Our goal is to address many of the issues facing us today related to food, shopping and life-style. We intend to cut through the marketing rhetoric and address those key points that make an impact on our daily lives. The challenges we face at Tender Greens mirror those decisions we face each day at home. Have you ever wondered why there are so many different varieties of eggs? Which is better, paper or plastic? Is grass fed the best or does it just make feel better about the idea of eating meat? There is no right or wrong answer. Understanding the difference between all of the options is paramount to deciding which one to choose.
Posts Tagged ‘Tender Greens’
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Monday, January 17th, 2011Treats Are Going To The Dogs
Thursday, October 28th, 2010By Andrew Simmons
LA Weekly
In honor of his late dog Rabbit, WeHo Tender Greens chef Eric Hulme is making dog treats now–bone-shaped, preservative-free slugs of rolled oats, peanut butter, canola oil, flour and eggs. They’re available at all three restaurants, and he’s charging $3 per dozen, which shouldn’t bother the dogs of Los Angeles, seeing as they don’t pay for anything themselves.
5 things I think you should try at Tender Greens
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010By Leona Laurie
Adventures in Fitness LA
Last night I ate at Tender Greens for the first time, and it seriously exceeded my expectations. I’ve driven past it a lot lately while heading to other restaurants on Sunset in Hollywood, or when looking at the movie choices at the ArcLight. I had imagined it would be something like an organic Souplantation, so when my companion would decline my suggestion that we eat there, I didn’t fight too hard for it. I wish I had! Between my friend and I last night, we tried a pretty significant portion of the menu, all of which was fresh, locally-grown/raised, and delicious. Here’s what we had that I think you should try:
1. Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad: I have been eating a lot of Cobb Salads out lately, and this one is so far superior to the rest that I don’t think I’ll be able to order it anywhere else again. For reals. They mushed the avocado into the salad, which I love, the ingredients were so well-ratioed, there was tons of chicken, and the tarragon dressing was fantastic. Strongly recommend!
2. Grilled Flat Iron Steak Salad: Grilled steak, golden and traditional beets, red and green butter lettuce, radishes, and a horseradish vinaigrette. Delicious!
3. Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho: This was the soup of the day, and the coldness and freshness made for an extremely delicious and refreshing treat.
4. Grilled Veggies: We got grilled fennel, which I’d never had before and can not wait to make at home, grilled cauliflower, green onions, and tiny squashes. All terrific.
5. Aztec Brownie: I’ll admit that I did not order this, but I swear in front of you that the first time I make it in there unsupervised, I’m going for it. Their baked treats looked amazing, and I am only so strong!
R+M Eats – A Trip To Tender Greens For A Fancy Meal In A Casual Setting
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010By Lilliam
Mondette
(Smoked whitefish fiillet of fish with fingerling potatoes, $10.50)
I’ve heard so much about Tender Greens, a chain that serves organic food in a casual environment, that I’ve been itching to check it out. The Sunset and Vine location is relatively new, so new I almost missed it. They have their own underground parking and it’s much larger than their other locations, at 3,900 square feet. As you enter, you directly go on line and view the long menu highlighting the day’s specials. There are so many amazing dishes to choose from—smoked whitefish fillet to slow cooked Sonoma lamb cheeks—you quickly realize this is no ordinary salad and sandwich eatery. (My meal, after the jump.)
(Grilled Turkish fig salad with toasted almonds and crumbled blue cheese, $10.50)
(From left: Menu of the day; the seating area)
(Cooks quickly assembling the salads)
(Slow cooked Sonoma lamb cheeks with asparagus risotto, $10.50)
I came with two friends and we each ordered off the special menu. My roasted fig salad was extremely tasty, rich with large figs. I love that they weren’t stingy at all with the figs and didn’t drown the salad with dressing. Everything was light and healthy. I tasted my friends smoked whitefish. Again, the fish was tender and moist with the right amount of potatoes. I didn’t try the lamb but the asparagus risotto was on point.
Tender Greens also serves liquor and has a nice assortment of desserts. The servers always came back to check up on us. Great place! All that I ask is that a Tender Greens pop up near me, as in walking distance. Please!
Matt Lyman, David Dressler, Erik Oberholtzer – Tender Greens
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010By Virginia Ginsburg
Behind The Food
Interview Date: Friday, August 13, 2010
Restaurateur Profile: Matt Lyman, David Dressler and Erik Oberholtzer (Erik not pictured)
Matt Lyman, Erik Oberholtzer and David Dressler each had his own history in the restaurant business when they met while working at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica. “I went to Shutters and met Matt,” says David. “Then Erik came, and we became the Three Amigos.”
Matt grew up on a farm on the East Coast in a “cooking-friendly family.” “I worked in restaurants through high school,” he says. “I started in the Front of House but soon realized that all the fun happened in the back, so I transferred to the kitchen.” When he decided to pursue cooking as a career, he attended culinary school in Maryland to hone his skills. Next he became a cook at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City. Next he began working with Gunter Seeger as a sous chef – working at two of Seeger’s Atlanta restaurants.
