The carrot cake at this health haven will blow your mind

Runner's Kitchen
Creekside Square Bldg, 74 Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City
Contact: 415-6870
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.  

(SPOT.ph) Come in, eat clean. From the bike rack outside welcoming cyclists to park their bikes to the philosophy supporting organic food and healthy eating, Runner’s Kitchen opens itself up to the public as a friendly, welcoming space. Its raw concrete floors and cozy, wood interiors embody their aim to keep things wholesome, fresh, and made from scratch.

A healthy retreat

Runner’s Kitchen has been up and running for three years, backed by Xander Angeles, Bianca King, Glaiza de Castro, and Abby Asistio. The team behind Runner’s Kitchen has a passion for food as fuel, no matter what activity you’re engaged in, as well as a shared eagerness to bring the organic food movement to the Tomas Morato area.

Bianca, who took to healthy eating after studying fitness nutrition and attending culinary school, emphasizes that their menu supports every diet, “Paleo, pescetarian, gluten-free, low carb, vegan, you name it,” she says. The latest iteration of their menu hosts tasty, generously portioned food that can be mixed and matched with add-ons to cater to practically everyone’s dietary concerns. A boon to anyone who thinks healthy eating has to be expensive, their substantial and tasty creations come at affordable, competitive prices.

Gluten-Free Waffles

In chocolate

Get your breakfast without the bloat with made-from-scratch Gluten-Free Waffles (P490). Dressed with peach-mango compote and served with a salad and coco syrup, those hungry for protein also have the option to add organic chicken tocino, grass-fed beef tapa, or native boar sausage. They also come in a chocolate flavor with glazed bananas, coco syrup, and cashew nuts. 

Adobo Frittata

If you’re looking to fill up with some protein, you’ll love the hot, savory Adobo Frittata (P310). Two organic eggs, shredded adobo, bell peppers, onions, and roasted sweet potato are baked in a skillet and topped with Parmesan cheese.

Tahini Quinoa Super Wrap

Xander’s personal favorite is the hefty Tahini Quinoa Super Wrap (P250), which will leave you full of the good stuff. The whole-wheat wrap is generously fitted with mushrooms, chickpeas, carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber, lettuce, and cashew candy. If you’re looking to add some meat, Runner’s Kitchen highly recommends pairing this wrap with some chicken.

Spicy Chicken Black Rice Roll

Japanese food lovers don’t have to go too far to find some rolls to suit their taste buds. The Spicy Chicken Black Rice Roll (P250) is patterned after the restaurant’s best-selling tuna rolls. Black rice is topped with shredded chicken with ginger and soy flavors for a truly Asian experience.

Stir-fried Veggies & Quinoa Bowl

One of the most flexible items on the menu is the Stir-fried Veggies & Quinoa Bowl (P290). You can mix veggies and proteins, as well as carbs for a perfectly crafted meal in a bowl. Runner’s Kitchen recommends the savory, sweet and meaty combination of squash, sitaw, cranberries, cashew nuts, and grass-fed sirloin on top of quinoa. It’s a perfect introduction to the world of vegetables for those who struggle with the healthy stuff.

Watermelon Kale Salad

Great for hot, summer days, the Watermelon Kale Salad (P280) mixes locally grown kale, watermelon, romaine lettuce and pickled cucumber, all tossed in balsamic vinaigrette and topped with balsamic reduction plus candied pili nuts. The sweet and refreshing salad offers a healthy dose of antioxidants.

Smoothies can easily run you a couple of hundreds in most healthy eating places around the city. Runner’s Kitchen offers concoctions made of whole fruits and vegetables without any dairy or simple syrup, at prices that won't leave you broke. They offer five kinds: Malusog (P160) made with spinach, oats, banana, and cashew milk; Matalas (P270) with banana, espresso, and chocolate cashew milk; Maliksi (P100), which has watermelon and coco sugar; Masigla (P160), made with kale, mango, and pineapple; and Matipuno (P165), chock-full of banana, peanut butter, cacao nibs, and cashew milk.

Chia Pudding Pannacotta

Gluten-Free Mini Carrot Cake

Desserts, of course, maintain the theme. In the Chia Pudding Panacotta (P90), chocolate and banana chia pudding is layered with mangoes and coconut cream jelly topped with cacao nibs. The best part of this dessert? It has zero added sugar. It's the Gluten-Free Mini Carrot Cake (price upon request), however, that will blow your mind. You’ll never want to go back to regular carrot cake after a bite of this moist cake with cream cheese frosting. This little cake is big enough to be shared among friends.

Cashew Flat White

Runner’s Kitchen is one of the fewest places you can get a good brew with nut milk. Don't be surprised if the Cashew Flat White (P135) turns into a new coffee habit. You know you’re getting it fresh because small batches of cashew milk are made in-house every morning.

Whether you’re tiptoeing into your first foray with healthy eating or already know what’s good for your body and your taste buds, take a bite out of their new menu to sample the many possibilities that truly good food can bring.

Photos by Hans Fausto