Healthy Eating Means Good Fortune at Fortune Cookies

Tired of Chinese food to-go? Want some fast casual AND healthy Asian food? Well I've got just the place - Fortune Cookies Restaurant.

Restaurant Layout

Fortune Cookies is not your typical cultural setting. First, it's located in a not so appealing plaza but don't be fooled by its externalities. Ignore the sign outside of the building seeming as plain as Times New Roman font; just take a peek through the glass window and you'll be curious to go inside and try the place out for yourself. It's set in a modern atmosphere with cushioned booths, tables for larger parties, and a sushi bar that runs along the wall. The ambiance is casual and the seating is spacious.

What takes the cake for this restaurant are the healthy alternatives they have to offer. There are:

-Heart Healthy options for those watching their cholesterol, blood pressure, and/or blood sugar levels

-Gluten free options on over a dozen menu choices

-Rice substitutions in addition to white rice (brown rice for a healthier alternative, red rice for a nutty, earthy feeling, and black rice for your daily dose of fiber and antioxidants.)

-Healthy sashimi and salad dressing options in any combination you choose and the entrée would be less than 250 calories.

Brown Rice Option

The Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy program helps promote better eating for students and families. Kudos to that! This has also become a tagline, or motto, for their website and restaurant. It works as a loyalty program using rewards cards every time they dine. A percentage of their meal goes to a child's school or if it's a family rewards card, points are accumulated and deals are offered from time to time. (For more info on the program check out the Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy tab on the main website.

Personally I like my Asian cultural cuisine to be experienced separately if the restaurant I'm dining markets as one specific type - though there are a few exceptions. Most of the dishes were Chinese, but then you get to the end of the menu and suddenly there’s a full sushi bar. Weird, but I guess it works out as people have told me the sushi was good.

Appetizer

I dined with a friend one night and our wait time wasn’t long at all. After being seated, our waiter took our drink orders and came back with a complimentary appetizer. Another kudos for that! Feeling the mood for seafood, we ordered the Veggie Lo Mein, Kung Pao Shrimp, and Fish Filet with Garlic Sauce. This place gave generous proportions so it was easy to share. Some dishes proved to be more authentic than others, though that would be because of the healthier option that was available. The glazes and sauces were not that sweet/savory, but they did add flavor to the dishes. I guess that’s where the healthy part kicked in. They weren’t drenched in soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce, just lightly coated. We also ordered brown rice for a healthy alternative. The entrées satisfied. The service was super efficient, considering we came during the dinner rush.

Veggie Lo Mein and Fish Filet

Kung Pao Shrimp

Overall, Fortune Cookies is a better alternative to everyday chinese food meals we eat. While you won't have that traditional deep fried goodness, you'll still delight in the taste of savory goodness from other chinese dishes. Just like their motto, Eat Healthy Stay Healthy, this restaurant is a great place for healthy eating and  happy living.

Fortune Cookies is located at:

18774 Brookhurst Street Fountain Valley, CA 92708

www.fortunecookiesrestaurant.com

They also have a second location is in Los Alamitos!

California Chicken Cafe

Hey there foodies, it's been a minute since I last posted. Lately I've been eating at the same places and haven't really gotten around to trying something new. I visited a client and colleague in Santa Monica recently and I figured it would be the perfect time to explore a new gem. As I've said before, I'm familiar with the Los Angeles scene, but not much of Santa Monica other than eateries near the Santa Monica pier or the amazing food stands and hot dog trucks around. So I was very surprised to have discovered California Chicken Cafe!

I've had my fair share of visits to Peet's coffee on Woodward and that was the only shop I knew on the the street. I pulled in to Peet's then suddenly heard my stomach churn, demanding to put food in my belly. So I backed out and decided to drive down the street and randomly pick a place. It was rush hour so the first street parking I found, I parked. Cal it fate, but I parked in between CCC and Radio Shack. I took one look at the place and said "What the heck, let's try this place out."And I'm glad I did.

My first thought about the food and menu was "This place reminds me of Chicken Maison" (I wrote about Chicken Maison in a previous post). As much as I wanted to eat something light so I wouldn't feel sluggish during my meeting, I knew I had to eat something more than a simple piece of bread. So I ordered the 3-piece with 2 sides Rotisserie Combo with fresh fruit and chinese cabbage salad (red and green cabbage, green onions, almonds, sesame seeds, and sweet dressing).

While waiting for my meal, which took less than 10 minutes, I observed my surroundings. It seemed pretty crowded, but the dinner rush went by harmless. When my food arrived, I started with the fruit. Oh my word, it was sweet. I confirmed with one of the servers that the fruit was seasonal so every day it was different. The mix I had was ripe and flavorful. I took my time eating every piece of fruit because it was so juicy. Next came the salad. I've had chinese cabbage salad before and the best one I've ever tasted was homemade by an old friend who sadly moved to Florida. There was only one restaurant that had something similar to my friend's salad and that's a mom and pop in San Diego. So I kind of had expectations for this. You remember in the movie Ratatouille when Anton takes a bite of the food and suddenly nostalgia passes through his very soul, reliving a moment in his childhood? The thing about memories and when this phenomena happens is we quickly have a strong desire to go back to that moment and savor it as long as we can. That's what it felt like when I took a bite of that salad. It reminded me of my dearest friend in Florida and it certainly put me in an even better mood.

The chicken was far from dry (thank goodness), not it was appetizing. I asked the family sitting next to me if they would consider this place "healthy" because I've realized how light everything felt and even after finishing my combo and pita bread (they ask if you want white or wheat option!), I was just about full. The family next to me told me that this place was considered a healthier alternative to some of the eateries here and they like the menu and location for it as well. I couldn't agree more.

I was lucky to have found California Chicken Cafe on a last minute dinner rush and I'm glad I chose it over going to the nearest fast food drive thru. You really can't go wrong with any meal you order here. So, let's take my checklist out... Was the food delicious? Check. Was it healthy? Check. And did I enjoy my experience? DOUBLE CHECK. If you're ever out to eat in the West Los Angeles/Santa Monica Area and are looking for something fast, healthy and delicious, I recommend California Chicken Cafe. They are definitely a restaurant that promotes healthy eating and happy living :)

The California Chicken Cafe I ate at was located on 2005 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca 90025. I also know there is one on 2401 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica, Ca 90403.

www.californiachickencafe.com