Muscle Maker Grills Bringing Healthier Choices to Fast Food

You could stand on a corner and look around until a restaurant sign draws you in. But we've got a better idea. Each week, Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out. Here's this week's choice:

Muscle Maker Grill

If you've ever wished for a fast dinner for your family that didn't laod them up with fatty fried foods, then you'll want to visit the nearest Muscle Maker Grill. With two Somerset County locations—the Raritan Shopping Center on Route 206 in Raritan and at Mountain Boulevard and Mt. Bethel Road in Warren—the Grills' flavorful and healthy entrees are accessible.

There's a laundry list of what you won't find at Muscle Maker Grills: no fried foods, no butter, no white breads, no mystery breadings. Instead, everything on the menu uses certified Angus beef, low-carb or whole wheat alternatives.

If you are among those under the impression healthy food is flavorless because of the lack of fatty sauces, guess again: Muscle Maker's amazing zero-carb and low carb dressings and sauces are flavorful and often very spicy.

I've enjoyed the restaurant's Arizona entree, a grilled chicken breast with turkey bacon over brown rice, with tomatoes, scallions and some of that fantastic zero-carb sauce—which was simply delicious.

But the restaurant also serves salads, vegetarian meals, and lots of pastas—everything is priced right, from about $8 to about $10, so it won't break your diet or your wallet.

Warren store manager Andy Zantow notes the restaurant's chicken nuggets are popular with kids—yet are still made to the healthy standards of everything else on the menu.

He also noted the wraps offered at Muscle Maker Grills are among their most popular items. The wraps include a Sante Fe (grilled chicken breast with turkey bacon, red beans and brown rice, reduced fat cheddar cheese and zero-carb sauce), the European wrap (chicken with spinach, roasted red peppers, parmesan cheese and a tangy sauce), a low-carb Caesar and the Rocky Balboa—chicken breast with turkey meatballs, reduced fat mozzarella and marinara.

The restaurants offer catering—Warren's store will be serving lunches at one of the township's elementary schools monthly this year—and also delivery within a five mile radius for a $1.50 fee.

Zantow said the delivery service is a great alternative for busy families looking for a quick meal.

"At least they're getting something healthy, rather than another pizza or Chinese food," he said.

Muscle Maker Grill

Kings Plaza

Mt. Bethel Road and Mountain Boulevard

Warren

(908) 755-9600

Or:

Raritan Shopping Center

Route 206, Raritan

(908) 393-9750

Price: $