Reggae Night At The Other Farm Features RED-I, Firefly Cafe

RED-I

Boyertown, PA —The Other Farm Brewing Company, located at 128 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, will host its monthly Reggae Night on Thursday, Jan. 26. The event will feature food from Firefly Cafe and music from local reggae band RED-I. Admission is $5. Doors open at 7 p.m., with music and food service beginning at 8 p.m. For information, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or call the cafe at 484-415-5066.

Boyertown’s own Firefly Cafe will offer vegan, Caribbean-inspired street food for purchase during the event. Music will be provided by RED-I, a Boyertown-based reggae band fronted by Firefly Cafe co-owner Michael Arcangel on guitar and vocals. Other members include Stephen Kurtz on bass, Paul Jameson on guitar, Kyle Seivard on keyboard, Jordan Lambert on percussion and Tim Leslie on drums.

This is the fourth collaboration between The Other Farm, Firefly Cafe and RED-I. Future Reggae Nights will be scheduled monthly.

Located in the heart of Boyertown, Firefly Cafe is a vegan restaurant that offers organic, gluten-free and locally sourced food options. For cafe hours, menus and catering info, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or join the cafe on Facebook, http://www,facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown]facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown; Twitter, @fireflycafeveg; or Instagram, @fireflycafeboyertown.

Boyertown’s Firefly Cafe Goes Fully Vegan, Plans For Expansion

Firefly Interior: Fire Cafe offers diners a cozy and relaxed atmosphere in downtown Boyertown.

Firefly Sign: Firefly Cafe is located at 12 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown.

Vegan Pulled Pork: Firefly Cafe’s vegan pulled pork sandwich is a customer favorite.

Boyertown, PA — Firefly Cafe, located at 12 N. Reading Ave. in Boyertown, ushered in the new year with a fully vegan menu, replacing its dairy cheeses with plant-based alternatives. 

“This is something we always hoped to do,” explained Loriann Wade, who owns and operates Firefly Cafe with her husband Michael Martinez. “Since opening, we slowly started to remove dairy items from the menu with positive feedback from our customers.” 

The announcement drew high praise and support from Firefly’s Facebook community.

“The improved quality of vegan cheeses and our customers’ responses to those cheeses has made the transition from vegetarian to vegan pretty seamless,” said Wade.

Going vegan is only the first of several big changes in store for Firefly Cafe in 2017. Later this month, the cafe will introduce a grab and go section, featuring items such as vegan chicken and egg salad sandwiches, vegan sides like potato and quinoa salads and house-made vegan dressings.

Then, in fall 2017, Wade and Martinez have plans to open a vegan general store adjacent to the cafe. Here, customers will be able to purchase prepared grab and go items, specialty and hard to find vegan products, natural bath and body products and even holistic dog treats.

“Our expansion plans have drawn a positive response. There’s a huge need for this type of vegan outpost in the area,” said Wade.

To compliment the cafe and general store, Wade and Martinez look to expand Firefly’s catering services and introduce vegan cooking classes. Firefly will also continue to host vegan pop-up cafes throughout the region—like the Caribbean-inspired vegan fare the cafe offers during monthly Reggae Nights at The Other Farm Brewing Company.

Located in the heart of Boyertown, Firefly Cafe is a vegan restaurant that offers organic, gluten-free and locally sourced food options. For cafe hours, menus and catering info, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or join the cafe on Facebook, http://www,facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown]facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown; Twitter, @fireflycafeveg; or Instagram, @fireflycafeboyertown. 

Firefly Cafe, Red-I Join The Other Farm For Reggae Night In Boyertown

Boyertown based reggae band RED-I performs at The Other Farm Brewing Company on Nov. 25, 2016. Photo by Alana J. Mauger

Boyertown, PA —The Other Farm Brewing Company, located at 128 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, will host its monthly Reggae Night on Thursday, Dec. 22. The event will feature food from Firefly Cafe and music from local reggae band RED-I. Admission is $5. Doors open at 7 p.m., with music and food service beginning at 8 p.m. For information, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or call the cafe at 484-415-5066.

Boyertown’s own Firefly Cafe will offer vegan, Caribbean-inspired street food for purchase during the event. Music will be provided by RED-I, a Boyertown-based reggae band fronted by Firefly Cafe co-owner Michael Arcangel on guitar and vocals. Other members include Stephen Kurtz on bass, Paul Jameson on guitar, Kyle Seivard on keyboard, Jordan Lambert on percussion and Tim Leslie on drums.

This is the third collaboration between The Other Farm, Firefly Cafe and RED-I. Future Reggae Nights will be scheduled monthly.

Located in the heart of Boyertown, Firefly Cafe is a vegetarian restaurant that offers organic, vegan, gluten-free and locally sourced food options. For cafe hours, menus and catering info, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or join the cafe on Facebook, facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown; Twitter, @fireflycafeveg; or Instagram, @fireflycafeboyertown.

