About two weeks ago, a few of the "moms" from my daughter's class and I had lunch at Cafe Manna, the vegetarian restaurant at the Towne Centre. Mom #1 admits to occasional bouts of vegetarianism. As she puts it, "sometimes we're vegetarian, and sometimes we're not." Mom #2, although not vegetarian, does not drink soda of any kind and practices yoga. Then, there is me -- the soda-drinking carnivore who thinks yoga is surely part of Dante's Third Circle of Hell.
But I was willing to give it a shot. So, we decided to have lunch on a weekday after we dropped our kids off at school. Although it was the noon hour, the restaurant was not that busy, and we didn't have any problems getting a table. Finding a parking place, however, was a little difficult. Two of us ended up parking in the Sendik's lot. (Cafe Manna is in the same building as the Four Seasons Coffee shop.)
I'm not sure why, but when I walked in, I thought of California. Maybe it was the colors -- beiges, greens, browns. It was very bright, lots of light wood, all tables- no booths. No soda or alcohol is served here, but there is coffee, an assortment of teas, caffeinated and non-caffeinated, and a variety of waters, including my favorite Izze, a blend of sparkling water and fruit juice in a range of flavors (grapefruit, pomegranate, e.g.), which can be found at Sendik's and Grasch's.
To start things off, we, along with the other diners, were served a small, complimentary appetizer, a small mound of cashew hummus, served with crackers and bread. The cashew flavor was very subtle.
Mom #1 and I ended up ordering the same thing: the soup of the day - Asparagus and Mushroom Bisque ($6.25) and the Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini appetizer ($8.50).
We both loved the soup. The asparagus and the mushrooms had been pureed into a smooth bisque, and small bits of diced asparagus were added in. I might have liked a bit more of the diced asparagus, but the soup was a hit.
Although billed as a "Tasty Beginning," the mushroom and goat cheese crostini was pretty substantial in size; neither one of us was able to finish it. The toasted bread was heaped with a "wild mushroom duxelle" and topped with an herbed goat cheese mixture. Although I really liked the flavors, by the time I got to my third piece, the mushroom-cheese mixture had made the middle of the bread soggy.
Mom #2 had the Toasted Millet Vegetable Salad ($8.50). Another substantial dish, the salad consisted of a mesclun mix with chickpeas, red and yellow bell peppers, Vidalia onions, carrots, sugar snap peas, topped with toasted millet and dressed with a curry-miso vinaigrette.
Other salads that looked interesting were the Arugula Salad with Avocado and Pear ($10.75) and the Ribboned Zucchini and Herbed Salad ($8.25).
There were also a variety of sandwiches and entrees: Baked Falafel and Citrus Tahini sandwich ($7.25), and the Sesame Encrusted Tofu with Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto ($14.75), to name a few.
There are also several "extras" (sides). For example, Celeriac Whipped Yukon Potatoes ($3.75) and Wasabi Scented Spinach Red Potato Salad ($3.75).
I was the only one who ordered dessert. I had the Ginger Macadamia Nut Carrot Cake ($5.75). The slice I got was big enough to feed at least two people. It was regular carrot cake but pumped up a couple of notches with the addition of macadamia nuts, coconut, and crystallized ginger. It was yummy.
The website for Cafe Manna is still under construction, but it still provides a sample menu (without prices), directions to the restaurant, and its business hours. Take-out menus are available at the front desk.
Cafe Manna does not have a children's menu. The ladies' room did not have a changing table, but it has an interesting little toiletry cabinet. A quick check revealed what looked like mouthwash, accompanied by disposable paper cups, hairspray, and lotion. Thoughtful.
When it came time to box up the leftovers, mine were housed in biodegradable containers. The bag that I carried everything in was recyclable.
Although I liked what I had, I have to wonder whether a restaurant like Cafe Manna will ultimately succeed in Brookfield. On the other hand, I wish Brookfield had more of these small, independent restaurants that think outside of the box.
(No one at Cafe Manna knew I was coming nor did the owners/management of the restaurant invite me to dine there.)
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CORRECTION: Per a reader, Cafe Manna does serve some alcohol. See the Comment from KMB below. Sorry for the error.
