15 replies to this topic

[kanda]

I was flipping channels this morning and saw a quick piece on one of the local Sac shows about a new restaurant opening next week in Roseville. It's a chain restaurant, though there are only 3 in the country right now (and the Roseville one is the first in CA).

It's called UFoodGrill (which seems like a stupid name for a restaurant if you ask me, but you didn't). One of it's tag lines is "Where nutritious meets delicious". Baked french fries. Brown rice. Whole wheat bread (though it doesn't say 100% whole wheat, so it could be 51% and still be accurate). Steamed, broiled, baked -- no fried, no added fats. I doubt it will survive long; people are too addicted to junk.

Their menu lists calories, protein, carbs, fiber, and fat / sat fat for each of their entrees. What it fails to mention, no doubt by design, is sodium. Still, if all restaurants listed nutritional data on their menu ... well, it would be interesting, wouldn't it?

If you dine out and you want to try food that's more healthful than most restaurants serve (and believe me, it is), you might want to try this place out. I will, one of these weeks. Whoever tries it first, please post something to this thread.

I see their website lists "Granite Bay / Folsom" under "Coming Soon", though I suspect "soon" is being a bit optimistic. Still, it would be nice to have one closer to home, if they actually stay in business long enough. ( Call me cynical, but the last healthful fast food restaurant chain that I knew of, Machismo Mouse, lasted only a few years, despite the fact the food was delicious regardless of how it was prepared. Most people just don't care about nutrition when they dine out, and anything that smacks of "healthful" they figure must taste like crap.)

[mylo]

My wife saw this, too. It's certainly up her alley so I'm sure we'll try it out soon

[Brynne]

Our family would welcome a healthy dining experience! Hope they make it to Folsom, as Roseville is too far of a drive for us for a meal.

[3heningers]

We just tried this place today for lunch and I really liked it (my husband works out there and I was taking my daughter to the dr.). I was online looking for where the other locations are and was happy to see folsom/granite bay, although, I picked up a menu and it said coming soon to EDH. I dont know which is more up to date but I will definitely go there more often if it is close! I love that I can go out and get healthy food, plus the prices were great!

[twnkltoz]

If they come to Folsom or EDH, we'll try it! We're always looking for healthy options to eat out.

[resident]

I tried it and it was just OK.
I tried the Thai Chicken expecting to be spicy, but is was sweet and bland. It was very "cafeteria-like" quality, but priced higher. A bit under $8.50 after sales tax for the "Smallish" portion size entree with the 2 included sides plus self service fountain soda in a paper cup. They offer a "Biggish" portion size for more money.

The baked french fries were good. I saw some sitting under heat lamps when I arrived, but they ran out those before they could serve them to me, so I got a fresh batch out of the oven with my order. They were good enough that I don't see any taste advantage to normal french fries.
They have mustard and hot sauce in bottles, but you have to use little plastic packets for ketchup which is annoying.

I'm willing to go back one more time and try different items and see I find an entree I like better.

[Spicy]

At UFoodGrill, for Lunch, I had Twin Grille: Top Sirlion Tips & Thai Chicken with Two Side Dishes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Green Salad. I also had a Soda. The total cost was about $14.00

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips was Medium Rare, Tender, Juicy. DELICIOUS.
2) The Thai Chicken Breast was VERY BAD. Frozen, Pre-Cooked Chicken. NO TASTE.
The Thai Chili Sauce was a bit too much.
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes was taken directly from the can. NO TASTE.
4) The Green Salad was rather DRY Salad. The Shredded Carrots were DRY like paper.

The menu lists no calories.

I estimated my food and my soda: about 1000 calories.

Well...my food adventure continues...

[kanda]

I tried it and it was just OK.
I tried the Thai Chicken expecting to be spicy, but is was sweet and bland. It was very "cafeteria-like" quality, but priced higher. A bit under $8.50 after sales tax for the "Smallish" portion size entree with the 2 included sides plus self service fountain soda in a paper cup. They offer a "Biggish" portion size for more money.

The baked french fries were good. I saw some sitting under heat lamps when I arrived, but they ran out those before they could serve them to me, so I got a fresh batch out of the oven with my order. They were good enough that I don't see any taste advantage to normal french fries.
They have mustard and hot sauce in bottles, but you have to use little plastic packets for ketchup which is annoying.

I'm willing to go back one more time and try different items and see I find an entree I like better.

Hmmm. Disappointing; the Thai Chicken sounded good.

There isn't supposed to be a TASTE advantage to baked fries, silly. It's about clogging your arteries or not. If they taste almost as good as fried, I think that's a pretty big win.

