The menu is detailed — so much so, it's delivered to each
person in the form of a three-ring binder. Inside is a list of
homestyle breakfast, lunch and dinner items ranging from corned
beef hash and eggs Benedict to specialty sandwiches, chicken
cordon bleu, and pan-poached king salmon. You'll also find the
history of the Cozy Cafè and the Michaelsons' extensive
backgrounds in the food industry.
The four of us marveled over the selections, which reminded
us of our Midwest roots. After much debate, we settled on steak
Diane, two orders of the Saturday special chicken and dumplings,
and chicken-fried steak.
Our server, Lynda, was enormously helpful and friendly. When
she saw that the four of us had drained our water glasses rather
quickly, she left an entire pitcher for us with a congenial
laugh. She seemed genuinely interested in our satisfaction and
made us feel welcome and well taken care of.
My friend Wes and I chose simple salad starters of crisp
iceberg lettuce topped with tomato slices, homemade crunchy
croutons, black olive and slivers of carrot.
My husband and our friend Patrice each selected a soup.
Patrice enjoyed a thick, salty split pea soup, while my husband
happily emptied his bowl of stockpot soup, full of potatoes,
white beans and veggies in a delicious dark broth.
My steak Diane was prepared exactly to my specification. A
tender filet mignon was wrapped in a slice of bacon and covered
in the classic sauce of sautéed onions, brandy, butter and a
smidge of Dijon mustard. The accompanying heap of flavorful
roasted red potatoes complemented the steak nicely. The plate
was rounded out with perfect petite peas (not a trace of
mushiness) and a warm, soft, chewy roll.
The chicken and dumplings won raves from my husband and
Patrice. Dave has developed a fabulous cake-style dumpling, soft
yet chewy, without the chalky center one sometimes finds. Tender
white chicken meat mingled with the dumplings, all doused in
magnificent gravy. This was comfort food like none other, served
up with the freshest-tasting green beans I can ever remember in
a restaurant, and two triangles of Texas toast.
Wes is a Midwesterner with fond (and usually funny) memories
of childhood food experiences. The happiness Dave's chicken
fried- steak brought Wes was unbelievable; I've never seen a
person so content with a restaurant meal.
Patterned after a simple Amish recipe from the 1800's,
tenderized beef was dipped in egg and milk, dredged in seasoned
flour and cracker meal, then fried to a faultless golden brown
without tasting greasy.
Served alongside were green beans, a warm roll and, in Wes'
words, "a mound of perfect mashed potatoes that rivaled the
mountain in 'Close Encounters.'"
The amount of food we'd consumed was really more than we
needed; for future reference, we noted that the Cozy Cafè also
offers petite portions. But we were having such a fabulous
experience on this first visit that we ploughed ahead, each
ordering dessert. Strawberry shortcake, crème brulee, and
"lickety-split" banana splits arrived, each one
beautifully presented and tasting even better than they looked.
The price for four of us to eat such an amazing amount of
food was staggering in and of itself: $46. We couldn't believe
it — and we couldn't wait to come back.
As if the Cozy Cafè didn't already strike me as just what the
doctor ordered (well, the doctor who prescribes creamy, buttery
comfort foods in moderation), the menu also lists gluten-free
items. It's not an offering you often see, and many people will
appreciate knowing the Cozy Cafè caters to this crowd.
Hours of operation are limited to Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
As Dave told me several days after our meal, "If I'm not
back there, we're closed." This is part of the secret of
the Cozy Cafè: consistency. Dave admits, "It's very
difficult to be the only cook here. But the customers benefit
from this unique situation, because if you come back two years
later, you're going to get the exact same thing." Which is
exactly why the Cozy Cafè tops my list of favorite new
restaurant finds.
Visit the Cozy Cafè Web site at www.ourcozycafe.com
to peruse their menu in detail.