The Tallahassee restaurant focuses on a healthful, clear menu.

While you go to this new Tallahassee restaurant, you’ll discover a menu of bowls, salads, lavash bread and cauliflower-crust pizza. Au naturale, if you’ll. Afterall, what else would you anticipate from a spot referred to as Bare Naked Kitchen?

But, when the supervisor talks about baring all of it, she’s not speaking about the workers. Regardless of its titillating identify, everyone seems to be clothed. The identify? It’s meant to be a enjoyable, attention-getter. 

“We picked it on objective,” mentioned Jen Ulmer, vice chairman of promoting and public relations for Bare Naked Kitchen. “It attracts curiosity.”

The identify additionally refers to the meals — and transparency, she mentioned.

“We’re utilizing contemporary meals and there’s no hiding behind substances,”  mentioned Jen. 

Bare Naked Kitchen has a lightweight, breezy decor that works for purchasers eating solo or in a bunch. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

The identify might get your consideration however it’s the meals that may make you a fan. Dishes are filling however mild and healthful, with the menu created by Chris Ponte, one among Tampa Bay’s premier cooks and a James Beard nominee.

Tallahassee was chosen for the debut of the idea, however there are plans for enlargement, beginning with South Tampa. Restaurateur Bob Basham, who’s behind the chains Outback Steakhouse, PDQ and Glory Days, launched Bare Naked Kitchen this spring in the former house of Spear-It, close to the Florida State College Faculty of Music. 

A have a look at the inside of Bare Naked Kitchen at 609 W. Tennessee St. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

The informal restaurant is vivid and breezy, embellished with mild woods, potted vegetation and accents of cornflower blue and olive inexperienced. There’s seating for 14 on the patio and 108 inside, with a number of cubicles in addition to a communal desk. You order at the counter however meals is delivered to your desk.

Bare Naked Kitchen has a mixture of seating, together with cubicles and a communal desk. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

Bare Naked Kitchen is certain to be a success with school college students, however the attraction is cross-generational. I’ve been there a pair instances, as soon as with pals, and all of us appreciated it. 

Dig In 

Bowls are a chief attraction at Bare Naked Kitchen, and fittingly, most have catchy names.

My husband was pleased with the Match to be Thai’d bowl, a mixture of  black forbidden fried rice, peanuts and chunks of Asian-style rooster, topped with a cluster of crisp and wispy rice noodles. 

My Moroccan rooster lavash bread was additionally excellent, with items of harissa rooster that makes use of a candy/smokey crimson chili paste, plus mozzarella, some roasted crimson peppers, crimson onions and cilantro. Lavash bread, additionally referred to as Armenian flatbread, is getting more and more widespread round the globe. It’s just a little thinner and crisper than a conventional flat bread so the substances stand out much more. 

Our menu selections included The Medi cauliflower pizza and the No Miss Steak and Skinny Mexican bowls. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

On one other go to to Bare Naked Kitchen, we went with pals who raved about the place. My good friend Gail mentioned the whole lot tasted contemporary and every bowl had its personal character. Hold digging into your bowl and also you’ll discover contemporary veggies and grains, like the tri-color quinoa in the Skinny Mexican. 

As for the Skinny Mexican, highlights embody the black bean patties, plenty of black beans and a perky pico de gallo, dressed with a chipotle agave French dressing. 

The No Miss Steak was just a little like a steak dinner in a bowl, however the sliced steak wasn’t the solely principal occasion. It’s joined by garlic potatoes, slices of artichokes, gorgonzola and plenty of brown basmati rice with a gorgonzola yogurt dressing. The lower of steak is a wealthy teres main, which can also be referred to as the shoulder tender, mock tender or petite tender. The kitchen cooks the steak sous vide and grills it to order. The meat was very tender and flavorful. 

The Roll in a Bowl brings a tasty mixture of tuna poke with veggies and jasmine rice. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

We have been additionally stunned by the Roll in a Bowl as effectively. We appreciated the chopped golden beets, bok choy and jasmine rice in addition to a mound of refreshing tuna poke served with a wasabi French dressing and crisps created from wonton skins.

The Medi cauliflower crust pizza options slices of eggplant, roasted tomato, arugula and basil other than mozzarella and tomato sauce. Pictures by Tallahassee Desk

I’ve by no means been a fan of cauliflower crusts however Bare Naked Kitchen did a superb job with our alternative of The Medi, with toppings of mozzarella, tomato sauce, eggplant, piquillo peppers, feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, olives and arugula. The pizzas and lavash breads are a superb measurement for sharing. 

You can too request vegan choices. Desserts are marked Vegan, gluten-free or Keto. We appreciated the gluten-free cookie made in-house and the Keto chocolate brownie. In the event you’re a fan of Rice Krispies treats, which I’m not, there’s a vegan brown rice chocolate crispy model. In addition they have objects like ardour fruit curd with chantilly cream or yogurt panna cotta with primary peach compote. 

Bare Naked Kitchen options an array of natural sodas in flavors that embody root beer, lemongrass and cucumber. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

Drinks

I not often drink soda however the Bare Naked Kitchen natural sodas are fairly good. I actually appreciated the root beer. A staffer urged mixing lemongrass and cucumber sodas and that was a shocking deal with.  

You’ll be able to order cheap batched cocktails with flavors like Appears like the First Lime, Pucker Up and The Blood Orange Bitter. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

You can too order batched cocktails made every day and served from a faucet. The Blood Orange Bitter, one among 5 obtainable, was made with Bulleit bourbon, lemon juice, agave and blood orange. Appears like the First Lime, made with 1800 Silver Tequila, Cointreau and orange and lime juices, is an effective match in your Skinny Mexican Bowl. 

The Bare Naked Kitchen is the first of what’s prone to be a profitable chain of eating places. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

Costs

Bowls are $12 to $15, cauliflower pies are $14, lavash breads are $eight to $10, salads $12 to $15 (with add-ons obtainable), grab-and-go objects are $2 to $5, desserts are $2 to $four and cocktails are $6.

Backside line

The massive reveal? Bare Naked Kitchen is a enjoyable idea with beneficiant parts of flavorful, healthful meals, a relaxed setting and the starting of what’s prone to turn into a profitable chain.

The outside of Bare Naked Kitchen on West Tennessee Road. Picture by Tallahassee Desk

In the event you go…

Bare Naked Kitchen, 609 W. Tennessee St.

850-250-0045

Net: eatbarenaked.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

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