a reservation at Organic Grill.

Marin Restaurant & Bar, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Chef Mike Rankun busts the bluster of Minnesota with California-themed cuisine using local produce. Ham, fig, and blue cheese flatbread on a whole-wheat crust, jerk-spiced pork chops with mashed sweet potatoes, or grass-fed beef tenderloin with potato puree, spinach, and balsamic Cipollini onions may sound like heartier fare, but those counting calories don’t have to fear the pitfalls of dining out — each item on the menu is presented with its nutritional content. Rankun spotlights both small and large plates, and cuts calories and fat year-round by swapping out butter for olive oil and using starchy liquid from ears of corn in lieu of heavy cream to thicken soups. Make a reservation at Marin Restaurant & Bar.

Puritan & Company, Boston, Massachusetts
It should come as no surprise that Boston chef Will Gilson, whose family owns the Herb Lyceum garden and greenhouse in nearby Groton, puts the focus on fresh in January. Puritan & Company will supplement its normal Sunday brunch menu with BEATNIK juices, a collaboration between father David and son, for everything from energy boosting to detoxifying, cleansing, or just reviving after a night of partying. For those who’ve toasted 2016 with a bit too much spirit, pick hangover cure Beet the Blues, made with beets, blueberries, lemon, and apple and packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, potassium, and fiber. Make a reservation at Puritan & Company.

Blowfish Sushi, San Francisco, California
Sushi is always a top choice for the health-conscious year-round, but January is a great time to try something new, says Blowfish Sushi’s Brigid Kealy. One of her favorite dishes — which features no rice — is great for those counting carbs: Tokyo Ceviche. The classic Japanese sunomono (cucumber salad) is topped with fresh crab, shrimp, tuna, and octopus, and then crowned with a mango, grapefruit, and cucumber sorbet made by a local creamery. By highlighting fresh local produce from California farms, Kealy says sushi can be a surprising way to embrace vegetarian options, like miso-marinated eggplant nigiri to potrero veggie roll with two types of tofu, carrot, and asparagus. Make a reservation at Blowfish Sushi.

SOL Cocina, Scottsdale, Arizona
All preconceptions of overfilled burritos and gooey nachos can be dropped at the door at SOL Cocina, where James Beard-nominated executive chef Deborah Schneider — inspired by her trips just south of Arizona’s borders — maintains a healthy menu of entrees that are wood-grilled or braised in their own juices, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-friendly dishes, beans prepared without fat or oils, and 34 fat-free salsas made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Dressings are created with fresh juices and thickened with ticker-friendly avocado in lieu of eggs or mayonnaise. New seasonal menu additions include tacos (roasted squash or grilled shrimp agave), although, for traditionalists, Schneider says her baked chile relleno (traditionally filled with cheese and fried) feels indulgent without having to make several trips to the gym. Other resolution-friendly hits are the Hot & Raw Ceviche, with fresh citrus, habanero chiles, avocado, and cucumber served with sweet potato and red beet chips. Make a reservation at SOL Cocina.

Dining Poll: Do You Make Healthier Choices When You Dine Outdoors?

Caroline Potter May 21, 2012 Leave a Comment

When it’s cold outside, all I want to do is dine in a warm restaurant, maybe one with a fireplace, and eat comforting — and rich — dishes like pasta bolognese or coq au vin. But, when dining while perched on a patio, soaking up the sun or sitting under the stars during spring or summer, I definitely favor lighter fare. What about you? Do you order differently when dining al fresco? Weigh in on today’s poll!