Local Lactose-Free Foods, U.S. East

I see articles every once in a while on some local restaurant, shop, or bakery that's selling lactose-free, dairy-free, vegan or some similar worthy food.

I normally pass them over because I figure they're only of local interest.

I had a brainstorm, though. What if I collect them until I had whole bunches of articles?

Brilliant.

I've even split them into three group. Today: U.S. East



East Coast Custard Offers Lactose-free Sorbet press release.

Cleveland-based East Coast Original Frozen Custard has added fruit-flavored sorbet to its menu of delicious fountain treats. The new lactose-free, fat-free frozen dessert features popular fruit flavors and is available at the company's Lyndhurst and Fairview Park stores.

Ivan Platt, co-founder of East Coast Original Frozen Custard, saw the need to develop a frozen treat that all of his customers could enjoy. Says Platt: "One of our long-time employees who makes custard every day cannot eat it. She is lactose-intolerant. I kept thinking about her and others like her who cannot enjoy our delicious frozen custard." …

East Coast's stores are located at 1257 Pearl Rd., Brunswick 44212, 330-225-7835; 18900 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park 44126, 440-331-2609; 5618 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst 44124, 440-461-7690; 7577 Mentor Ave., Mentor 44060, 440-946-2595; 6240 Pearl Rd., Parma Heights 44130, 440-842-7003; 13200 Shaker Square, Cleveland 44120, 216-921-3070; and 33633 Aurora Rd., Solon 44139, 440-914-0037.

EastCoastCustard.com.



Joy Manning on Philly.com blogged about the Vegan Soft Serve at B2 Café in Philadelphia.

So when B2 Café opened on Passyunk and I heard that vegan soft serve was on the menu, I had to give it a try. Before sampling it, though, I asked to see the ingredients because many vegan products are more science fair experiment than food. The list was surprisingly short: beet sugar, corn maltodextrin, soymilk powder, guar gum, xanthan gum and salt. Not what I’d call a health food, but it could be worse. (Many dairy-based ice creams are just as bad.)

There’s no way I’d mistake it for ice cream, but it is sweet, cold, creamy and pretty satisfying with rainbow sprinkles on top, a terrific find for those who are vegan or lactose intolerant.

Barry Chill Yogurt Bar press release.

Berry Chill opened its first location in [Chicago in] January 2008. Two more locations are planned to open in the upcoming months. Berry Chill provides their customers with a daily menu of Original chilled yogurt and rotating flavors that include Chocolate Amaretto, Pina Colada, and Pink Guava (lactose-free). Customers can customize their yogurt or choose from a list of signature creations.

Review of Berry Chill from the Chicago Maroon



Cereal and ice cream the whole menu at O.C. Boardwalk eatery by Michael Miller in the Press of Atlantic City.

Kevin Weakland is serious about cereal.

The Ocean City resident and entrepreneur launched his first Boardwalk business this year with a breakfast theme: Cereal Chillers.

The shop on the 1300 block of the Boardwalk serves 55 different kinds of cold cereal ranging from Apple Jacks to Wheaties, complete with toppings such as almonds, bananas, blueberries and peaches….
The shop offers a variety of milk, including soy, skim and a special brand for the lactose-intolerant.

Mohegan Manor’s monthly vegan dinners, an article by Nathan Turk in the Syracuse NewTimes.

Outside of ethnic and niche establishments, vegan menu options in Syracuse can be sparse. But Baldwinsville’s Mohegan Manor, 58 Oswego St., makes a big gesture toward those who embrace meat- and dairy-free eating with its monthly vegan dinners.

Five courses, from appetizer to dessert, earmark the theme evenings, along with synopses from the staff concerning things like ingredients and recipe sources. The upscale-ish environs of the Mohegan, built in 1911 as a private men’s club by storied architect Ward Wellington Ward, can intimidate at first. But the experience is warm and low-key, as guests at the Tuesday, May 27, edition will see.

MoheganManor.com.



Broadway East restaurant review by Paul Adams of New York’s The Sun.

The attractive, dully named new spot on the edge of Chinatown is built for flexitarians, that breed of mostly vegetarian eater that doesn't mind a helping of animal protein now and then. Under executive chef Lee Gross, the bulk of the offerings are indeed meat- and often dairy-free, but come close on occasion to the often-promised, rarely delivered grail of vegetarian food that even carnivores can enjoy sinking their sharp teeth into.