Now Open: Green Table Artisan Kitchen & Bistro

Paula Niño

Guacamole with radishes and baked cumin tortilla

​Green Table Artisan Kitchen & Bistro opened its doors to the public yesterday in the small space that Whisk Gourmet called its home for several years. As we wrote in November, owner Monica Rios created a menu using mostly local and organic ingredients. These days, those words get thrown around a lot as nothing more than marketing speak but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

The restaurant uses Teena's Pride produce and Hani Khouri's cheeses, as well as produce from GROW and Green Garden Organics. The menu consists of a handful of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and about five entrees -- three of which are vegetarian, such as ratatouille with couscous, toasted pine nuts and basil ($11.95) and a chilled eggplant and goat cheese terrine ($12.95). A roast beef sandwich with blue cheese and fig compote ($12.95) sounded good and we were warned that the Philly cheese steak prepared with grass-fed beef ($12.95) would make too big a lunch. A grilled chicken sandwich ($11.95) with avocado, monterrey jack cheese and chipotle mayo was surprisingly satisfying. Hummus, a tasty, fresh guacamole and a tomato salad make up the appetizers.

The sunny space doesn't look much different than when Whisk was there, though it has a fresh coat of paint and new high tables with stools that accommodate about a dozen or so people.

For dessert, goat's milk ice cream is offered as is a guava empanada and a "cupcake from next door" (that would be from Cupcakes Noveau which is in the same shopping plaza). Dishes will change, of course, depending on availability of ingredients.

Green Table Artisan Kitchen is open on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A sample of Teena's Pride tomatoes

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Paula Niño

Grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, monterrey jack and chipotle mayo

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