Beautifull in the News

Beautifull! Opens New Sunset Location

Tami Yu

If you're having trouble keeping that new year's resolution to stay healthy, Beautifull! just opened another convenient SF location to help you stick to your diet in a delicious way.

Located in the bustling Sunset district, the new eatery has a much larger space and plenty of table seating, as well as a cozy heated patio in the back. They're also working with Susan Cervantes, Founder of Precita Eyes Muralists Association, to produce a large abstract mural in the patio representing happiness, contentment and love. How Beautifull is that?

There are a few new items on the menu since my last visit. The Moroccan Chicken and Red Thai Curry Turkey Bowl (with organic coconut milk) are my new favorites, and I love the fact that their meats are hormone-free. The Polenta Fries and Farro Risotto are also very good. For dessert, they have a chocolate chip cookie made with whole grains and flax seed. The 'chips' are actually cacao nibs, so it's lower in sugar and healthier for your body.

The best thing about their healthy menu? The food doesn't taste like diet food and it is so nutrient dense that I was pretty full for a long time. I didn't need an afternoon snack and ended up eating a lighter dinner.

Check out the entire menu at beautifull.com.

Beautifull opens new San Francisco location in the Inner Sunset

Sonja Shin Hodgkins

Beautifull has opened a new San Francisco location in the Inner Sunset at 9th and Irving, hoping to draw in the UCSF crowd up the hill as well as local residents. The new space is more comfy and spacious than the original location at Laurel Village and has a heated patio in back. The food, created by Chefs Donna Insalaco and Ron Boyd, is just as good.

Beautifull offers healthy, interesting dishes that don't compromise on flavor, with vegetarian and vegan options. They're made with fresh, natural, unprocessed, whole ingredients free of hormones, steroids, and antibiotics.

The atmosphere is casual. Eat in or grab a bite to go from the deli-style setup or choose among the many prepacked meals.

To celebrate local artists, Beautifull is working with Susan Cervantes, founder of Precita Eyes Muralists Association, to produce a large abstract mural for the back patio.

Recommendations: The piping hot, crispy Baked Polenta "Fries" ($4.99) is a new addition to the menu that quickly became a crowd favorite. The Red Thai Turkey Curry Bowl ($12.99) over golden quinoa is perfect on a cold, rainy day. Finish up with a fresh-baked, whole-grain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie ($1.99) that's wonderfully chewy without being overly sweet.

The new location is at 816 Irving Street, near the corner of 9th Avenue. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. To learn more about Beautifull, visit Beautifull.com. You can also find out about daily specials by following them on Twitter and by checking their Facebook page.

Dispatches from the Bay: Beautifully Comforting

Katie Robbins

The cold winter months call out for comfort food -- spaghetti and meatballs; warm beef stews; risotto; chocolate chip cookies. Even as our bodies crave this homey fare, however, our consciences -- and doctors -- warn against it.

Unless, of course, said comfort food is coming from Beautifull, a San Francisco restaurant, specializing in healthy prepared foods for busy Bay Area residents who might otherwise grab a slice or one of the area’s famous giant burritos for their after-work repasts.

Beautifull’s founder and CEO is entrepreneur and philanthropist, Eric Greenberg, who himself experienced that pull for quick, often unhealthy food, until a wake-up call from his doctor sent him into a reworking of his lifestyle; Greenberg hired a chef and a nutritionist, who together helped him overhaul his diet and lose 60 pounds.

Acting on his entrepreneurial spirit, Greenberg took the lessons he had learned and partnered with renowned chefs, nutritionists, and doctors, including Ron Boyd, the former executive chef of Aqua, Dr. Christopher Gardner, the Director of Nutrition Studies at Stanford’s Prevention Research Center, and Dr. Dean Ornish, best-selling author and founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute. Beautifull was born.

Beautifull’s menu ranges from the aforementioned soul-warmers like the heartily satisfying spaghetti and meatballs, made healthy with Diestel ground turkey, oats, and spinach, to the more traditional suspects of a healthy menu like tabouli, here made deliciously toothsome with the use of quinoa. One of the standouts is a faro risotto, creamy and filling with butternut squash and a smattering of calcium-rich Parmesan. For those craving something warm and healthy who can’t make the trip to the City by the Bay, Beautifull’s chefs have shared the recipe for this cozy dish. And as a special bonus, the recipe for Beautifull’s chocolate chip cookies with walnuts is also included.

