The Soma Center Café, Lake Worth, FL
UPDATE 2011: Soma is closed.
On the advice of a Worry-Free Dinners Florida member I headed over to Soma Center Café on Lake Avenue in Lake Worth.
NOTA BENE: Soma Center Café is a partially raw food restaurant and not recommended for those of you who have severe tree nut allergies. Why? Because the basis of the raw food cuisine is nut meat, nut cream, nut milks and raw tree nuts. Nuts everywhere.
I was nervous to try anything; I debated walking out and trying my luck elsewhere. But I stayed and ordered lunch.
Why? Because of the staff.
Soma Center Café has a tiny kitchen with two cooks and one server/cashier/host/tending the till. The three of them were open, friendly, aware of their ingredients and accommodating. When asked, they showed me the recipe for the red lentil quinoa soup and even the box for the veggie bouillon cubes they use, which was Swiss, organic and contained only veggies and herbs and no wheat protein.
I ordered the soup as it was made earlier in the day and probably had the least potential for nutty cross contamination. I forced myself to have some faith that they use clean and safe practices. And I made my friend taste it first. And then I dug in. And it was totally safe. And vegan. And really delicious. So delicious that I might have to start making it at home.
Things always taste better when they’re safe, don’t they?
So, for a gluten-free, dairy-free, whole food, raw food eating guy or gal, Soma Center Café is an adorable setting; homey, vegan-chic with lovely outdoor seating and an indoor yoga center. It's great, check it out.
For the highly tree-nut sensitive/severely tree-nut allergic amongst us, I can’t recommend it.
On the advice of a Worry-Free Dinners Florida member I headed over to Soma Center Café on Lake Avenue in Lake Worth.
NOTA BENE: Soma Center Café is a partially raw food restaurant and not recommended for those of you who have severe tree nut allergies. Why? Because the basis of the raw food cuisine is nut meat, nut cream, nut milks and raw tree nuts. Nuts everywhere.
I was nervous to try anything; I debated walking out and trying my luck elsewhere. But I stayed and ordered lunch.
Why? Because of the staff.
Soma Center Café has a tiny kitchen with two cooks and one server/cashier/host/tending the till. The three of them were open, friendly, aware of their ingredients and accommodating. When asked, they showed me the recipe for the red lentil quinoa soup and even the box for the veggie bouillon cubes they use, which was Swiss, organic and contained only veggies and herbs and no wheat protein.
I ordered the soup as it was made earlier in the day and probably had the least potential for nutty cross contamination. I forced myself to have some faith that they use clean and safe practices. And I made my friend taste it first. And then I dug in. And it was totally safe. And vegan. And really delicious. So delicious that I might have to start making it at home.
Things always taste better when they’re safe, don’t they?
So, for a gluten-free, dairy-free, whole food, raw food eating guy or gal, Soma Center Café is an adorable setting; homey, vegan-chic with lovely outdoor seating and an indoor yoga center. It's great, check it out.
For the highly tree-nut sensitive/severely tree-nut allergic amongst us, I can’t recommend it.
Comments
Glad you enjoyed your visit and please let us know any tips you have for nut-free raw/vegan food items!
- Arlen