Experiencing new cultures and enjoying healthy dining options

While I love to cook at home, eating out while traveling is one of my favorite ways to learn and experience a new culture. Additionally, limited access to a grocery store, time to prepare food, or kitchen space leads me to prefer finding healthy options out. It’s important to me that I am able to get a well balanced plate when eating out so that I can feel good and energized so I can make the most of the travel experience.

If you’re traveling to California soon and want help finding some great meal options that leave you feeling nourished and energized, this blog is for you!

After doing all the research ahead of time and trying out a variety of spots, I have compiled this list with some of my favorite bites that didn’t compromise my goals to having a balanced plate at every meal. Not only were these options delicious, but offered a cool atmosphere while being reasonably priced.

A trip to California with some culinary delights

This March, my husband (Will) and I spent a week in California for Expo West. Traveling from LAX to Anaheim, over to Huntington Beach and up to Santa Monica, we packed in as much as we could during the early mornings and evenings between meetings and trade show hours. This list mostly includes easy options that didn’t take reservations or offered a take-out option since we were limited on time.

California, known for it’s delicious flavors, healthy options, and variety, I was ecstatic to spend a week here. Not only did I do a lot of research ahead of time to determine the best options, but I also racked up a whole list for future trips to ensure that I would be able to experience all California has to offer.

5 restaurants we visited and loved

1) Malibu Farm Cafe

The fresh, farm-to-table restaurant in Southern California goes at the top of the list because I highly recommend it! After hearing many recommendations about this place over the years, I knew Will and I would want to try out Malibu Farm to see what the hype is all about.

I did make a reservation at the Lido Marina Village, Newport Beach area and recommend you make one if possible to ensure you don’t miss out!

Prior to dinner, we strolled along the beach watching the colorful oranges and reds of the sunset reflect off the freezing cold water. As we walked up to the restaurant, the market lights and heaters had been turned on, and we could hear the sound of the waves slowly rocking the boats in the marina.

Hungry for dinner and unable to choose from so many decadent-sounding options, we opted for 2 main courses and a shared plate.

• Vegan coconut curry - To share, we practically drank every last drop of this curry. Packed full of colorful green veggies and a mixed rice with tofu, this dish was absolutely delicious.

• The Newport nachos - House made corn tortilla chips topped with all the fixings including red salsa and pickled chilis. Will added grilled steak since this was his main dish. (A man who knows about building a balanced plate!)

• DIY pan seared Branzino fish tacos - I had been eyeing this dish prior to our arrival, so it would’ve been quite silly of me not to order it. The pan seared fish combined with the pickled cabbage slaw paired well with the corn tortillas.

Our favorite dish without a doubt was the coconut curry, but the nachos and fish tacos were great too! If you don’t plan to head to Cali anytime soon, they also have a cookbook where you can enjoy some menu items from the comfort of your home.

2) goop Kitchen

With a motto of ‘good, clean food for all’, we had to give goop Kitchen a try. A great option to order for pickup or delivery, there are multiple locations and a large menu to support you and your crew.

Everything on the menu looked absolutely delicious, so I knew we had to make a stop when traveling up the coast. We sat at some picnic tables right by the restaurant and enjoyed our dishes while soaking in the sunshine. We decided to split 2 dishes (the absolute best plan of action, when you can’t decide):

• The goop Teriyaki bowl - an organic chicken dish with a garlic & sesame flavoring, packed with kale, avocado, rice, and more.

• The Umbrian Chicken Pesto Wrap -served in my favorite Coyotas cassava flour wrap, this wrap included a pesto aioli, cucumbers, hand pulled chicken, and more.

10/10 recommend ordering goop Kitchen! I can’t wait to go back and try everything else on their menu. Everything was flavorful (especially the sauces), while offering many wholesome ingredients in every menu item. They too believe eating clean can be delicious, satisfying, and accessible!

3) Erewhon

You may have heard of the $20 strawberry or the Hailey Bieber smoothie, both from Erewhon, a popular healthy grocery store in California. Interested in figuring out why people are willing to pay so much for a smoothie, I had to check out the spot.

Prior to enjoying breakfast, Will and I walked around the store. From brands that we know and love, to new brands who are considered better-for-you, we had fun before we even got to eating our breakfast.

The hot-bar called Will’s name, while I was convinced I had to try something from the smoothie bar. Here’s what we ordered:

• The Steak & Egg Breakfast Burrito - With grass-fed flank steak, sautéed peppers & onions, and hash browns, Will loved the flavor of this burrito. He enjoyed the salsa so much, he even convinced the hot-bar chef to provide him with the recipe.

