Garden Café ala Fleur Makes Main Street Feel Magical

In honor of summer’s return, I decided it was time to break out of crowded dining rooms and enjoy some fresh air with outdoor patio dining.

Due to the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. hours, I’d never eaten at the on Main Street. If you work nearby and are in search of a quick, affordable lunch, the Garden Café Ala Fleur belongs on your rotation.

The building at 524 Main Street is used by three businesses. The café offers some indoor seating in the basement. Above ground, the first floor hosts a hair saloon at one end and an espresso bar at the other.

Outdoors, the café made me wonder if I’d accidentally worn my tiara out in public. Tiny birds flitted from table to table, resting on the backs of chairs and cocking their heads at us as if to ask if we needed them to fly home and help us with house cleaning. Our wrought iron table was next to a white picket fence nearly overgrown with dense, woody vines, all surrounding a stone bench and  populated bird bath. I couldn’t help checking the garden for pumpkin plants, just in case. The atmosphere was a fairy godmother away from being part of a live action Disney film.

The atmosphere might have had an impact on our menu choices. According to the Secret Brotherhood of Midday Repasts, any establishment open for lunch is required to offer a pick two menu with your choice of half-sized sandwiches, soups and salads.

The café charges $7.95 for the pick two option. Diners can choose between four salads, four soups (including roasted red pepper bisque and french onion, two of my personal favorites) and a dozen sandwiches. The sandwiches range from traditional fare such as chicken or tuna salad to some more interesting alternatives such as a Cuban pork sandwich with pork loin, ham, provolone and mustard.

The food here is simple but well crafted. I chose the rustic turkey panini. Smoky turkey with smooth brie and the crisp contrast of apple slices on a hearty wheat bread made for a delightful sandwich.

My lunch companion ordered the grilled peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich served on cinnamon bread. This triple-decker sandwich started with a slice of cinnamon raisin bread topped with peanut butter followed by more cinnamon raisin bread then strawberry jelly, topped off by a third slice of cinnamon bread. The whole thing was grilled in a panini press.

I loved it, but I’m an adult. I don't think it would appeal to actual children. A lot of kids hate it when different foods touch, and it's not uncommon for them to be grossed out by things that don’t normally go together. Raisin bread is for breakfast. Peanut butter and jelly is for lunch. Paninis are for grown-ups.

Though it was a triple-decker, the sandwich wasn't actually that large. It was just the right taste for someone who wants to indulge a few bites without feeling like they've just stolen lunch from an entire elementary school class.

The real superstar here was the roasted bell pepper bisque. This soup hits every part of your tongue. First, you taste the sweetness of the fresh basil, followed by the mellow heartiness of the roasted red peppers, and finally the bite of sharp Parmesan on the finish, all carried in a thick cream so the flavors roll around the inside of your mouth. A few chunks of solid bell pepper give the soup some additional texture. This is a stick-to-your-ribs hearty soup, the kind of thing you dream about on a cold, gray day.

Lunches come with your choice of kettle chips or seasonal fruit. In honor of spring, the fruit was watermelon, so we both indulged in a slice.

My panini with roasted red bell pepper bisque and her peanut butter and jelly with watermelon and a tall glass of peach iced tea came to $16.10 plus a $3 tip.

We also enjoyed lightning fast service. Our waitress made sure our glasses stayed full and, to my surprise, actually waited until lulls in the conversation before approaching us instead of walking over when we had our mouths full. 

I rate Garden Café Ala Fleur a solid A.