The main road through Plano’s Legacy West center is generally always buzzing with people peeking into stores and grabbing a meal at any of the many restaurants located there. A couple of weekends ago, I too was headed down the bustling street to try True Food Kitchen with a group of friends to experience something healthy, seasonal and, most importantly, tasty.
True Food Kitchen opened its location at Legacy West in 2017, and it has been a fan favorite ever since. The restaurant’s focus is on preparing and serving food that is ethically-sourced, and, ultimately, food that makes you feel better. They believe delicious dining and conscious nutrition can go hand-in-hand, without sacrificing flavor, indulgence or creativity. We were there to test that philosophy.
When we walked into the restaurant, the atmosphere was welcoming, light and open, with high ceilings and natural sunlight streaming in from the windows. Despite the number of people who were already there enjoying their Sunday brunch, we were all very comfortable, and nothing felt crowded or too loud. We were seated quickly and our waiter reviewed the details of the menu (which was clearly coded to easily pick out foods according to appetite or dietary restrictions), explaining the well-varied options that change with every season according to what produce is at its peak at any given time of year. This keeps True Food Kitchen’s menu fresh and exciting, and gives you a chance to truly try something new every time you visit.
Additionally, the menu caters to vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan diets in probably the most extensive way I have ever seen. It was for this reason that I brought two of my friends who are vegan and often have to resort to ordering several sides in order to have a meal at other restaurants. Looking at the menu at True Food Kitchen, they were almost overwhelmed with the options they had, but in the best way possible!
To me, brunch has not started unless there is coffee. So, I ordered the Cinnamon Vanilla Latte, one of the restaurant’s seasonal highlights. True Food Kitchen sports a full coffee and espresso bar with an assortment of milk options, and this cozy drink did not disappoint. So much so that I took one to-go on my way out the door. A few members of our party also ordered the Cascara Cold Brew and enjoyed a simple and energizing start to the morning. One of my friends ordered one of the many beverage options from the “refreshers” section of the menu, which is full of tasty, creative and healthy concoctions, from health shots and sparkling drinks to kombucha and teas. He ended up ordering the Hangover Rx, a delightful mix of pineapple, orange, honey and coconut water. He passed it around the table so we could all take a sip of this delicious and (as the menu suggested) refreshing drink.
To start, we ordered a couple of the highly-recommended Blueberry Muffins since they are a gluten-friendly, vegan, brunch-only special. We also ordered the Roasted Brussels Sprouts with miso sesame vinaigrette (another seasonal highlight) and Edamame Dumplings for the table. If the speed at which these were consumed was any indication, all three appetizers were a huge hit. The muffins went perfectly with the coffee – not too sweet and an incredible consistency, especially considering they were gluten free. The sprouts were just tangy enough and served as the perfect palette prep for the savory brunch entrees we ordered.
For my main dish, I ordered the Egg and Chicken Sausage Sandwich because I am a sucker for a good breakfast sandwich. The sausage was perfectly seasoned and paired with organic tomato and avocado. I was in heaven, and pleasantly full. A friend of mine let me have a bite of his Sunrise Bowl, made with grilled Portobello mushrooms and ancient grains topped with sunny-side-up eggs and a pumpkin seed pesto, which I had definitely never heard of before. It almost made me regret my entrée choice it was so good! The rest of our table ordered a couple of pizzas. The Chicken Sausage Pizza was my personal favorite, with the familiar red pizza sauce and the chicken sausage I had already enjoyed so much in my own dish. My vegan friends opted to split the Butternut Squash Pizza, which was another seasonal highlight. Topped with dried cranberries, sage, caramelized onions and a vegan almond ricotta, it offered a medley of whole ingredients that, to my palette and in my opinion, should not work. Somehow, they seamlessly did.
At some point, we had gotten merry and ordered a round of mimosas for the table. Our waiter was extremely attentive and seemed to always know the right time to swoop in and see if we needed anything else. On one of these check-ins, he recommended one other cocktail that I already had my eye on. Despite my typical aversion to bourbon, I took a chance and ordered the Apple Gold Rush, for the fact that it was a seasonal highlight and for the allure of the fresh apple juice from fresh apples that would soften the taste of the alcohol. And to my pleasant surprise, I found this drink, which is also gently flavored with honey and lemon, to be so good I could have had 10 (if I were not so full and that were not such an excessive thing to do)!
And what would a big meal out with friends be without dessert? We decided to order the Flourless Chocolate Cake since chocolate will always be the ultimate dessert, especially served with perfectly creamy vanilla ice cream. We also ordered the seasonal highlight, the Vegan Squash Pie, served cold on a graham crust and topped with a sweet and fluffy coconut whipped cream. And with that sweet ending, we were all full, happy and ready to head out into the sunshine to enjoy what the rest of the day had to offer.
The atmosphere of Legacy West has always made the location one of my personal favorites for date nights, a day shopping with friends, brunch … or anything really! Everything you need is right there, with easy and free parking to top it all off. But, True Food Kitchen specifically made this day more special – a cozier experience than I have had before at this location. Something about the attentiveness and kindness of the staff, the open airiness of the restaurant and its calming environment made this one of the most relaxing and fun meals I have had out in a long time. I was already planning my next visit as the staff held the door for me on the way out.
If you are interested in trying True Food Kitchen, located at 7601 Windrose Avenue, Suite F100, Plano, they are literally serving up new dishes year-round, and there is never a bad time to see what they have cooking!
Frisco STYLE Magazine dining reviews are not scheduled with or paid for by the featured restaurant. All reviews are completed for the purpose of helping readers know and enjoy local dining options.
