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Kevin Hart’s plant-based fast food biz Hart House opens in Monrovia

Comedian Kevin Hart’s restaurant is opening its second location and it’s in Monrovia.

The ribbon-cutting for Hart House is set for 11 a.m. Nov. 9, at 602 W. Huntington Drive. Doors officially open to the public at 11:45 a.m. until 9 p.m. that day.

Ten percent of proceeds from opening day will go to the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills. Officials from the Monrovia, Arcadia and Duarte chambers of commerce will also attend.

Andy Hooper, CEO of Hart House, said they chose Monrovia because it was lacking in plant-based options. The first Hart House, in Westchester, opened in August.

“As an actor and comedian, Kevin is always busy and on the road, and he recognized that we all need healthier, better options,” Hooper said. “When he couldn’t find an established, affordable plant-based option, we built it.”

Hart is semi-vegetarian, or a flexitarian eater, and Hart House is his take on a quick service restaurant offering plant-based burgers and chicken sandwiches, salads, nuggets, fries, tots and milkshakes. Hooper said all items are plant-based with no antibiotics, hormones, artificial colors, preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup.

“We’re all incredibly proud of our industry-changing restaurant and the amazing team behind it,” he said.

Monrovia’s Hart House was designed by Black female entrepreneurs Kai Williamson and Nicollette Santos, with bold shapes, bright colors and a design to make customers feel comfortable. The restaurant spans 2,160 interior and 372 exterior square feet, with about 30 seats inside and 10 outside.

Chef Mike Salem, head of culinary innovation, said people who aren’t sold on a vegan lifestyle should take this opportunity to see how far plant-based products have come since their inception.

“Hart House has arrived at a pivotal time where technological advances have brought us even closer to replicating a real meat-eating experience,” he said. “It’s why we have so many guests who’ve come to love our menu without even knowing we were plant-based. That’s the ultimate compliment.”

Salem said the team’s most heated debates happened over the Spicy Deluxe Crispy Chick’n sandwich, which is his personal favorite.

“From hitting the right heat levels to finding the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, this one was complex for sure,” he said. “Happy where we landed on the flavor profile as are many of our Hart House raving fans.”

For the record, Hart’s go-to dish is also the Spicy Deluxe Crispy Chick’n sandwich with tots and Berry Patch organic juice. Hooper’s favorite is the Double Burg’r.

“It’s our remake of one of America’s classic dishes and brings back nostalgia in every bite,” he said.

The opening of Hart House’s first location in Westchester saw lines down the street and more than 1,200 meals sold. More than 7,000 guests visited the first week. More locations are set to open across Southern California.

 

Anissa V. Rivera, columnist, “Mom’s the Word,” Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Azusa Herald, Glendora Press and West Covina Highlander, San Dimas/La Verne Highlander. Southern California News Group, 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 209 Monrovia, CA 91016. .

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