Culture / Restaurants

A New Green Houston Restaurant Tries to Defy the Healthy Food Stereotypes: The Inventive Dishes Worth Trying

BY // 05.20.16

Organic is the new black, or at least the new green. The holistic dining wave has inspired a bevy of eateries touting fresh, fast food as their claim to fame. In the sea of nutrient-based kitchens, it’s hard not to get lost in the shuffle of brown rice dinners and gluten-free confections, but newly opened restaurant H.S. Green is breaking away from the mundane with a reimagined concept that offers fresh fare with a twist.

Stationed at 5092 Richmond Avenue, H.S. Green appeals to the ingredient-conscious consumer, offering everything from wild-caught shrimp to hormone-free chicken and cage-free brown eggs.

But the restaurant’s natural ingredients and fast-food promise aren’t stopping the brand from getting creative with menu options.

Healthy staples like green salads, soups and cold-pressed juices (don’t leave without a taste of varieties like watermelon, lime and mint; pear cucumber and ginger; and the obligatory green juice) get a reboot with flavor-boosting toppings like kelp noodles, roasted mushrooms and garlic, candied ginger and house-made guacamame — a hybrid spread created with edamame and guacamole. More than 60 toppings await in the queue.

H.S. Green is nicknamed The Good Food Bar. (Courtesy Photo)
H.S. Green is nicknamed The Good Food Bar. (Courtesy Photo)

Then there’s the use of elevated proteins. While build-your-own salad bars are usually stocked with options like chicken, shrimp and tofu, H.S. Green gives customers the likes of crispy duck — which is cooked in a rotisserie, then fried — grilled salmon, edamame quinoa falafel, roasted tofu, flank steak and smoked turkey.

H.S. Green’s wraps and pizzas are also good choices. The pies are cooked in a stone oven for three minutes and delivered to your table hot.

Whether you’re in search of an elevated salad or thin-crust pizza, here are five menu items to try at H.S Green:

GUACAMAME 
H.S. Green’s house guacamole is mixed with a hefty serving of edamame to create this creamy spread. Enjoy it as an appetizer or side with corn tortilla chips, or slather it on your loaded salad.

THAI SALAD WITH GRILLED SHRIMP 
Grilled shrimp marries with kelp noodles, watercress, cilantro, mango, mint, red chillies and cashews for this one-of-a-kind salad. Kelp noodles provide a healthy crunch, while the spicy Thai dressing seals the salad with a sweet tang.

In the mood for something a bit more adventurous? Try H.S. Green’s crispy duck and watercress salad.

H.S. Green's Crispy Duck and Watercress salad pictured with a cold-pressed watermelon, lime and mint juice. (Photo by Jailyn Marcel)
H.S. Green’s Crispy Duck and Watercress salad goes well cold-pressed watermelon, lime and mint juice. (Photo by Jailyn Marcel)

BUFFALO CHICKEN WRAP 
It was featured for two weeks as an H.S. Green special, and the wrap became a permanent staple after complaints rolled in following its absence from the menu.

Crispy chicken is tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce, then topped with romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, red onion and a mint-citrus vinaigrette. Add a side of house-made jalapeño ranch dressing.

TRUFFLE-INFUSED ROASTED MUSHROOMS AND CHICKEN PIZZA
It seems that truffles enhance the flavor of any dish. Mushrooms are sautéed with truffle oil, then roasted. The flavorful lot is then added to a thin-crust pizza alongside grilled chicken, spinach, goat cheese and garlic white sauce. 

NUTELLA PIZZA
Nutella, hazelnuts and fresh whipped cream — how could you go wrong?

Visit Dallas' premier open-air shopping and dining destination.

Highland Park Village Shop Now

Curated Collection

Swipe
X
X