Beautifull Farro Risotto with Butternut Squash
Serves 4 to 5 people

Ingredients:
½ cup - whole grain farro
2 cups - water
1 cup - vegetable stock
¾ tsp - minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
¾ tsp - diced leek
⅔ cup - diced butternut squash
3 ¼ tbsp - diced carrots
½ tsp - black pepper
3 ¼ tsp - minced shallot
2 ¾ tbsp - white wine
2 ½ tsp - chopped parsley
2 ½ tbsp - grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp - lemon juice
1 ¼ tsp - rice bran oil
1 tsp - kosher salt

Directions:
1. Mince garlic and shallots; dice leeks, carrot, and squash into 1/4th inch pieces (small dice); and chop parsley.
2. Add water to a medium pot, bring to a boil, and add farro and ¼ tsp of salt. Stir for 10 minutes and then strain out remaining water. Place to the side.
3. In a large pan, heat oil and sauté garlic, shallots, leeks, carrots, and butternut squash. Season with ¼ tsp salt. Cook to al dente.
4. Add wine to vegetables, and reduce by 2/3rd’s. Add the hot, drained farro and stir well.
5. Warm vegetable stock in microwave, and add to the risotto. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until risotto has reduced by half, stirring periodically on high heat.
6. Add 2 ¼ tbsp of the parmesan cheese and stir well until cheese is melted.
7. Add chopped parsley, lemon juice, remaining salt and pepper.
8. Garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve.

Beautifull cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts
Makes 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup - turbinado sugar (finely ground)
1 cup - rice bran oil
½ tsp - vanilla bean (split an scraped)
3 - whole eggs
1 cup - whole wheat flour (sifted)
1 tsp - baking powder
2 ⅓ tbsp - ground flax seeds
⅔ tsp - kosher salt
½ cup - cocoa nibs
⅔ cup - chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add sugar and incorporate oil little by little until sugar is dissolved. Approximately 5 min.
2. Split vanilla beans in half lengthwise, and scrape out seeds inside. Add eggs and vanilla bean scrapings to the oil and sugar (ensure sugar is well ground). Mix until incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, flax seeds, salt, cocoa nibs, and walnuts.
4. With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, little by little, until just combined.
5. Add cookie dough to a non-stick bowl, and chill in refrigerator overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a medium ice cream scoop, portion out 12 cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with baking mat or parchment paper, spread out evenly.
7. Bake cookies in oven for 15-17 minutes, rotating pan half way through, until golden brown.
8. Remove cookies and place on a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature.

This is the one of a series of "Dispatches from the Bay" from Katie Robbins, a freelance writer currently splitting her time between cities of New York and San Francisco. Her writing on food has appeared in Saveur, BlackBook, and the Atlantic Monthly's Food Channel.

250 Things To Do in San Francisco Before You Die

Think you know San Francisco?