• The Almond Butter Blast smoothie - Interested in developing my own flavorful smoothie, I chose the cacao-based smoothie made with almond butter and almond protein powder. Adding coconut cream and cacao nibs, this smoothie was good, but very similar tasting to what I make at home.

Though the prices at Erewhon are high and the smoothie was underwhelming, they do have some wonderful options when it comes to healthy and nourishing ingredients. If we didn’t go right before we were flying home, I would have stocked up on a few pre-made meals to keep as groceries at our Airbnb for the week.

4) Anaheim Packing District - Adya & White Elephant

Close to the convention center and Disneyland, the Anaheim Packing District is a food hall with a multitude of options. We enjoyed it so much, we visited it for dinner on 2 separate occasions. With lots of seating options and restaurants, this is an especially great spot if you are traveling with a group. We chose to eat at Adya, offering flavorful street food of India, and White Elephant, with flavors of Thailand. Combining the two nights, here’s everything we ordered:

• Lamb Sekh Kebab from Adya - a spicy dish with a side of yellow rice & refreshing slaw.

• Vegetarian red curry from Adya - full of veggies with a light tomato flavor.

• Basil Chicken Wings from White Elephant - covered in a sweet & sour sauce with crispy basil.

• The Classics ‘YELLOW’ from White Elephant- A spice level of 0, this turmeric curry with chicken was so creamy and flavorful.

5) Yunomi Handroll

On our last night in California, we were determined to find a good sushi spot since we were so close to the water. Just from the photos online, I immediately made a reservation for Yunomi Hand roll - the Culver Steps location. After being seated at the bar, we excitedly watched as hand-rolls were being made and fresh fish was precisely being sliced. Unlike our usual sushi orders, the hand rolls are not sliced and eaten more like a burrito. Will and I chose to get a variety to try out the different flavors - the fish tasted very fresh! We ordered:

• The Brussels Sprouts - crispy fried Brussels sprouts with a sweet soy glaze. Every time Will finds these on a menu, he has to order them and see how they rank against Raleigh’s.

• We tried the following hand rolls, wrapped in seaweed paper:

  • Cucumber/Avocado Handroll

  • Scallop Hand roll

  • Salmon Hand roll - This savory roll was my favorite!

  • Negi Toro Hand roll

  • Blue Crab Hand roll - This one was definitely the most unique, with a whole crispy crab right in the roll. This was Will’s favorite!

Dessert spots we visited and loved

1) pressed Juicery

A soft-serve made with real ingredients, Will and I wandered over to the mall one late afternoon to get a little treat at pressed. Our orders:

• Grace: Chocolate vegan soft serve with chocolate chip cookie crumbles, chocolate chips, and almond butter drizzle

• Will: Chocolate vegan soft serve with chocolate chip cookie crumbles, chocolate chips, and the chocolate drizzle

Absolutely delicious!!

2) Yoga-Urt

My frozen yogurt topped with brownie bites and fresh strawberries

One more plant-based soft serve spot that we had to try was Yoga-urt. Their mantra is to nourish yourself and they offer handcrafted, small batch flavors that are free of dairy. (A win for the girl who is dairy-free these days) Our orders:

• Grace: Peanut Butter Prana mixed with Vanilla Harmony; topped with fresh strawberries and house-made brownie bites

• Will: Chocolate Bliss; topped with brownie bites and chocolate syrup

Loved both this spot and the mission, about enjoying the balance of life.

West coast restaurant wish list for future trips

While that’s a wrap on the spots we visited on this trip, having a rental car exposed me to so many other spots that I added to my future wish list. A few of these have also been highly recommended by friends! If you have more time or want to explore more of California, here are some spots I hope to visit in the future:

• Le Great Outdoor - ‘A backyard BBQ where you can experience a blend of French elegance & vibrant Brazilian energy’

• 18 Folds - ‘Modern Chinese Cuisine underneath the lantern lights’

• Bear Flag Fish - ‘Seafood brought to you fresh’

• Farmhouse at Roger’s Garden - ‘From farm-to-table… Experience the freshest flavors of the season’

• La Paloma Cafe - ‘The old way of California cooking and hospitality’

• BLUEYS Kitchen - A lovely breakfast/brunch/lunch spot

• Amara Kitchen - ‘An intimate cafe serving alternative takes on classic dishes’

If you enjoyed this guide, considering following along for more healthy foodie guides to help you navigate nourishing and delicious meals wherever you find yourself.

All the best,