Matt moved to California 13 years ago and began working with Jean Francois Meteigner at La Cachette. “He’s a super nice guy,” says Matt. “Despite everything you hear.” From La Cachette, Matt went to Shutters on the Beach, where he was the Chef for four years and where he met David and Erik.
David was born in Montreal and spent his summers working for his Aunt and Uncle, who owned a hotel in the Adirondacks. “I started working there when I was about seven,” he said. When he was 18 he moved to Switzerland where he attended hotel and restaurant management school for four years.
David moved to California as a trainee at the Hyatt La Jolla while still in school. He was invited to stay on as the Assistant Manager, Food and Beverage. After managing Cafe Japengo, the sushi restaurant at the hotel for a while, he decided to switch coasts and went to the Four Seasons, first in New York, then Dallas. Finally he ended up back in California (who can blame him?) and he went on to be part of the opening teams at the Beverly Wilshire, Four Seasons Carlsbad and Four Seasons Newport Beach.
After a short stint as an independent training consultant, David was recruited to Shutters on the Beach. “After we had worked together for a while, Erik shared his ideas for Tender Greens with me,” says David. “Actually, it was during his annual performance review in an off the record conversation.”
Soon after that meeting, David, Erik and Matt began “planning their getaway.” David left Shutters to raise money for Tender Greens and got a job at the Peninsula Hotel as a pool waiter. “I knew the manager and told him what I was doing,” says David. “I told him that I just wanted to wait tables – no management!”
The original plan of raising money in about two months morphed into two years of fundraising, but in 2005 the company was officially formed, and in 2006 the team opened their first Tender Greens restaurant in Culver City. The concept was born out of a desire to create a place where they would like to eat. “As Food and Beverage guys living in LA, there weren’t a lot of places where we would go on our day off for Farmers Market food at a price that didn’t suck,” says David. “We were tired of bad food, high prices and having to valet your car,” adds Matt.
After the first opening in 2006, the team followed up with a second location in 2008, a third in 2009, a fourth in March 2010, and numbers 5, 6 and 7 planned for Walnut Creek, Santa Monica and Pasadena scheduled through 2011. Ultimately, they have plans to open about 30 restaurants.
“The best part of owning a restaurant business is being my own boss,” says David. “I don’t have to compromise my own values, and we’re able to provide an opportunity for young people who are looking to get a leg up in the world. We are responsible for 160-170 employees, and growing, and we feel proud that we are able to help a lot of people improve their lives.”
Meatless Monday at Tender Greens!
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010By quarrygirl
QuarryGirl.com: meat is murder
want delicious gourmet vegan food at affordable prices? if so, you are gonna love the new meatless monday specials at tender greens. the restaurant started the initiative this week, and from now on every monday, in addition to their regular menu, they will offer seasonal vegetarian and vegan dishes with an emphasis on whole foods (no processed ingredients or fake meats).
we have been fans of tender greens for quite awhile; their salads are fresh and made with the finest ingredients, and their “happy vegan” plate is one of the best meals in town. so when we heard that they’d be offering new vegan items each week, we were beyond excited. we dined at the west hollywood location on monday, and were absolutely thrilled with our dinner. tender greens really took it to the next level with this one.
homemade vegan pasta with chili roasted heirloom tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, arugula, and lemon vinaigrette. $10.50
we started with the pasta special, which normally comes topped with parmesan, but was easily veganized. the chef came to our table specifically to describe the dish: homemade noodles made with 00 flour, chili roasted heirloom tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, arugula and lemon vinaigrette. this meal was amazing…i couldn’t get enough of the little heirloom tomatoes that were so delicate they basically melted in my mouth. pure excellence from the thick noodles, to the light sauce, the flavorful bits of garlic, and the fresh greens.
grilled oyster mushrooms, black barley, baby heirloom squash, rainbow chard. $10.50
next, we tried the special of grilled oyster mushrooms, black barley, baby heirloom squash, and rainbow chard. this is one of the best dishes i’ve had in a while, truly spectacular. the flavor combos going on here were insane, and the chewy meaty mushrooms were mind blowing. all the vegetables were grilled to perfection, and tasted great all mixed up with the barley. i am so used to eating salads at tender greens, i had no idea they were capable of this kind of food! it’s so high quality, like the stuff you’d find at a fancy restaurant, but for just over ten bucks.
another thing tender greens has going for it seven days a week, not just on mondays, is a good selection craft beer. they switch it up regularly, and always have something good on tap whether it’s from the local eagle rock brewery, deschutes in portland, or ballast point in san diego. oh, and they are all available by the pitcher. glug glug!
it’s safe to say i am a huge fan of meatless mondays at tender greens, and i hope they keep it going strong at all their los angeles locations indefinitely. seriously, get over there and check it out as soon as you can. if your food is even half as good as the stuff i ate, you will love it. my tip would be to check out tender greens’ twitter page each monday, and see what they are serving at each of the locations. that way, you can be sure to get a special that’s to your liking. also, always confirm that what you are ordering is vegan, and doesn’t come with any superfluous cheese or anything.
tender greens, nice work. thanks so much for embracing the meatless monday movement. here’s to hoping other LA restaurants follow your lead!
