Fresh Kitchen
Tampa based eatery, Fresh Kitchen has finally arrived in Orlando! Healthy food lovers can rejoice because the Fresh Kitchen has several options for those who need Gluten Free, Dairy Free or Vegan bowls. The rest of us will just be eating delicious healthy food, reaping all the side benefits.
What you need to know
It's all about building your own bowl here. There are three bowl sizes. A Six Bowl, Four Bowl, and a Kids Bowl. The main difference between them is the amount of bases, proteins and veggies you can add. There are a few extra priced add-ons like bean and corn salsa, assorted cheeses, pesto tomato salad, and avocado salad.
What I loved
Bases: The sweet potato noodles and coconut ginger rice were awesome bases. Both had their own unique flavors that start the bowl off in the right direction.
Proteins: The Baked Almond Chicken was really delicious without having an overpowering almond flavor. The Herb Grilled Steak was another winner, not overcooked and nicely seasoned. I can't wait to come back and try the Chia Seed Teriyaki Tofu.
Other options include BBQ Chicken, Chia Seed Tuna Poke, Grilled Citrus Chicken, and a Chef's Protein.
Veggies: As someone who does not love mushrooms, I was honestly so surprised that I found myself moving all the fresh ingredients around with my fork to uncover every last roasted mushroom in my bowl. They had such a surprisingly nice texture and flavor. Maybe roasting mushrooms is what I've been missing all my life. The add on of the avocado salad is a must have in my opinion, and the buffalo cauliflower was on point.
Sauces: You have five sauce options, but I'm gonna be real with you. These bowls are so flavorful on their own, you may not necessarily need a sauce. I did find myself re-dipping a few times in the Coconut Sriracha sauce though.
Drinks: No soda here folks! You can find homemade teas and frescas (some locations have pressed juice). I tried the Cucumber Lemon Ginger Fresca (cucumber, lemon, ginger fresca, lightly sweetened with sugar in the raw) and I loved how light it was, it didn't compete with all the flavors of my fresh bowl.
Other flavors include Sweet Greens, Peach Mango Tea, Strawberry Lemon Fresca, Strawberry Tea, Black Currant Tea.
I'm such a fan of brands that deliver not just good food, but that understand that the restaurant game has changed, and branding, bright colors, instagrammable spots, and clean flow can make or break you in a competitive market. The vibrant colors and modern decor carry throughout the whole restaurant, including a stunning pop art mural by mixed media artist Bianca Burrows.
Fresh Kitchen officially opens tomorrow and it's located in the Waterford Lakes Shopping Center at 851 N. Alafaya Trail ( on the Best Buy side closer to the entrance). For those of you who don't live on the East side of town, the SODO area will be getting their very own Fresh Kitchen early in 2018, but if I were you I wouldn't wait. Go ahead and make the drive, and visit locally owned Vespr and Valkryie Doughnuts while you are out there.