Whether you're a native or a visitor, here's our list of the 250 things we think you need to do in San Francisco before you die. Go neighborhood by neighborhood and see how many you can check off! The bragging rights are yours.
1. Got some landscaping inspiration (and a Ritual coffee) at Flora Grubb Gardens in Bayview.
2. Saved the date for the Hunters Point Shipyard Artists' Open Studio, a great place to find affordable art in Bayview.
3. Ventured into Heron's Head Park for an off-the-grid urban hike in Bayview.
4. Sampled the local brews at Speakeasy Ales in Bayview.
5. Got crafty and scrounged through piles of recycled art supplies at SCRAP in Bayview.
6. Tried (tipsy) glassblowing at one of Public Glass' "Hot Glass, Cold Beer" events in Bayview.
7. Got the pooch open-water-ready at Pet Camp's dog swim sessions in Bayview.
8. Scoped out the kiteboarders at Candlestick Park in Bayview.
9. Foraged for salvaged (a.k.a., shabby chic) windows, doors and bathtubs at Building Resources in Bayview.
10. Had a straight-out-of-the-oven blueberry-bran muffin at The Liberty Cafe Bakery in Bernal Heights.
11. Spent a Sunday afternoon happy hour on the patio of El Rio nursing a bloody mary pint in Bernal Heights.
12. Got a 360-degree view while walking the trails that circle the tippy top of Bernal Heights Hill.
13. Shopped for Asian vegetables at the Alemany Farmers Market in Bernal Heights.
14. Went salsa dancing at Roccapulco (followed by a midnight snack of fried plantains at El Zocalo, a block away) in Bernal Heights.
15. Made dinner reservations at the counter of Blue Plate and watched the kitchen action in Bernal Heights.
16. Had a super burrito at Taqueria Cancun (and brought quarters for the jukebox) in Bernal Heights.
17. Found the perfect birthday gift at Heartfelt (and asked them to wrap it) in Bernal Heights.
18. Stopped by Red Hill Books for story hour in Bernal Heights.
19. Upped the picnic ante and splurged on some d'Affinois cheese at Say Cheese in Cole Valley.
20. Pick up the ultimate hostess gift - macarons - at Boulange in Cole Valley
21. Ate the gingerbread pancakes and eggs Benedict at Zazie in Cole Valley.
22. Woke up early to watch a rugby match on the big screen at Kezar Pub in Cole Valley.
23. Took the shortcut from Cole to Clayton through Cole Valley Dog Park behind the N tracks in Cole Valley
24. Did some journal-writing while sipping a cappuccino in the backyard of Reverie Cafe in Cole Valley
25. Got some free inspiration and flipped through home design books at Egg + Urban Mercantile in Cole Valley.
26. Splurged on a Sweet Almond Latte spa pedicure at Lavande in Cole Valley.
27. Ordered a traditional kaiseki dinner at the unmarked Hama-Ko Sushi on Carl Street in Cole Valley.
28. Made my fortune at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown.
29. Gave up coffee for tea at Red Blossom Tea in Chinatown.
30. Signed up for Shirley Fong-Torres' Wok Wiz walking tour of Chinatown.
31. Bought an authentic wok (or any number of Chinese cooking tools) from owner Tane Chan at the Wok Shop in Chinatown.
32. Ordered whatever was cooked on the spit that day at Kokkari in Jackson Square.
33. Started at the Old U.S. Mint and meandered the 3.8 miles' worth of Barbary Coast Trail bronze medallions in the Financial District.
34. Channeled another era with a martini and steak tartare at Bix in the Financial District.
35. Browsed the spendy antique stores on Jackson Street in Jackson Square.
36. Had an Arturo Fuente cigar on the heated patio of the Cigar Bar & Grill in Chinatown/Financial District.
37. Waited for the daily menu posting on Twitter and ordered the sandwich du jour from Kitchenette in the Dogpatch.
38. Picked up a made-in-SF, eco-friendly messenger bag at Rickshaw Bagworks in the Dogpatch.
39. Sat down to some housemade beignets at Just For You Cafe in the Dogpatch.
40. Fueled up my VW or Mercedes with biodiesel at Dogpatch Biofuels in the Dogpatch.
41. Three words: Red. Flannel. Hash. (Had it for brunch at Serpentine in the Dogpatch.)
42. Did a test-run for a Match.com date over biodynamic wine at Yield in the Dogpatch.
43. Scored an Eames knockoff at Sphere Designs in the Dogpatch.
44. Explored the work of local, emerging contemporary artists at Ampersand in the Dogpatch.
45. Took a Thursday night qigong class at Acupuncture Kitchen in the Dogpatch.
46. Got a milkshake (with two straws) at Joe's Cable Car in the Excelsior.
47. Threw a ball for the dog at the McLaren Park reservoir in the Excelsior.
48. Sampled the Broken Record's collection of 200 whiskeys in the Excelsior.
49. Checked out work by local artists (and got a caffeine fix) at Mama's Art Cafe in the Excelsior.
50. Took a deep breath at the lush Cayuga Playground garden in the Excelsior.
51. Worked through the menu at Beijing Restaurant in the Excelsior, beginning with the fennel dumplings.
52. Got some friends together for a softball game at Crocker Amazon playground in the Excelsior.
53. Dove into a stack of pupusas at the Excelsior outpost of Balompie Cafe.
54. Looked up to see the hawks circling the rustic canyon paths of Glen Canyon Park.
55. Forgot about cooking for a night and got dinner from Canyon Market's gourmet deli in Glen Park.
56. Sat down to a potato-and-bacon pizza at Gialina in Glen Park.
57. Took time to smell the roses at the lovely Arlington Community Garden (at Arlington Street and Highland Ave. in Glen Park).
58. Found some quiet time at the new Glen Park Library.
59. Played darts at the Glen Park Station (not the BART stop -- the dive bar).
60. Picked up a conversation piece, like a Paul McCobb coffeetable, at Modern Past in Glen Park.
61. Had a greasy-spoon, stack-of-pancakes breakfast at Tyger's in Glen Park.
62. Browsed Perch in Glen Park for some whimsical home decor.
63. Brought the kids to Kids' Night on Tuesdays at Chenery Park in Glen Park.
64. Indulged in my black licorice fetish at Miette Patisserie and Confiserie in Hayes Valley.
65. Sifted through top-notch vintage at Ver Unica in Hayes Valley.
66. Got creative with Lite-Brite while downing a pint at Place Pigalle in Hayes Valley.
67. Ordered a Blue Bottle gibraltar in Hayes Valley.
68. Tried on an outrageously expensive negligee at Alla Prima in Hayes Valley.
69. Had a cocktail and a housemade hot dog at Absinthe in Hayes Valley.
70. Got a cheap cut at Zenzi's beauty school in Hayes Valley.
71. Deliberated over a pre-symphony dinner reservation: Zuni or Jardiniere?
72. Grabbed a PBR at one of the tiny, quirky Fecal Face Dot Gallery's openings in Hayes Valley.
73. Made some good moves during the Rickshaw Stop's monthly Non Stop Bhangra party in Hayes Valley.
74. Surprised my sweetie with a bouquet from Birch in the Laurel/Presidio Heights.

