With 22 locations across California, Tender Greens is a bona fide success story. Their story is a fascinating one too.
“Two chefs and a foodie set out to change the way people eat for the better,” they say online. “Our inspiration? The meals we had when our friends came over. The food. The pairings. The exploration. The energy. And the promise that on any given day we’d eat or drink something we wouldn’t find anywhere else. So we opened Tender Greens in 2006 and started a food revolution. Welcome to our kitchen.”
A “food revolution” is right. Tender Greens succeeds in making healthy food exciting. Adventurous too.
“We start with the best ingredients, cook from the heart and let our food do the talking,” they say. “No compromises, no matter what. Sustainability is at the core of all the choices we make, from our food to our planet to the future of farming. It’s in our DNA. After all, we’re chefs.”
The plates and bowls work in such a way that you pick your protein first, and we went with the grilled salmon. The flaky fish is grilled medium, but with the skin crisped to perfection. That skin is seasoned with sea salt and herb oil, both of which bring out the fresh, oily flavor of the pink fish.
It’s cooked expertly, so that the salmon isn’t at all chewy or tough. The softness is there, contrasting wonderfully with the crispy skin.
We chose to have it with sushi rice–sticky, white rice that pairs perfectly with the salmon. The grains are flavorful, specked with sesame seeds and blessed with the glorious sticky quality that binds sushi. It’s a fun idea to have that rice on a plate with salmon, and it works magnificently well.
The vegetables that the dish is served with, leaves and pickled cucumber with a miso mayo, are the cherry (tomato) on the top. The various flavors compliment each other beautifully, and the dish is a true triumph.
It was in 2006 that Tender Greens opened its very first location, and that first location was this one in Culver City. In the 18 years since then, the business has expanded by, on average, more than one new location per year. Based on the food that we sampled, their popularity is no surprise.
Tender Greens is located at 9523 Culver Blvd., Culver City 90232. Call 310-842-8300 or visit tendergreens.com.