The concept is simple: pick a bowl from their extremely curated menu, add a protein (if you wish), then sit back and enjoy the freshness, the flavors, and the surprisingly satisfactory portions–and feel guilt-free. Pair it with a home-made lemonade or iced tea (which Jackie said she’d come back everyday just for that incredible tea), and you’re set. And for dessert? Why not try one of the infamous delicacies from Sonja patisserie in Cully, “We knew we couldn’t make the best gluten-free dessert, so we brought in the best from Sonja. No competition,” said Sébastien, founder of Mon Jardin Secret.
The space itself feels a bit “granola”–there are trees and rocks lining the perimeter of the restaurant, and shelves filled with healthy snacks, creatively eco-friendly postcards, and wooden sunglasses and watches. There’s definitely a California vibe here; even Sébastien’s easy-going, ultra-friendly attitude creates a west-coast effect–we’re just missing the wheatgrass smoothies and surfers in board shorts.
We’ll be completely honest, the term “gluten-free” has always sent shivers down our spines. We love our pizza. We love our pasta. We love bread and crackers and cookies and cake and all that is gluten-ful. But you guys. Sébastien and his team have jumped on this grain-bowl bandwagon and have figured out a way to make you forget all about it. We didn’t even realize that gluten was missing from our meal and the best part was, we felt so good after eating our lunch. Our bowls were packed full of super foods like quinoa and spinach, and the flavorful sauces (mine had a nice spicy kick to it) paired nicely with all of the ingredients.
Tuesday-Friday 11:15am-6:30pm