75.After a hike in the Presidio, ate a healthy lunch at Beautifull! in the Laurel/Presidio Heights...

The entire list can be found at 7X7 San Francisco

Review: Eating for health and beauty at Beautifull

There’s a bounty of beauty-friendly foods at Beautifull in Laurel Village. They make it easy to get beautiful from the inside out with healthy foods that are also incredibly delicious and flavorful.

What’s to Love

• Lots of whole, unprocessed, preservative-free, organic ingredients, which are known to help heal skin by providing more nutrients, and fewer toxins that wreak havoc on the skin.
• Many of the foods are high in dietary fiber, which helps rid the body of toxins and translates into clearer skin. High fiber also makes you feel fuller longer, which helps the waistline.
• It’s okay to indulge in some of the baked goods, because they’re not made with refined sugars or grains, which promote inflammation and lead to blemishes. In fact, none of the food is made with refined sugars or grains.
• Beautifull makes life easy for people on the go so it’s easier to steer clear of skin-unfriendly fast food. Food is offered deli-style so you can buy just enough one meal or many. You can also dash in for a pre-packed item, pick up an order curbside, or have them deliver.
Interior of Beautifull

Beauty-Friendly Highlights

• Tea-Smoked Salmon. This delightful dish of salmon house smoked over Asian tea leaves contains lots of Omega-3 oils that help beautify the skin by keeping it hydrated and more elastic.
• Red Quinoa and Edamame Salad. Definitely try this. Quinoa and edamame both offer plenty of fiber, which promotes clear skin. Edamame also contains significant amounts of protective antioxidants.
• Oatmeal Soufflé with Blueberry Compote. This is an incredibly delicious, unusual treat that works as a breakfast and as a dessert. It’s made from steel-cut oats and is high in fiber, which promotes clear skin. The blueberries are chock full of antioxidants, which help fend off wrinkles by protecting skin from free-radical damage.
• Whole-Wheat Macaroni and Cheese. Mac ‘n cheese is normally terrible for the complexion with all those processed ingredients and fat – all exacerbating breakouts and rosacea. But Beautifull has turned this comfort food around by making it with whole wheat and without cream or butter. And yet it’s still plenty tasty.

