Healthy restaurants

For the past few months, I’ve been packing lunches to ensure that the food I eat while at work is mostly in line with Bill Phillips’ Body For Life program. Occasionally, I am unable to pack a lunch, so where do I go?

Where do you go for healthy meals?

Pho Hoa or Pho Bac. My favorite restaurants are Vietnamese restaurants because of the nature of the food they serve. Their chicken salads (Goi Ga) are made of shredded chicken breast, lettuce and cabbage, topped with peanuts, basil leaves, and roasted garlic, and served with a spicy-sweet honey-vinegar dressing (I hesitate to call it a vinaigrette, given that it doesn’t have an oil base). You get your protein, a ton of healthy fiber-rich vegetables, and wee amounts of sugar and fat. You can also try their pho’s (noodle soups), but they’re so delicious that I start to wonder about their MSG content.

Kenny Rogers Roasters. This franchise has created a market on healthy eating, and for the most part, they’re faithful to their advertising. When here, I like to get their tomato, pesto, and mozzarella sandwich, which is served on a delightful grilled whole wheat panini. Their chicken’s good too, obviously, but I’m not too hot about their carb-laden side dishes.

Pollo Loco. Surprise, Pollo Loco is actually a pretty good alternative to the chicken restaurants. Their chicken is also spit-grilled (albeit basted in their oily juices, but whatever), plus they serve it with salsa instead of gravy. Their side dishes are less carby than KRR, and include corn and carrots, my personal favorite.

Where do you like to eat when you’re watching your weight?