Cafe @ Heifer a green getaway
Sometimes, in the middle of a stressful work week, it helps to escape. And for people who need that escape, the Cafe @ Heifer is a sort of oasis: a peaceful, green, landscaped setting only a short drive away from downtown office buildings.
It not only provides a sanctuary, it also gives an option for delicious food in an environmentally responsible, local-supporting atmosphere. Everything from the plastic cups and utensils to the to-go containers is recyclable and made of recycled materials. Many of the ingredients come from area farmers. There are even brochures and fliers near the register providing information on healthful eating and farm co-ops.
To get to the cafe, you have to park at the front of Heifer headquarters, then follow the signs and walk through a breezeway, along a path past the grounds and gardens to the Heifer Village building. The cafe is inside, past the conference rooms, information desk and hands-on exhibits.
Order at the counter, where boards advertise the soups and specials for the day and list the day’s local ingredients. There are Snapple and cans of espresso but if you order a fountain drink, you’re handed a cup and serve yourself out of an automated machine that spouts a variety of waters, soft drinks and flavored teas and lemonades.
Diners get a number and then collect their drinks, condiments, straws, napkins and plasticware around the corner before finding a seat at one of the sets of metal tables and chairs, inside or on the patio. Either option is pleasant and peaceful, and even inside, you can still enjoy the natural surroundings thanks to the floorto-ceiling windows that give an unobstructed view of the Heifer facility and grounds.
Everything focuses on clean and healthy — for the planet and for people. The menu gives calorie counts for dishes, which could be a good thing if you’re watching your caloric intake, or annoying if you’d rather enjoy that Mushroom Swiss Burger ($8.75) without knowing it’s 921 calories.
Because the cafe uses local ingredients as much as possible, there are often seasonal changes to the menu. For instance, as fall settles in, more dishes feature items such as root vegetables.
New fall items include the Banh Mi Turkey Burger (with Asian slaw and sweet chile aioli on toasted brioche, $8), the Superfood Salad (roasted carrots and beets, quinoa, toasted almonds, broccoli florets, blueberries, sun-dried cranberries, baby spinach and kale with Asian ginger dressing, $6.50) and the Roasted Root Vegetable Quesadilla (roasted beets, carrots and sweet potatoes with Havarti cheese grilled on a flour tortilla,
$7.40).
On past visits, I’ve opted for the Healthier Choice ($7.50) — a scoop of flavorful chicken salad (tuna salad is also an option) on fresh field greens with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot and balsamic vinaigrette. But, inspired by the fall menu, I decided to branch out.
The Hummus & Avocado Ciabatta ($7.55) is much thicker and more unwieldy than I’d anticipated — avocado, fresh tomatoes, roasted red pepper hummus, pickled onions and cilantro on toasted ciabatta. Between the thick slabs of bread and the chunks of avocado, the sandwich was almost impossible to get my mouth around — not without sending globs of hummus or dislodged slices of tomato and avocado plopping over the sides. I ended up eating the tops and bottoms of each sandwich half separately. This meant I didn’t get all the flavors together at once, but it was still fresh and delicious.
The house-made chips that came as a side were crisp, on the thick side and firm but a little underwhelming in the flavor department (missing salt, perhaps?). Dipping them in my partner’s extra salad dressing solved that problem.
On the whole, my dining companion liked his Southwest Salad ($6.35), black bean and corn relish, cheddar and jack cheeses and crisp tortilla
strips on a bed of spring mix greens with salsa and Southwest ranch dressing on the side. But he felt like the lettuce leaves were too large, making it awkward and difficult to manage, particularly with the plastic forks provided. The flavors were good, though, strong enough to satisfy but not too spicy for those who prefer their Southwest dishes on the milder side. The Southwest ranch had a nice kick.
All salads can be ordered with grilled chicken ($1.50), four sauteed shrimp ($3.50) or a 4-ounce grilled salmon filet ($4.99). Dining companion ordered his without an add-on but regretted his decision, saying that while the salad was good, it was still “missing something” — and that something was chicken or shrimp.
On a return visit for a togo order, I chose the Roasted Wild Mushroom Flatbread ($7.50), sauteed portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, Havarti cheese and fresh chives on a flatbread. The flatbread was soft, but firm enough to stand up under the toppings which, for the most part, were in perfect proportions — just enough cheese, mushrooms and onions. I didn’t notice any “fresh chives” but the garlic was particularly strong and I ended up taking off some of the roasted cloves to make it a little less overwhelming. The result was very tasty and satisfying.
In addition to the regular menu, there are daily specials posted on a board in the cafe or, sometimes, on the cafe’s Facebook page.
The earth-friendly theme carries through to the postlunch cleanup where diners are asked to bus their own tables and sort trash for recycling.
For those who feel as if they need a little sugar rush, there’s a selection of cookies, bars, muffins and (sometimes) slices of pie and cheesecake in a display case. And, local to the end, a small freezer with individual containers of Loblolly ice cream sits on the counter.