The Laurel Village location is located at 3401 California Street at Laurel in San Francisco. Get more info at beautifull.com.

Coming Soon

Even more Beautifull food is on the way. The company plans to open more locations around the Bay Area, including two in San Francisco and one in the East Bay. Look for new locations in the Inner Sunset, the Castro, and Lafayette later this year.

Bargain Bite: Beautifull

A new Emeryville food-service company aims to transcend the stereotype of fast food made with mass-market ingredients. Already supplying prepared meals to several Bay Area markets, in April Beautifull opened its first restaurant in San Francisco's Laurel Village, with a focus on healthful, locally sourced whole foods from a spectrum of culinary traditions.

Diners can eat in at one of a handful of indoor and outdoor tables, order food to go or grab a meal from the refrigerator case to heat up later. The extensive, vegetarian-friendly menu is presented in crocks rather than steam tables. (They're more aesthetically pleasing but resulted in one of our dishes being served on the cool side.)

Though some entrees cost more than the $12 Bargain Bite limit, the ones that do either include a main course and two large sides or are fresh seafood choices, such as miso-marinated black cod ($12.99), and are generally a good value.

Thai chicken curry ($11.99/pound) is a house favorite. We especially liked a creamy frittata with asparagus and goat cheese ($6.99) and a large bowl of red quinoa and edamame salad ($7.99). At breakfast you can pick up healthy-looking (in a good way) muffins and Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and granola ($4.99).

There are some big names behind the scenes here. Former Aqua restaurant chef de cuisine Ron Boyd is head of research and development for the company, which plans to open more stores. Designer Cass Calder Smith's sleek blonde wood and stainless steel-accented interior doesn't feel much like your standard fast-casual restaurant.

Vitals: 3401 California St. (at Laurel), S.F. (415) 728-9080. www.beautifull.com. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. No alcohol.

Aqua tidal wave: chef change

Aqua, the Financial District restaurant that pioneered sophisticated seafood cuisine, has made news again. Ron Boyd, the chef de cuisine and a 2005 Chronicle Rising Star chef, is leaving and moving up the road apiece to Beautifull, a company that makes healthful packaged meals.

The firm, which already distributes food to grocery stores around the Bay Area, just opened its first storefront in Laurel Village (3401 California St.). Boyd has been hired on as director of research and development. He'll split his time between Aqua and Beautifull until the restaurant finds his replacement.

Beautifull Girls

Beautifull Health Food Market Opens

Used to be that a happy meal consisted of a cheeseburger and toy in a cartoon-covered box. (Ahhh, the days before Nutrition Facts.)

Now it's eating in, taking out, and loading up on fresh, almost entirely organic snacks and meals at Beautifull, opening today in Laurel Village.

Formerly known as The Real Good Project, the brick-and-mortar flagship stocks a bounty of prepackaged and custom-made lunch and dinner options. The sleek interior's refrigerated section offers breakfast parfaits, whole wheat mac 'n' cheese (microwave is nearby), salads, soups, Fizzy Lizzy sodas, and more.

At the counter, order sammies (turkey meatball with provolone), curry bowls, or the build-a-Beautifull — for which you pair desired sides (ratatouille) with entrees (braised pork shoulder). All arrive in the blink of an eye.

Giving new meaning to in 'n' out.

tablehopper

The timing on this opening couldn't be better as far as my culinary calendar is concerned, and I plan to try it out in the next week: the first ~BEAUTIFULL~ "foodspace" opens in Laurel Village this Wednesday April 29th. (Cass Calder Smith is the architect.) According to the press release, the location "will be offering tasty, healthy, and convenient prepared food that is fresh, natural, and whole. Customers can dine in at the location, take out, stock up for the week or have the food delivered to their homes or offices. The company has been selling its prepared fresh food entrees and side dishes online and in several Bay Area grocery stores for many months. The company, founded by entrepreneur Eric Greenberg, is based in Emeryville and provides food in retail stores such as Blue Fog Market, Berkeley Bowl and Real Food Company and through home delivery." Hours are 7am–8pm daily.