Firefly Cafe Opens In Boyertown

Photo by Ashraf Khalil

Photo by Ashraf Khalil

Photo by Firefly Cafe

The Firefly Cafe has opened in Boyertown offering vegetarian/vegan breakfast and lunch options.

The cafe, owned by Michael and Loriann, uses the best locally sourced ingredients to prepare their delicious and healthy food.  So far, the reviews are very positive from folks around the area.

The hours of operations are:

Tuesday through Friday 8 a.m. ’til 2 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. ’til 4 p.m.

Closed Monday

Phone: 484-415-5066

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown/

Website: http://fireflycafeboyertown.com/index.php

Their menu is found on the website so you can peruse their selections.

We hope you get the opportunity to check them out and support a local business who uses locally sourced ingredients!  We hope they succeed!

The Holiday Spirit Comes To iCreate Cafe, Pottstown

Exterior, iCreate Cafe

With the Holiday Season upon us, many folks are busy preparing for Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza. If you live in the Tri-County area or are adventurous and don’t mind making a trip, iCreate Cafe, located at 130 King Street, in historic Pottstown, is open to serve your holiday needs.

Whether you need a break from shopping and want a healthy meal alternative; if you are looking for a great gift to give the people you care most about or if you are looking for a place to gather with friends to celebrate the season, iCreate Cafe can fill all your needs.

Gift certificates are available and you select the amount.  Nothing says, “I love you” like the gift of great food!  Take the worry out of your holiday shopping!

iCreate Cafe, Vegan Heaven

If you are looking for a unique space to gather with friends, look no further.  The spa-like atmosphere and amazing vegan cuisine are a winning combination.  The food is filling as well as healthy.  The prices are reasonable and the portions are generous.  The new iMenu 5 food menu has been expanded, the drink menu has been expanded and more dessert options are available to please the most discriminating palate.

The owner and vegan chef, Ashraf Khalil (you can call him Ash) has created one of the most unique dining experiences in the Philadelphia region. The food is made from scratch, made with love and beautifully presented.  A feast for the eye as well as the mouth!

The cafe, located at 130 King Street in Pottstown, is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm.  Friday and Saturday the cafe is open from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm.  You can view the menu online at http://www.icreatecafe.com.  You can also check out reviews of the cafe on Yelp, Trip Advisor and Happy Cow.  If you want to inquire about gift certificates or make reservations you may call the cafe at (484) 312-0404 during business hours.

Interior Shots

Food Montage

Falafel wrap

Olive Salad

Veggie Panini, Baba Ghanooj

Juicing

Ashraf Khalil

Reviews

iCreate Cafe – The People Chronicles

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.

Three Pop-Up Beer Gardens This Year From PHS

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Pop-Up Garden has been annual warm-weather hit – what with the transformation of a vacant lot into an urban oasis, complete with beer and great food.

Why not do three of them this year?

PHS plans to set up in new spots in East Passyunk and Logan Square and to return to 1438 South St., starting the first week of June. The closing date for each beer garden is October 1.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Three-pop-up-beer-gardens-from-PHS.html#eLQfqpkxFaEqp1Mz.99

Lancaster City Council Approves Vegan Bar

Come mid-May, Lancaster city should have its first vegan bar and restaurant.

City council on Tuesday unanimously approved a liquor license transfer that paves the way for restaurateur Rob Garpstas to open root (The “r” is lower case) at 223 West Walnut Street.

Council approved the transfer following a brief public hearing that included a recommendation from Mayor Rick Gray for approval. No one opposed the transfer, which had been in Ruby Tuesday Inc.’s name, but was being held in safekeeping by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

Gray wondered if there were many vegan bars around. Vegans do not eat or use animal products.

Read more:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-city-council-approves-vegan-bar/article_82e16b44-d288-11e4-81c1-3fe7a453c3cd.html

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:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/lifestyle/20150323/icreate-cafxe9-draws-people-to-pottstown-with-healthy-plant-based-meals

Valentine’s Day At iCreate Cafe In Pottstown

This Saturday at 7:00pm
Originals with Michael Reddy
Make it a Special Valentine’s Day

For more information: http://www.icreatecafe.org   

Call for reservations (484) 312-0404

Support Locally Owned Small Business This Christmas

Looking for a great gift?  How about a gift certificate to Pottstown’s number 1 rated restaurant on Yelp and Trip Advisor!  Shopping small returns dividends to your community.  Buying from a big box chain does not help the local economy.  Buying from a locally owned business does!

Click here to purchase a great gift for the special people in your life: http://www.icreatecafe.org/?deeplink_referrer=ess#!product/prd1/1602198915/30%24-gift-card

Also, check out the new iCreate store on Facebook.  Click on SHOP to purchase computer classes, Arabic language classes, cooking classes and more. Click here for a direct link to the store: https://www.facebook.com/iCreateCafe/app_196248510415671

New logo

Gangster Vegan Organics In Jeffersonville Aims To Change Lives With Raw, Organic Food

Location of West Norriton Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST NORRITON TOWNSHIP, PA – Gangster vegan?

