Café focuses on breakfast, lunch

Stacee Sledge

Dec 20, 2001 — The Harris Avenue Café, adjacent to Tony's Coffeehouse in Fairhaven, often bustles with people. It's located just around the corner from my house, and nearly every morning I stroll by and spy contented faces in the window. Sometimes one of the window tables is occupied by a single person enjoying their morning coffee and newspaper; other times I see a crowd of people happily chatting over the morning meal.

Originally known as the Paradise Café, this reincarnated eatery has dropped its dinner menu and now serves just breakfast and lunch.

The brightly colored space holds more than a dozen tables, with one wall lined by a banquette. Stacks of colorful Fiestaware line the counter separating the seating area from the grill. Art pieces are displayed on the sapphire-blue walls, and can be purchased if one sparks your imagination.

This rejuvenated restaurant remains untouched in all the essential ways: It's a charming place, offering delicious food and welcoming service.

Breakfast is generally the busiest meal at the Harris Avenue Café, and with good reason. Having sampled several breakfast items, I can attest to their quality — and the respite they provide on long, rainy mornings of holiday shopping in Fairhaven.

The "Belling Ham" is a light, airy omelet served with large dices of salty ham and a choice of smoked mozzarella, Gruyére, pepperjack, or cheddar cheese. I chose the smoked mozzarella, and was pleased by the unexpected combination.

Harris Avenue Café

Location: 1101 Harris Ave., Fairhaven Phone: 738-0802 Menu items sampled: Granola $3.50 Belling Ham omelet $8.25 Seasoned red potatoes $3.75 Hamburg Er $7.75 Ham and cheese sandwich $7.95

Several other out-of-the-ordinary omelets are offered, including the "Matterhorn," with portabella, shiitake and domestic mushrooms, and the "Sitka," with smoked salmon, goat cheese, roasted garlic, tomatoes, and pesto. I'll certainly be back to try each of them.

The Harris Street Café makes its own blend of almond molasses granola. Flavorful and extremely filling, the granola crunches with a stray whole almond sneaking in here and there.

Ordered as an entrée all its own or as a side dish, the red potatoes are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, seasoned with parsley and garlic.

The café offers several tantalizing potato dishes, including Potatoes O'Brien, with bell peppers and onions, and "Chubby Checkers' Choice" potatoes, with ham, caramelized onion, tomatoes, barbeque sauce, pepperjack cheese, and two eggs.

Considering its partnership with Tony's, this is no surprise: The coffee is outstanding. My server was always quick to warm my cup of joe.

Lunch proved a delight, as well. A recent visit found me happily sampling the hamburger, quaintly called the "Hamburg Er" on the menu. As with so many dishes at the Harris Avenue Café, the presentation of the burger was just enough left of center to make lunch lively.

The broiled, 1/3-pound patty is served on a square bun with mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce and tomato. I opted for a slice of Gruyére, which gave the burger added depth and interest. The side salad was simple but refreshing, with crisp greens topped with a zesty balsamic vinaigrette.

My lunch companion sampled the "Simple Sally" ham and cheese sandwich. Served on springy peasant bread with a thick, chewy crust, the generous heap of ham slices were joined by crisp green leaf lettuce and ripe tomato. Finishing the sandwich was a liberal layer of scallion cream cheese.

All sandwiches are served with choice of side salad, soup, or yam fries. Although the soups of the day — cream of red pepper and minestrone — were intriguing, I was drawn to the yam fries. It was a good choice (although I look forward to returning for their soup). The yams were thinly sliced into potato chip shape, cooked to a slight crisp while soft and chewy inside — the mix of salty and sweet was divine.

The Harris Avenue Café, to me, embodies Fairhaven: inviting and picturesque, with delightful surprises sprinkled throughout.