Encore Café- finding ways to preserve Asian flavors while trimming the fat

One of the perks of working with LiveWell EatWell is the chance to taste wonderful food that looks as beautiful as it tastes. I was impressed when talking with Wanna Zho, co-owner of Encore Café, of her desire to offer authentic Asian food with health in mind. Some of the great choices at the Encore Café include:

Fruit smoothies made with real food. No sugar or fat added.
Vietnamese spring rolls that are naturally low in fat and sodium.
In your Bento box meal you can choose an entree with steamed brown rice and fresh fruit.
Vegetables are steamed before added to dishes to reduce the fat. You get less fat but still great flavor when combined with other ingredients.
Fat free desserts-Fruit salad and fat free Mango Sorbet

There are not many restaurants where you will find bok choy, cabbage, broccoli, pineapple, carrots, mushrooms, mango and more on the menu. There is no kid's menu with chicken fingers and fries. At the Encore Café kids share what their parents are eating or the staff can suggest options for picky eaters.

by Trish Unruh

Now for the taste test, my coworkers at the health department were happy to help sample all the dishes from the Encore Café. The Chicken Lettuce wraps and Szechwan green beans were a particular hit.

by Trish Unruh

The Vietnamese Spring rolls were light with the wonderful flavors of mango and cilantro. The Szechwan Green Beans were just the right amount of spice with the tender beans. Seaweed salad was a new dish for me. The flavors were subtle and the beautiful green shimer of the salad made me eager to taste it.

by Trish Unruh

The Choose My Plate campaign talks about making half you plate fruits and vegetables, why not make it all vegetables with the appetizing Mixed Veggies with broccoli, water chestnuts, carrots, green peppers and celery.

by Trish Unruh

Tagged: restaurants, LiveWell EatWell, Encore Cafe

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NotRelated 11 months, 1 week ago

Encore's hot dishes pretty much scream microwave. Chef Ramsey would freak. Not going back, I know, I know, you all don't care.

TrishUnruh 11 months, 1 week ago

I am sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I would give Encore another chance. If you are not happy again, ask for a manager because I know the Zhos would like you to be satisfied with your meal.

EarthaKitt 11 months, 1 week ago

That's a bummer, NotRelated. My husband and I went on a whim - a friend had mentioned the place - without any information at all. I didn't know it was Asian, and until just now didn't realize it was being prepared in a particularly healthy way. All I know is it was DELICIOUS. My husband had pad thai with chicken. I had the lettuce wraps pictured above. I was truly pleased with what we got. I was happy, too, that the place was full at lunch. I plan on going to Encore frequently, and I hope they stick around!

1julie1 11 months, 1 week ago

My experiences there have been fantastic. I've never had an experience there like what NotRelated described. The Szechuan green beans are one of my favorite dishes in town and everything I've ordered has tasted fresh and just prepared. I recommend it highly.