Shrimp-and-chorizo paella
The Texas-born-and-bred Snap Kitchen has been forging its way north into our region recently. Catering to those of us who have a busy lifestyle with its five (and counting) strategically located stores, it offers a good-for-you, grab-and-go fast-food menu.
The concept is simple. Properly proportioned made-from-scratch meals are prepared and hand-packaged into microwavable containers at a Kensington commissary. Then they’re trucked daily to various storefronts. Head chef Matt Reinhart has designed the menu to be seasonal and locally sourced, wherever possible.
Well-trained associates offer assistance as you make your selection from a refrigerated wall of color-coded containers. Easy-to-read labels display calories and other dietary details, like what’s gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, dairy-free and low sodium.
The internationally inspired cuisine includes Greek salad with shrimp, chicken-chili enchiladas, and crispy Scottish salmon, plus soups. Snap’s cold-pressed juices pack up to two pounds of fruit per bottle.
Holding its own as hearty comfort food, my grass-fed lamb lasagna was layered with ribbons of grain-free pasta, tender meat, chunks of tart tomato, and spinach. A customer favorite is the savory bison-quinoa hash, with red quinoa, brown rice, kidney beans, red onion, and a nice nip of cayenne.
At a buck a pop, Snap’s Devily Eggs are a two-bite twist on a classic, stuffed with creamy jalapeño hummus, paprika and tahini. On the flip side, skip the chocolate-pistachio strawberry parfait, a weak attempt at decadence.
Microwaves are available in-store, which has minimal seating. Most folks pop in to pick up their cuisine to-go. Meal prices range from $7 to $14, with juices around $8.
5 S. Morehall Road, Malvern, (484) 320-3447; 775 Lancaster Ave., Villanova, (215) 845-0026.