[kanda]

At UFoodGrill, for Lunch, I had Twin Grille: Top Sirlion Tips & Thai Chicken with Two Side Dishes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Green Salad. I also had a Soda. The total cost was about $14.00

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips was Medium Rare, Tender, Juicy. DELICIOUS.
2) The Thai Chicken Breast was VERY BAD. Frozen, Pre-Cooked Chicken. NO TASTE.
The Thai Chili Sauce was a bit too much.
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes was taken directly from the can. NO TASTE.
4) The Green Salad was rather DRY Salad. The Shredded Carrots were DRY like paper.

The menu lists no calories.

I estimated my food and my soda: about 1000 calories.

Well...my food adventure continues...

Odd, their website lists calories.

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips - 232 cal
2) The Thai Chicken Breast - 140 cal
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes - 115 cal
4) The Green Salad - Ok, no listing for that one, or your beverage.

Looks like you came in well under 1000 cals, though. Healthful eating will do that.

Like I figured; if it ain't bad for you, it ain't tasty to most folks. This place is doomed. I've yet to get my butt over there to try it, but after reading these last 2 posts, I'm not in much of a hurry, either.

Hey, Spicy, you're a tough critic. What restaurants to you LIKE? But maybe you should put that on a new thread (Spicy's Restaurant Suggestions).

[resident]

Hmmm. Disappointing; the Thai Chicken sounded good.

There isn't supposed to be a TASTE advantage to baked fries, silly. It's about clogging your arteries or not. If they taste almost as good as fried, I think that's a pretty big win.

I was saying I didn't see regular fries having any taste advantage over these fries. The fries were the best part of that meal.
I will have the fries again the next time I go there and I'll try a different entree.

[Spicy]

Odd, their website lists calories.

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips - 232 cal
2) The Thai Chicken Breast - 140 cal
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes - 115 cal
4) The Green Salad - Ok, no listing for that one, or your beverage.

Looks like you came in well under 1000 cals, though. Healthful eating will do that.

Like I figured; if it ain't bad for you, it ain't tasty to most folks. This place is doomed. I've yet to get my butt over there to try it, but after reading these last 2 posts, I'm not in much of a hurry, either.

Hey, Spicy, you're a tough critic. What restaurants to you LIKE? But maybe you should put that on a new thread (Spicy's Restaurant Suggestions).

Thanks for the cal info. I didn't check their website.
Inside UFoodGrill, the menu lists no calories.

Here is my new estimate:

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips - 232 cal
2) The Thai Chicken Breast - 140 cal
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes - 115 cal
4) The Green Salad - 15 cal
5) 6 TBS Thai Chili Sauce - 210 cal
6) 4 TBS Balsamic Vinaigrette - 240 cal
7) 12 oz Coke 150 - cal

Total= 1102 calories

Bon Appetit!

[resident]

Thanks for the cal info. I didn't check their website.
Inside UFoodGrill, the menu lists no calories.

Here is my new estimate:

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips - 232 cal
2) The Thai Chicken Breast - 140 cal
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes - 115 cal
4) The Green Salad - 15 cal
5) 6 TBS Thai Chili Sauce - 210 cal
6) 4 TBS Balsamic Vinaigrette - 240 cal
7) 12 oz Coke 150 - cal

Total= 1102 calories

Bon Appetit!

The sugared Coke and the few tablespoons each of salad dressing and chili sauce were mostly a waste of calories. You could skip or substitute those all with better choices, save lots of calories and be just as full.

[Steve Heard]

At UFoodGrill, for Lunch, I had Twin Grille: Top Sirlion Tips & Thai Chicken with Two Side Dishes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Green Salad. I also had a Soda. The total cost was about $14.00

1) The Grilled Sirlion Tips was Medium Rare, Tender, Juicy. DELICIOUS.
2) The Thai Chicken Breast was VERY BAD. Frozen, Pre-Cooked Chicken. NO TASTE.
The Thai Chili Sauce was a bit too much.
3) The Mashed Sweet Potatoes was taken directly from the can. NO TASTE.
4) The Green Salad was rather DRY Salad. The Shredded Carrots were DRY like paper.

Not that I have proof they weren't, but how do you know the chicken was frozen and precooked, and the sweet potatoes were directly from the can?

[Spicy]

Not that I have proof they weren't, but how do you know the chicken was frozen and precooked, and the sweet potatoes were directly from the can?

Lets just say I was 100% correct. Thank you for asking.
"There is no sincerer love than the love of food” George Bernard Shaw

[kanda]

I was saying I didn't see regular fries having any taste advantage over these fries. The fries were the best part of that meal.
I will have the fries again the next time I go there and I'll try a different entree.

Oops. Well, not that you clarified that, I can read it that way, too. Kind of like one of those optical illusions that you see one way, until someone points out the other way to look at it.

I hope the next entree you try is better.