DINING OUT -- MARY FURR

Just up Beach Boulevard past Adams Avenue in Huntington Beach is

Mother’s Market and Kitchen -- a fascinating bazaar for the

health-conscious who want to eat well and buy organic, pesticide-free

food in one stop.

At the entrance are cottage garden carts filled with tiny pots of

labeled herbs, such as medicinal, “burpless” cucumbers and spritely mint.

Step inside the Market to find cook books and magazines, wander among the

shelves of vitamins, check the fresh organic-grown fruits and vegetables

or the deli display of falafel, dolmas, cheeses, salads and sandwiches of

tuna salad and “range grown turkey.” Go further on to an entire section

of cosmetics.

Half of Mother’s is a market, half is a kitchen with an eight-stool

counter and tables for groups -- this day a welcoming refuge inside

rain-spattered windows overlooking the old Newland House.

A tiny grotto in one corner adds the sound of running water to the

busy cafe. The extensive menu has soups, salads, grilled sandwiches,

pastas and entrees -- some “vegan” that do not contain any animal

products, some of tofu, a soy bean curd. From the daily selection, I

chose the Parthenon special ($6.50), two whole grain spanakopita -- hot

flaky triangles like a turn over -- filled with spinach and paired with a

wonderful Greek salad of mixed greens, spinach leaves, quartered

artichoke hearts, handfuls of Greek olives, cucumbers and tomato heavily

sprinkled with chunks of feta cheese.

The soup, which varies daily, was an overflowing cup of fresh

vegetables with a “meat” ball that lacked much flavor. Salt is used

sparingly at Mother’s, which may have been the problem. The tofu lemon

piccata ($7.50) has quarter-inch thick tofu squares sauteed in a tart

lemon sauce dotted with tiny pungent capers that really make the dish.

Included is a serving of forgettable brown rice, short fat grains without

much flavor.

Mother’s Kitchen also offers Mexican food. Nachos ($5.95) are a great

appetizer with crispy thin corn chips, fresh guacamole, beans and melted

cheese topped with olives and chilies. The combo platter ($7.25) has an

excellent tamale, the masa bound with canola oil (no lard) with a zesty

filling. Burgers with a pureed mushroom, vegetable and grain patty are

not so successful -- for non-vegetarians it’s best to stick with dishes

which do not imitate meat products.

The extensive fresh juice bar can easily substitute for a dessert --

the tropical paradise shake (16oz. $4.25) has a smooth combination of

frozen rice dream (non-daily) with pineapple-coconut juice, orange juice

and banana.

Owners Bruce and Sharon MacGurn opened the Huntington Beach Mother’s

Market, their second, in 1984 “to provide the freshest natural foods

available -- where you can taste and feel the difference.”

Manager Amanda Tremp said there is no better time than March, National

Nutrition Month, to fulfill your New Year’s resolution to eat right just

like Mother always told you.

FYI

o7 MOTHER’S MARKET AND KITCHEN

f7

ADDRESS: 19770 Beach Blvd., in the Newland Center, Huntington Beach

PHONE: (714) 963-6667

HOURS: 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily

MISC.: Credit Cards accepted