| Columns
:
Clean Plate Club
|
Last Updated:
Jul 1st, 2008 - 10:20:12 |
The Wake-up
A Call to Breakfast!
Charming, absolutely charming is how I would describe this breakfast and lunch venue newly opened March 6th of this year on Greater Mack Avenue in St. Clair Shores. With a nook-ish feel seating about 45 people in a smart and simple surrounding, this new kid on the block has taken more contemporary values of healthier living and savvier aesthetics on a shoe-string budget to bring bold foods (both in flavor and appearance) to their burgeoning clientele base. Co-owner Patrick Keeley was just as delighted to see RDW as we were him and his vivacious venue. Take a lil' ol' look with us as we check things out with a great deal of enthusiasm — and the best of luck to this new enterprise.
Working from the concept of “a better breakfast and lunch” that is billed on the menu, CPC decided to gain an understanding of what that means. Let’s start with the ambience: Patrick wants his guests to be “at ease (with) a home feel.” Truly, the environment is casual with optional seating in booths, free-standing tables and a dynamic lunch counter made from a base consecutively connecting 55 gallon drums split lengthwise down the middle (top to bottom) to form a contiguous face. Wow! You just gotta see it. The room is anchored in color by a grayish sky blue and an almost plum-like red; simple, contrasting cool and warm colors. OK, now we have a fundamental duality going on here. Add to that the high use of organic foods, especially with the produce, and the healthy living bread products from Avalon Bakery, and we start to see a very smart balancing act — both from a business and philosophic point of view. Excellent! So let’s take a look at some of the product here.
Patrick rolled out a gorgeous Eggs Benedict built traditionally on English muffins with Canadian bacon and poached eggs. Garnished with sautéed spinach, this plate was dressed with a lovely combination of roasted garlic sauce and roasted red pepper sauce in place of the traditional hollandaise sauce. The same zippy effect was achieved, but without the heavier, traditional hollandaise sauce. It was also a more attractive plate because of the colors. And best of all, for ovo-lacto vegetarians, mushrooms may be substituted for the Canadian bacon.
Next on the roll-out, CPC had the pleasure of sampling the Crab Cake Open-face Sandwich. Using two slices of toasted French baguette to support the crab cakes, we encountered this feature presented over mixed greens with tomato, red onion, red and green organic sweet peppers. The crab cakes were finished with the same lovely roasted red pepper sauce as before. And if it is a full luncheon salad you desire, try the Everything But the Kitchen Sink Salad. It is just that! Vegan dressings are available, especially gluten free and sugar free.
But, as always, it was the sweet thing that got me singing: Banana Bread French Toast. Help me! Will someone just please help me?! | RDW
Contact Marc: cpc@realdetroitweekly.com
|
|
|
 |
