GRYLT keeps it real

Prioritizing a healthy diet can easily start to feel like an impossible goal while in the midst of our often overly hectic, on-the-go lifestyles. Since debuting in 2011, GRYLT has proven to be a more-than-welcomed breath of fresh air, as the company has made accessible local, fresh and organic ingredients to those who don’t want to give up quality, flavor and affordability when in search of a convenient meal.

GRYLT operates out of three locations in Manoa Marketplace, Ala Moana Center’s Makai Food Court and Kahala Mall. Each bursts with a revitalizing array of sandwiches, salads, wraps, meat and seafood accompanied by healthy, leafy and colorful sides. Offerings ranging from Surf and Turf Platter and Slammin’ Steak Platter, to Seafood Trio with salmon, local ahi and juicy grilled shrimp, are among the establishment’s best sellers.

“It’s consciously created food,” explains Allen Farinas, who owns GRYLT with his wife, Mayu. “We’re thinking about what would be the best approach and what would be relatively the healthiest option for people like you and me, who just want simple food.”

For a quintessential — and mouthwatering — taste of what GRYLT has to offer, Farinas recommends an ever-gourmet Salmon Plate with premium upgrades of Farro Mix and Mashed Cauliflower ($15.45). The dish is centered on a generous filet of fresh grilled Atlantic Salmon, which is made all the more appetizing with the addition of citrus herb oil sauce — one of GRYLT’s many enticing sauces — prepared with basil, mint, cilantro, fresh squeezed lemon, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

While GRYLT’s plates come with a choice of white or brown rice and vegetable side, substituting premium upgrades (for $1 more) such as Yukon Gold Smashed Potatoes really can make dining experiences explode with flavor. Farro Mix, for example, is a newer addition to the menu, and presents locally grown sweet onions, cucumbers and herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, Hawaiian sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and fresh squeezed lemon to accent farro, a nutty, earthy and ancient Italian grain that houses a number of health benefits, including rich fiber and nutrient contents.

As for the perfectly seasoned roasted garlic Mashed Cauliflower, “It’s steamed, not boiled, to maintain nutrition,” describes Farinas. “We actually mash it with a masher by hand. It’s not just blended up; it’s done with love.”

When these guilt-free, nourishing and unbelievably real offerings combine on one plate, it’s “a very healthy dish and a very, very popular one, too,” he says.

It’s also the perfect time of year to try one of GRYLT’s unique soups ($4.45 bowl; $3.45 bowl with plate, sandwich and wrap; $2.95 cup; $2.50 cup with plate, sandwich or wrap). At each location, chefs have free range to get creative with the recipes, often coming up with completely one-of-a-kind options such as Chicken Parmesan Soup, Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Basil or Salmon Chowder. “We make our soups from fresh ingredients from local farms here every day,” adds Farinas.

In the near future, customers may look forward to more salad options, as well as a new carrot ginger sauce.

GRYLT

Kahala Mall
4211 Waialae Ave. (with additional locations at Ala Moana Center and Manoa Marketplace)
734-7958
Daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Note: Prices may vary by location