Have a hale and hearty meal at Agrain
Often when you think of healthy food, your first thought is to turn to boring stuff or salads. This does not have to be the case and the team at Agrain are ready to show you how to eat and enjoy the good stuff.
Already established at Menara Hap Seng in KLCC and at the Intermark on Jalan Tun Razak, Agrain has continued with its commitment to bringing tasty healthy food to the masses with a new branch at The Garden’s North Tower, Mid Valley. The latest outlet opened on March 27 with a media event with speeches by the CEO of Hale, the mother company of Agrain, and one of their supply partners, ecoBrown Rice.
The restaurant is in a corner of the office block lobby of the North Tower and has ample seating for a busy lunchtime crowd. Using a checkbox menu, you create your order before handing it to the cashier and paying. Your order is made before your eyes from a selection of pots brimming with delicious, fresh food and you collect your bowl or box for takeaway and add some dressing before moving away from the counter.
The concept is based on fresh local ingredients cooked in a healthy manner. You begin by choosing the bowl size (Petit is 13.90rm, regular 16.90rm and large 20.90rm) and then start to build your meal. There is a range of bases: ecoBrown’s rice, cauliflower rice, buckwheat soba and whole wheat pasta. If you prefer to go carb free you can choose the mixed lettuce or baby spinach options.
Next, you move on to your proteins with 3 chicken choices: honey soy chicken thigh, thyme chicken breast or Piri-Piri chicken breast; 2 fish choices: lemon dill whitefish and baked salmon, or a beef stew or the vegetarian-friendly miso-glazed tofu. The protein portion size depends on your selected bowl size.
Then you add your “supplements” from a range of 13 vegetables, pulses and egg, the number depends on your bowl size choice. Next up you pick a topping such as spring onion, shredded nori or mixed sesame seeds and finally drizzle your dressing over the goodies you have chosen. There are also 6 ready to go options such as the BBQ Chicken Rice bowl and the Lemon Dill Spinach Salad bowl.
I chose to make my own regular sized bowl which allowed me to add 1 protein and 3 supplements to my bed of fluffy cauliflower rice. Being vegetarian I selected the tofu option and added herb-roasted potato (go on, make the Irish jokes!), steamed broccoli and marinated cherry tomato. I topped it off with some chilli flakes and rosemary infused olive oil dressing to complete my bowl.
I am not always a fan of tofu, unless it is done right. This was perfect for my taste. I worked well with the cauliflower rice and my vegetable choice to give me a gently spiced, tasty, filling meal. I paired it with one of their delicious homemade teas, the lemongrass one.
My dining companion is a carnivore and not usually a fan of healthy foods but even he was salivating at the choice of food available. He made his bowl up with cauliflower rice, honey soy chicken, garlic cauliflower, honey-glazed carrots, shimeji mushrooms and topped it with roasted garlic and a salted egg yolk dressing which he washed down with an oregano ginger tea.
He really enjoyed it and said it tasted “clean”. He felt it could do with a little more flavouring through herbs etc but other than that, we were both very satisfied with our lunch.
I was delighted to learn that Agrain is available on Food Panda and GrabFood and even happier to know that there is one not far from where I live. No more will I be stressing about interrupting my work at home to cook. As someone with allergies, it can be difficult for me to order online, in fact eating out can be a challenge, but Agrain have helpful allergy symbols on their menu and now that I know what I can and can’t eat, I will be able to order online easily.
This is a young company with a vision. They have plans to open 3 more outlets this year, so watch out, one may be springing up near you, offering simple, delicious budget-friendly food that won’t make you feel guilty. I know I will be going . Agrain and Agrain and Agrain