Diablo Dish—July 2010
Sunday, September 26th, 2010By Ethan Fletcher
Diablo
Joining the increasingly crowded Walnut Creek dining scene, Tender Greens is moving into the old Forward Motion Sports storefront next to Lark Creek on Locust Street. This is the first NorCal location for this mini chain, which has been generating buzz at its four Southern California restaurants, with its order-at-the-counter menu of locally sourced ingredients, in which all entrées, large salads, and meats are $10.50. Orinda resident Charles Hechinger, former executive chef at the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, will take the reins as executive chef, says Tender Greens co-owner Erik Oberholtzer (himself a veteran of Bay Area kitchens from Aqua to Chez Panisse). They’re shooting for an early fall opening.
The Feed: Carbs for a good cause
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010By Betty Hallock, Rene Lynch and Krista Simmons
Brand X
The second annual Eat My Blog bake sale is being held June 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can thank bloggers Cathy Dahn of Gastronomy Blog and Laurie Moore of G-ma’s Bakery for this opportunity to eat carbs and do good at the same time. Expect more than 2,000 baked goods from 70-plus bakers. All items are priced $1 to $4 and proceeds go to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. Tender Greens, 8759 Santa Monica Boulevard. West Hollywood.
Sunset Strip Trip
Friday, September 3rd, 2010By Kathryn Romeyn
Riviera Magazine
A weekend jaunt to L.A. sans automobile used to be unfathomable. Sure, a lush enough room at any luxe lodge comes with car service, but the opening of the opulent W Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard, along with a spate of walkable, urban bar/restos on neighboring Sunset, means weekend warriors are now traveling on foot. In the first LEED-compliant property in L.A., glam, eco-conscious design oozes from sleek guest rooms, spacious bars, the Bliss spa and the Vegas- style poolside club, Drai’s. There’s even a Metro stop mere steps away, beside the outdoor Station bar. But beware: On Sundays the pool and Drai’s run amok with promoters, and shockingly, a keycard won’t get you a cabana, or even a line cut. Turn your attention elsewhere. On Sunset, restaurateur George Abou-Daoud has opened District (a warm-industrial fine dining gem with a reclaimed 100-year-old bar) and the Mercantile (a wine bar/gourmet market hybrid), which extend his single street gourmand ’hood of Mission Cantina, the Bowery and Delancey, each with late-night hours and famous fans. Tender Greens, an organic, fast-casual spot, is new next door; down the street, hipster music venue the Palladium has undergone a facelift; and La Vida, a new Spanish restaurant/ nightclub, is exotic and worthwhile. Te boulevards may be a two-minute walk, but “they’re two different worlds,” says Abou-Daoud, “like the beach bars on Balboa Island versus in Newport.
Tender Greens – Los Angeles (West Hollywood)
Saturday, June 19th, 2010by Cathy Danh
gas-tron-o-my
If things go according to plan, the entire city of Los Angeles will be amped up on sugar and good spirits this weekend courtesy of the Eat My Blog charity bake sale. This time around, we’ve teamed up with Tender Greens in West Hollywood. It might seem strange to hold a gluttonous event at such a virtuous venue, but I assure you that it all makes perfect sense. After all, what better way to counteract the damage of downing a dozen cupcakes than by consuming a plateful of organic greens afterwards? Guilt assuaged.
While scoping out Tender Greens’ space last week, I went against my carb-loading ways and ordered a salad for lunch. I could’ve eaten local albacore tuna, barbecue chicken, or even flat-iron steak, but decided to step completely out of my comfort zone and went with The Happy Vegan ($10.50). I have never felt more like a stereotypical L.A. gal than I did that afternoon eating a vegan salad in the middle of West Hollywood. At least I didn’t have a small dog with me.
The platter was comprised of four different salads—farro wheat with cranberry and hazelnuts, quinoa with cucumbers and beets, green hummus, and tabouleh. A pile of romaine leaves, along with a large house made crouton, rounded out the plate. Each salad struck a nice balance between healthy and tasty, but my favorite was the the green hummus. I haven’t a clue what’s in there besides lots of chickpeas, herbs, and garlic, but my oh my, was it moreish to the max. I washed it all down with a most refreshing mint-infused lemonade.
Following my fibrous feast, I grabbed a strawberry cupcake ($3) for dessert. It tasted like strawberry shortcake in cupcake form, especially with the biscuit-like cake. I hope that Tender Greens will be donating these for the bake sale.
And I hope to see all of you on Saturday!
Photography by: Joan Adlen
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