Like “jumbo shrimp”, the two words are contradictory and seemingly incompatible,

After all, vegans are peace-loving, sandal-wearing hippie types, and gangsters are hoodlums who are prone to violence, so the two breeds have no business ever hooking up in any sensible world.

Welcome to Vince DePaul’s world.

The Norristown native admitted he set out to bedevil the traditional vegan stereotype by naming his specialty raw food market in Jeffersonville Gangster Vegan Organics. But playing around with incongruities is only a small part of DePaul’s story.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/business/20141117/gangster-vegan-organics-in-jeffersonville-aims-to-change-lives-with-raw-organic-food

Healthy Eats Stir Pottstown’s Food Scene At iCreate Cafe

New logo

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

Live Music At iCreate Cafe On November 22nd

Pottstown Zoning Board Approves Variance For iCreate Cafe

Front row: Left, Peter Dolan, Esquire, Right, Ashraf Khalil

POTTSTOWN, PA – Wednesday evening the Pottstown Zoning Board heard testimony from iCreate Cafe owner, Ashraf Khalil, regarding his request for a zoning variance to operate a cafe and computer training center at 130 King Street, Pottstown. The neighborhood is zoned TTN or Traditional Town Neighborhood.  After receiving a violation notice from the Pottstown Codes Department in August, a hearing was originally scheduled for September 17th.  However, Mr. Khalil’s attorney, Peter Dolan, requested a continuance to adequately prepare his case. The hearing was rescheduled for October 15th.

A large group of supporters gathered in the 3rd floor council chambers to hear the evidence be presented. After Mr. Khalil’s sworn testimony and some clarification questions from the board, the meeting was opened to public comment. More than a dozen people were allowed to speak in favor of iCreate Cafe and Mr. Khalil.

After the public testimony, the board met in Executive Session.  After a short recess, the board returned to the council chamber and rendered their verdict for Mr. Khalil and iCreate Cafe by allowing the variance.

First of all, we thank the Pottstown Zoning Board for being open-minded and seeing the value of this niche market small business that draws customers from all over the Delaware Valley and beyond.   Based on the passionate testimony made during the public comments, it’s obvious this is a very special place.

Secondly, we feel now that Pottstown is getting serious about economic development and tourism (by developing a Tourism District and leveraging all the attractions that surround Memorial Park and the Western Gateway) having a highly rated locally owned restaurant within walking distance is a win-win.  If you want people to come to Pottstown and “spend the day” they will need to eat.  They are not going to want fast food or chain restaurants.  They are going to want something they cannot get at home.  iCreate Cafe is the total package when it comes to something you cannot get just anywhere.  From the unique decor to the vegan/vegetarian food with a Middle Eastern flair, it’s far from ordinary.  Add a chef/owner with the gift of hospitality and you have a winning trifecta.

This was a great victory for small business and for Pottstown.  If Pottstown could attract more unique restaurants like iCreate and some funky boutiques so people could do some shopping while they are visiting, you would have yourself a destination.

Congratulations to Ashraf Khalil and iCreate Cafe.  We wish you much success.

Website: http://www.icreatecafe.org/

iCreate Cafe Offering Discounts To MCCC West Campus And Hill School Students

MCCC WEST CAMPUS

 

 

 

THE HILL SCHOOL

 

Subway Tests Hummus, Thinner Meat Slices

English: Subway logo and slogan taken from marketing materials found online in PDF format. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NEW YORK (AP) – Subway is testing hummus and thinner slices of deli meats that look more appealing as it looks to keep pace with changing eating trends.

Tony Pace, Subway’s chief marketing officer, said in interview Tuesday that the chain began testing hummus as a topping in early April. Pace noted that many customers already order vegetarian sandwiches and that the chickpea spread would give people looking for meatless options another choice.

“It’s something we’ve been talking about for the last three or four years,” Pace said, saying it has “tremendous potential.”

If the test is successful, Pace said it would be the first time the chain rolled out hummus nationally. Individual franchisees may have offered it independently in the past, he said.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20140506_ap_887d72518b29437885ecd236db8a3252.html#CdaZVy6z3a8Z7Tll.99

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 Cafe To Host Baba Ghanooj Festival In Pottstown, November 12th & 13th

iCreate Cafe is located at 130 King Street, Pottstown.  You can check out their website at:

http://www.icreatecafe.org/ for more information.

Open Buffet At iCreate Cafe October 23rd

Mark this date in your calendar:  5 pm Wednesday 10/23

Come celebrate with Ash on his Birthday

Open Buffet Dinner for the first time in iCreate Cafe

15$ tickets – 5-8 pm 

Menu and Off-Menu items, deserts & drinks.. 

Reservation Only to minimize the waste .. 

Meet new Friends and enjoy the evening !! 

Website:  http://www.icreatecafe.org/

Thanks for supporting our cafe by sharing this special event ..