Everybody says one of the keys to a good relationship is to establish a regular date night. Once you schedule it, get a sitter or make arrangement for the kids, you kind of want the date night to be really special. Dinner and a movie, again? Mmmm… not really. For years I've heard the radio ads for Stonefire Grill, a family owned restaurant with 7 locations throughout Los Angeles County, and I've always wanted to try their food. We're up for an adventure – so why not Stonefire Grill for date night?
Xaver and I recently visited the West Hills Stonefire Grill location to sample their new menu items and learn more about the restaurant and the values behind it. The ambiance of the restaurants is a family-friendly place but there are sections that are a little bit more romantic, such as the outdoor terrace for dining, which is where we were seated.
One of the things that sets Stonefire Grill apart from other restaurants and especially from chain restaurants is that everything is freshly prepared. Going on a date night can be a challenge when trying to stick to a healthy, all-natural diet, like the paleo way of eating that I practice. All of the sauces at Stonefire Grill are made in-house, fresh, EVERY morning! Each salad is made to order, when you order it, so that means you can totally customize it to your likes and know that you're getting a fresh, delicious, crisp salad.
The new menu items were a result of efforts by Stonefire family member and Marketing Executive Justin Lopez, who is vegetarian. Stonefire Grill took months to develop the recipes to make them tasty but also vegetarian-friendly. Stonefire Grill also offers a special Gluten-Free menu, by request, and, as I mentioned before, most items can be adapted to special dietary needs. Here are the new menu items we tried:
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Smoky, creamy, and totally filled with flavor, this cauliflower was so delicious! It's a great appetizer for a group to share or for a couple to nosh on while chatting during a date night. The lemon int he tahini dressing gives the dish just the right amount of kick!
Keen Green Salad
I just love the name of this salad! Xaver loved this one the best. This salad is light and fresh tasting – the sun-dried tomatoes give it a really nice kick of developed flavor! Besides being delicious, you can feel about eating this salad, packed with vitamin packed fresh ingredients like spinach and avocado.
From the Grill: Shrimp
These shrimp were so fresh and delicious — amazing! You may want to order two because this is one you won't wanna share!
Stonefire Grill also introduced three new sandwiches, all of which Xaver loved!
- Slow-Roasted, Hand-Carved Turkey
- Roasted Cauliflower Pita
- The Caprese
We also sampled some of these long-time Stonefire Grill signature menu items:
- Mashed potatoes – while were we out to eat, someone commented on my Instagram that we should try to mashed potatoes – wow. Pretty much the best mashed potatoes on the planet!
- Petite Tri-Tip – the Tri-tip can be ordered with Mesquite BBQ sauce or Pepper Garlic Topped with Gorgonzola Butter. Both were scrumptious but that Gorgonzola Butter was a little piece of heaven!
- Golden State Kale Salad – I ordered this without the chickpeas to make it more paleo-friendly. The golden raisins add a sweet burst of flavor that works well with the kale green of the salad.
- Sesame Glazed Salmon was insanely delicious!
In addition, SFG has some great house beer and wine options, including a craft brew made locally in San Diego, Saint Archer Blonde Ale.
It's no surprise that Stonefire Grill has catered over 1000 weddings in So Cal last year alone!! The food is delicious, prepared fresh, and the prices are incredibly reasonable. Date night at Stonefire Gril can easily be had for $50-$75 for a couple, including drinks! In addition, they offer carryout so you can order to go and go on a picnic or order dinner for the kids on your way home.
Check out Stonefire Grill online here:
We had a wonderful time and will be back to Stonefire Grill for date night again soon!
