I'll admit to being part of the Lo-Cal faithful—and believe me, such a club of indulgent health nuts does exist. I was around when the Lo-Cal Corner was the Lo-Cal Zone, and the Lo-Cal Locale. I spent many a Saturday afternoon eating fro yo in the funny little Gold Coast shack, and when it got torn down in the name of a high-rise, I went into pout mode...until I learned that it had found a more permanent, and appropriate, home in the rear of the Maple Street Market.
If you like to multi-task, you can toss Clif Bars, vitamins and dried fruit into your basket as you make a beeline to the rear of the health-food shop, where the little Lo-Cal Corner is tucked. A bright orange wall bedecked in, you guessed it, explanations of lo-cal wraps, sandwiches, burgers and pizzas, makes you feel good about your choice, and your body is bound to agree. You'll find turkey chili, plenty of salads (only low-fat and fat-free dressings here), a lower-fat BBQ turkey burger on a whole wheat bun with turkey bacon, and a California wrap with avocado and plenty of veggies. Oh, and that pizza? Yep, low-fat cheese.
But it's pizza-schmizza once you get to the frozen yogurt, arguably the real draw. Coming in four flavors each day, the yogurt has a skimpy 10 calories per ounce, meaning that big old dish of chocolate cheesecake fro yo you're downing has a meager 100 calories. With flavors like grasshopper, angel food cake and peanut butter, you'll be able to justify forking over $2.80 for a five-ounce small.
Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Schwartz