If you knew about a gem of a café, a warm, comfortable but largely hidden place that arguably derived much of its charm from the fact that it is off the beaten path and not mainstream, would you talk about it?
Would you reveal its secrets for all to read, wresting the understated enjoyment of the place from the small pocket of in-the-know patrons and turning it over to the hungry masses?
Let’s say it was your job to report on just such discoveries, would that make it alright?
Ethical debates aside, let’s imagine, for the sake of this column, that such a place existed and I knew about it. Where would it be located? Let’s run with an unlikely spot, say Delbrook Plaza, the sleepy little commercial centre about halfway up the steep, eponymous street that is otherwise almost exclusively residential.
Now that we’ve assigned this hypothetical café a location, let’s give it a name, just to support this thought exercise. Let’s call it something that fits its quaint, diminutive stature, like, Le Petit Café. Yes, that will do nicely.
Now what would Le Petit Café be like, if it were, you know, real?
The room might be located in the far southern corner of the plaza, hidden out of immediate view save for the inviting smattering of tables out front, which would make the café a great destination on a sunny morning in spring or summer. But imagine, for a moment, that the café also had a welcoming, rustic, French farmhouse interior design aesthetic that practically begged patrons to while the hours away inside too, encouraging them to sip an expertly made cappuccino using locally roasted Moja Coffee or indulge in still hot from the oven muffins made on premise. It’s likely that muffin varieties would include carrot spice, maple walnut, or orange cranberry and that they would be dense and cakey. The maple walnut, in particular, would be delicious with its rich and round maple notes, moist and weighty centre, and crunchy, roasted nut topping.
A café like that would probably also serve some mean house made sandwiches and other baked goods throughout the day. If I had gone for a run on a recent Saturday morning, for instance, I might have been inclined to reward myself following a partial Delbrook climb with one of the aforementioned frothy cappuccinos, featuring thick, sugar-supporting milk foam and bright, toasty espresso. But having worked up an appetite, I’d surely need something more, like a breakfast wrap sandwich filled with small diced potatoes, scrambled egg, onion, and generous amounts of fragrant, wine-scented and faintly spicy chorizo sausage. At $8.50, the hearty wrap, served with a side of salsa and heated properly all the way to the middle (which is a woefully rare phenomenon in the world of café breakfast wraps), would represent good value.
A plate of warm, freshly baked, buttery and crumbly scones would fit the café’s esthetic perfectly and would tempt me as a take-home treat after finishing my breakfast. I imagine these scones would boast blueberry and subtle citrus notes.
Lest we turn this place, with its easy, decidedly European sidewalk café sensibility, into something too precious or self-important, I would hasten to add to our list of imagined qualities a pervasive humility manifested in the café’s generous acknowledgement of its various suppliers and partners. Throughout its online communications and social media presence, rather than tout its own value, Le Petit Café would show its appreciation for other groups like Two Daughters Bakery, To Die For, Flour Bakery, and Sweet Tooth Cakery, all suppliers of baked goods sold on premise, or Le Meadows Pantry for jams and preserves, and Blume for vegan, organic, caffeine and gluten-free mixes for turmeric and beetroot lattes.
In fact, so refreshingly secure is Le Petit Café in its own identity that it might do a weekly neighbourhood shout-out to other small, independent eateries it admires, like Daisy Sandwiches & Such, Baker and Baron, or Buddha-Full.
As the scent of the morning’s baking fades within the cafe, it probably gives way to the aromas of simple, thoughtful midday fare, like hearty soups that may include broccoli cheddar or beef curry with yams, or spinach, romaine and kale salad with chicken and turkey panini made on cranberry sourdough. Vegans and gluten-free eaters might be surprised to find themselves well supported here for lunch as well, as sandwiches can likely be customized and made to order.
You know, the more I think about it, I probably wouldn’t tip everyone off about a place like that. Some things are best kept to oneself.
Le Petit Café may or may not be located at 105-3711 Delbrook Avenue in North Vancouver. 604-971-6661. Lepetitcafe.ca.
