Vancouver cheap eats don’t get a lot of Portland love, but some bites are worth a bit of travel. Take my word for it and let the lone west-coast outpost of Sheridan’s Frozen Custard, the southern and mid-western American dessert chain, draw you across the Glenn Jackson Bridge this summer. One bite of their signature custard and you’ll stop complaining about the sales tax.

Things start off simple – Sheridan’s offers up only chocolate and vanilla custard – but the possibilities of mix-ins, toppings, and sizes are endlessly customizable. Whether you want a mini concrete (like a super-thick shake) or a large sundae to share, the extensive and seasonally shifting menu has you covered. My favorite bite was a variation on the classic summer dessert, strawberry shortcake. Sheridan’s puts a chilled-out spin on the berry treat, with warm, buttery shortcake, fresh local berries, vanilla frozen custard, and whipped cream. Also delicious was the Caramel Pretzel Crunch concrete, a sweet and salty blend of vanilla custard, pretzels, and caramel.

Just off Mill Plain road, the custard shop is part drive-thru, part old-school walk-up with outdoor seating and plenty of windows to watch the custard cooks whip up fresh batches of the frozen stuff daily. While not as eggy as some delicious frozen custards I’ve had in the northeast, it’s great to have a place nearby to grab a reasonable facsimile. Besides, the three nickles in your car’s cup holder should cover the tax.

Sheridan’s Frozen Custard 14389 SE Mill Plain Road Vancouver, WA 98684, (360) 260-2202, Mon-Thu 11am to 10pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 11pm, Sun 1pm to 10pm.