Nutritious Nibbles

Soba stir-fry, Thai chicken salad, raw pizza and more await at three healthy Broward dining spots.

By Elaine Walker

Dining out doesn't have to be incompatible with healthy eating. Here are three places that offer plenty of fresh and nutritious choices with healthy choices. And no worries - indugling is welcome.

Hidden in a tiny Plantation strip shopping center set back from the road, Bamboo Noah's is a secret worth discovering. Owner Simon Berdugo prides himself on making sauces and balsamic and Asian dressings from scratch and keeps the menu’s price point at $12 or less. The menu ranges from Asian to Middle Eastern with lots of stops in between. For a heartier meal, opt for a grilled or wok entree with two sides. For lighter fare, there are salads, sandwiches and wraps. The grilled shrimp with fruit salsa included seven perfectly cooked shrimp and a flavorful mix of pineapple and diced red bell pepper. Thumbs up, too, for the grilled balsamic chicken breast and a daily special of chicken stir-fry with soba noodles. Side dishes include crispy Asian slaw, Israeli couscous, sesame snow peas and jasmine rice with cranberries and cashews. Our only disappointment was a just-OK dessert crepe.
Bamboo Noah's: 1251 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation; 954-475-8990; Prices: grill and wok dishes $7-$8 ($12 with two sides), salads $7 (plus $3 for protein), sandwiches and wraps $7 (plus $2 with a side), side orders $3-$5.

Independent operation Toss Up Salads could give lessons to some of the salad chains. With its light green walls and red banquette seating, the bright and cheery room feels like a friend's kitchen. Salads, wraps and smoothies are the name of the game here, but the choices are overwhelming. There are several pages of signature salad combinations and gourmet wraps with Tex-Mex, Indian and tropical flavor profiles. If you don't find what you like, design your own. We opted for the Mediterranean and Thai salads, adding grilled chicken to huge bowls loaded with fresh produce and house-made dressings. If you want to blow the diet, there are decadent desserts like chocolate lava cake and a dulce de leche pyramid.
Toss Up Salads: 7750 Nova Dr., Davie; 954-533-4488; Prices: salads $4.99-$8.49 (plus $1.50-$2.99 for protein), wraps $4.99-$7.49, smoothies $4.99-$5.99.

If you've gone organic, Simply Natural Café is the place for you. Everything on the menu, including wines, is organic, all meat is from grass-fed animals and fish have low mercury content. Raw food lovers will find impressive choices like raw pizza, tacos and ice cream. With the new age music in the background, it's a cozy place where you can feel comfortable lingering over a magazine, but it's not particularly child-friendly. Entrée portions are huge. Chicken Italiano is chicken sautéed with a tangy-sweet combination of onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and cranberries and served with pasta. Herb Sabdzi is a stew-like Persian dish of sautéed herbs, spinach, fenugreek, leeks, kidney beans and dried Persian lime with your choice of chicken, tofu or beef.
Simply Natural Café: 8267 Sunset Strip, Sunrise; 954-742-8384; Prices: starters $3.99-$4.99, appetizer platters $13.99-$20.99, salads $6.99-$9.99, lunch $6.99-$12.99, most entrees $7.99-$15.99.

Chef Alex Martinez shows off a tasty Asian slaw with angus skirt steak while owner Simon Berugo offers up a bamboo súz, a play on the crepe suzette with fresh fruit and hazelnut. Photo Eileen Soler.