Portion Control
Blue Raspberry Slushy – BCAAs, Sparkling Water, Lemon Juice
Black Bean Burger – Black Beans, Textured Vegetable Protein, Lettuce, Tomato, Roasted Garlic Aioli with Sweet Potato Waffle Fries and Spicy Ketchup
Turkey Chili Cheese Fries – Sweet Potato Waffle Fries, Ground Turkey Chili Mix, Black Beans, Sweet Corn, Pico de Gallo, Vegan Cheese Sauce
BBQ Chicken Cauliflower Crust Pizza – Shredded Chicken, non-Fat Cheese, BBQ Sauce, Red Onions with Side Salad
The Skillet – Ground Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Feta, Over-Easy Egg
Bang Bang Chicken – Chicken, Stir Fry Vegetables, Zucchini Noodles, Firecracker Sauce
Veggie Lasagna – Grilled Zucchini, Tofu “Ricotta,” Spinach, Grilled Asparagus, Romesco, Almond Parm, Basil Puree
Chicken Fingers – Oatmeal Crusted Tenders, Celery Sticks, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries with Spicy Ketchup and Buffalo Almond Milk Ranch
Protein Pancakes – Strawberries, Blueberry Puree, Sugar-free Syrup
Despite substantial research indicating the dangers of overweight and obesity the World’s collective waistline continues to grow, a recent estimate suggesting nearly 40% of America will be at risk of adverse health outcomes based on weight alone by 2020, and with more diners adapting to “quick casual” and “fast food” rather than sit-down dinners the need for healthier options is at an all-time high, a fact clearly recognized by the team behind Portion Control.
Self-described as “Healthy Food Redefined” and representing a partnership between Justin Blum of Raw Fitness plus Chef Vince Upperman, the duo opening location one adjacent Blum’s Gym at The Gramercy a year ago and following up with a Henderson location in early 2018, guests entering Portion Control will quickly notice the open kitchen, high ceilings and welcoming environs, a wide mix of guests including families as well as those fresh from a workout seated comfortably as an upbeat soundtrack plays overhead.
Catering to busy lifestyles and healthier ways of being, a promise of no preservatives, artificial flavors or GMO-ingredients prominently listed atop the Menu, it is in the new tradition of counter-style ordering that guests are enticed by a large board on the wall left of entry, each item cooked to order while they wait though those in a hurry are offered the convenience of ordering in advance and receiving a call when their selections are packed and ready to go.
Additionally providing meal-prep services and group orders easily tailored to catering, nutritional facts not yet available for the dine-in Menu but reportedly coming soon, it was alongside three adults with relevant healthcare experience plus one child that nine items from a list of over fifty were selected, the youngster in the group immediately coveting a Branched Chain Amino Acid Slushy that was both flavored and priced like those at the Movies without all the excess calories and unnatural Sugars or Dyes.
No stranger to mindful eating or the untoward effects of popular Foods, the items selected thus tailored towards the sort of things People and Patients say the “crave” daily, it was beginning with a “Burger” constructed of Black Beans and T.V.P. that lunch got underway, the Patty no less convincing than New York’s popular “Superiority Burger” with a Bun that actually holds up better while the side of Waffled Sweet Potato Fries were crisp, oilless and tasty on their own but all the better when topped with housemade Turkey Chili that packs a lot of Protein and healthy Carbohydrates into each bite despite being devoid of unhealthy Fats.
Moving next to one of three Pizzas positioned atop a low-carb Cauliflower Crust, the Barbecue Chicken suggested by a woman who has lost over forty pounds while incorporating Portion Control as well as Raw Fitness into a healthy lifestyle, suffice it to say that those seeking the comfort of a pillowy Crust will likely be disappointed by Chef Upperman’s creation while fans of thinner Pies will likely be more amenable, a follow-up Breakfast plate simply titled “The Skillet” not really all that different from similar dishes elsewhere but a steal at just $8 considering the Ingredient quality and nicely flavored Hash beneath an Over-Easy Egg.
Hearing frequently that Chinese Food is a trigger for those counting calories, an example more authentic than most dishes available at Panda Express or P.F. Chang’s exhibited in a Bowl of “Bang Bang Chicken,” diners looking to add a bit of spice to their diet will likely be impressed by just how close the dish comes to replicating Spring Mountain Road without all the Oil, Upperman’s spiraled Zucchini additionally providing an admirable stand-in for packaged Noodles.
Falling short on “Veggie Lasagna,” small bundles of rolled Squash around creamed Tofu leaving an odd aftertaste potentially related to non-dairy Cheese that was accentuated rather than muted by Romesco, it was in baked Chicken Breast coated in a crispy mixture of Oats that Portion Control was quickly back on track, the meal finally wrapping up in three fluffy Protein Pancakes largely indistinguishable from the sort served as Hotcakes beneath Golden Arches, the Sugar-free Topping nothing that will lead 100% Maple Syrup purists swearing off the good stuff, but the housemade Blueberry reduction and Market Fresh Strawberries plenty sweet enough for most.
FOUR STARS: As a practicing endocrinologist, traveling gourmand, avid runner/biker and former morbidly-obese twenty-something I’d argue that my knowledge of ‘what it takes’ to maintain one’s weight comes from a place of expertise and although there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to lifelong health a combination of daily exercise and nutrition no doubt forms a strong backbone, something Vince Upperman’s Portion Control aspires to assist in with overall impressive results.
RECOMMENDED: Bang Bang Chicken, Turkey Chili Cheese Fries, Black Bean Burger, Chicken Fingers.
AVOID: Veggie Lasagna, Buffalo Almond Milk Ranch Dressing.
TIP: Customizable and optimized for those who prefer to make Healthy Dining as low-effort as possible Meal Prep options range from individual daily orders to a full month including Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner daily for about $7 per Meal.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.portioncontrolnv.com
