iCreate Cafe
Ashraf Khalil’s journey brought him, not just from Syria, but through a battle with cancer to wellness and a vegan lifestyle. He has his career and shares not just recipes but his technical skills.
Tag Archives: computer training center
iCreate Café Draws People To Pottstown With Healthy, Plant-Based Meals
Pottstown, PA – “Vegiterranean” might not be an official word in the dictionary but it’s the word iCreate Café owner Ashraf Khalil uses to describe his dishes that are a combination of vegetarian and Mediterranean food.
The café at 130 King St. may seem like just another building from the outside but once customers walk in, they are greeted with a variety of colors, comfortable couches and plenty of seating. The small café does a lot with a little including also being a computer training center. But in recent years, it’s been the vegetarian fare that keeps people coming back.
Khalil, or Ash as most customers know him, said Mediterranean fare uses a lot of legumes such as chickpeas, fava beans and lentils. As a native of Syria, he grew up on dishes that included more plant-based foods than meat. He said there were very little animal sources in meals, partly because it’s very expensive to buy overseas.
“That’s one of the reasons we love hummus. We grew up eating it back in Syria, not knowing it has all this protein but because it’s cheap and affordable,” he said during a recent cooking demonstration at the café.
Read more:
Healthy Eats Stir Pottstown’s Food Scene At iCreate Cafe
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Until a few years ago, Ash Khalil ate meat.
Learning the health benefits of a nutrient-rich diet made of mostly plant-based foods inspired him to open the iCreate Cafe in Pottstown in 2012.
Those who visit the cafe often describe it to others as a mix of vegan, vegetarian and in some cases gluten-free menu musts, with strong Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences in many of the dishes.
Khalil is an eight-year survivor of kidney cancer and said not once did his doctors ever talk to him about the foods he ate and how they might have impacted his health situation.
See more at: http://readingeagle.com/money/article/healthy-eats-stir-pottstowns-food-scene-at-icreate-cafe#sthash.yi5Oznyg.dpuf
iCreate Cafe Needs Your Help Raising Money For A Zoning Variance
Pottstown‘s most unique and healthy restaurant/computer training center needs our help or they will have to close their doors. We certainly don’t want that! To that end, please read below and if you want to keep this amazing cafe in Pottstown, click on the link provided and donate whatever you are comfortable contributing to the cause!
Ash writes,
We NEED to raise money ASAP to pay for THE ZONING VARIANCE application to be able to stay in our location in the historical district of our beautiful Pottstown, and to keep providing services to our local customers and students.
If we don’t apply for the zoning variance then we will have to CLOSE OUR DOORS.
Your contribution to our fundraising is truly appreciated.
Thank you
To contribute, please click on this link: http://www.gofundme.com/Saving-iCreate-Cafe
iCreate Café, Pottstown’s Healthy Oasis
I had the pleasure of dining at iCreate Café last night with two very good friends. It was my first visit, but certainly not my last!
The café is at 130 King Street, Pottstown. It’s the block between Hanover and York Streets. iCreate is diagonally across the street from the Salvation Army, so it is very easy to find.
My friends were anxious for me to experience iCreate and to meet the owner, Ashraf (Ash) Khalil. Walking in I immediately knew I would like this place. The vibe is definitely chill. It’s decorated colorfully and casually, making one feel right at home. The owner, Ash, is very friendly and gave me a tour of the café and computer training center before we were seated.
We brought along a nice bottle of wine, which Ash opened up for us and poured into glasses while we looked over the menu. The cuisine is vegetarian/vegan and a number of gluten-free items are on the menu as well.
My friends recommended getting a sampler platter on the first visit, which I did. They have eaten there many times and already have their favorites. There are several sample platters to choose from. Mine came with Hummus, Baba Ghannoj, fava bean salad, Debes and pita bread. My friends ordered several things to share including stuffed grape leaves, Baba Ghannoj and Fattah. Everything was fantastic. The entire meal was expertly prepared, delicious and HEALTHY!
The prices are VERY reasonable. The most expensive menu items are $12.00. We also had dessert, which was very good.
The website is very well done so you can get a good sense of what to expect before you get there. The menu is online. Looking over it again I started a mental list of things I want to try on future visits.
This locally owned and operated business is a refreshing change of pace for Pottstown diners who are drowning in a sea of chain restaurants, pizza and Chinese food. There is nothing like this place in the Greater Pottstown area, that I am aware of. The owner also owns a home in Pottstown which in my book makes him somebody who walks the talk. Give iCreate a try, you won’t be sorry! We give two Roy’s Rant’s thumbs up!
Address: 130 King Street, Pottstown PA
Phone: 484 312 0404
Internet: http://www.icreatecafe.org/
Hours of operation are:
Roy's Rants - For Your Information 