Over the last few years the popularity of organic and natural foods has really taken off, and the restaurant, Grilla Bites, is holding on for the ride.

The restaurant is in downtown Chico on West Second Street, between Main and Broadway.  There are many restaurants in this area of town competing for the business of the college students, but none that offer an all organic and natural menu.

Organic means that the foods have been grown, shipped, packaged, and sold without the use of synthetic chemical pesticides, fertilizers or fungicides.

We walked up to the counter and gazed up at the menu that was posted on the wall.  There were a variety of veggie burgers with different toppings, soups, sandwiches, and salads.  Most of the menu was vegetarian, but there were a few items that contained fish and meat.

I opted to order the pastrami on rye ($7.95) and my boyfriend ordered the smoked turkey, soy bacon and avocado sandwich ($7.95).  We both just wanted water to drink, so we were told to head over to the counter, where there was a dispenser of reverse-osmosis filtered water, and serve ourselves.  The cups were made of plastic, but the ice-cold, contaminant-free water made up for it.

We seated ourselves in the back corner of the restaurant where we had a good view of everything that was going on.  The table was small for my boyfriend’s 6-foot-4-inch stature, but was fine for the average sized guest.  The table was covered with a plastic tablecloth, which isn’t exactly five-star restaurant quality, but was probably very convenient for clean up.  Each table was also topped with little vases of wilting flowers that reminded me of my Grandmother’s house.

The wall nearest us was completely covered in the abstract art of a local artist, which was interesting to look at and sort of resembled the splattered work of Jackson Pollock.  The wall near the door was covered in fliers and posters of local events that would be happening soon.  Both of these things impressed me because Grilla Bites claims to reach into the community and support the locals, and this shows that they are following through with their policy.

The restaurant had a clean and cozy feel.  There were warm yellow lights hanging from the ceiling, and the front wall was made of mostly glass, which allowed the afternoon sun to shine in, and light up the dining area.  There was music playing in the background, but it was quiet enough for another guest to study while he ate.

About five minutes after we sat down, they called out our names, and brought our food to us. It came served on what appeared to be a wicker paper-plate-holder, with a piece of parchment on it.

My sandwich had juicy hot pastrami that was seasoned with pepper and salt, Swiss cheese that was flavorless and rubbery, sauerkraut that was juicy and salty, tomato, which added absolutely nothing to the flavor, and Dijon mustard that tasted a little to strong.  It was all on rich, hearty, whole grain bread, that had thick chewy crust and caraway seeds.  The bread was warm and toasted to a golden brown color.

My boyfriend’s sandwich looked bright and colorful on the inside, with crispy soy bacon, bright green spinach leaves, spicy red onion, juicy red tomato, melted mozzarella cheese, and peppery smoked turkey.  It also had fresh guacamole that was bland, and had an unpleasant warm temperature.  It was all on the same hearty bread as my sandwich, and also warm and golden brown.

Both sandwiches were served with a handful of blue colored corn chips and tomato salsa, but even the salsa couldn’t cover up the cardboard flavor or texture of the chips.

The meal looked like plenty when it was served, but my stomach wasn’t full when I had finished all the food.  We both left feeling like the amount of food we were served was not enough for the money paid, but we both liked the overall taste and quality of the food.

Grilla Bites offers a wide variety of organic drinks ranging from fresh fruit smoothies, to coffee and tea, and even an organic brand of root beer. They also had a shelf of bottled wines, and some treats and snacks for sale.  They also offer a kid’s menu and the option of a getting a “to-go” order.

There are four Grilla Bites restaurants in all, two in Chico, and two in Oregon.  There is also a Grilla Bites scheduled to open in Berkeley soon.

While the downtown Grilla Bites has been open for almost four years, it changed owners about three weeks ago. 

Prairie Francia is the new owner of the restaurant, and she foresees changes in the future.  She would like to add a few more items to the menu, including some new dinner specials, Francia said.  She also wants to continue having more local performers play music at the restaurant, as part of the restaurant’s community outreach program.

Grilla Bites

Address: 119 W. 2nd Street
Phone Number: 894-2691
High Point: Freshness and Taste
Low Point: Too Expensive
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Amenities: All organic menu