This charming little café again proves the maxim “You can’t tell a restaurant by the size of its kitchen.” Andy Pappas, a transplanted Greek-American New Yorker, along with his wife, Debbie, have just opened a cute-as-a-button converted bungalow on the ever-more-impressive restaurant row of Seventh Street, from Coronado Café up to Café LaBella, a delicious mile of impressive indies.
Chef Pappas has worked in the food industry in one form or another from the time he was nine. Since then, he has become an author (and publisher of Arizona Gourmet magazine), radio personality (host of Taste of Arizona), world traveler (Debbie used to fly for TWA, now Delta), bon vivant and singer extraordinaire. Yes, this trained tenor often busts into song quite unexpectedly, much to the delight of his customers. When he’s not singing, he’s most likely chitchatting with the diners. Though it’s not essential, a New York background helps to fully appreciate the often-riotous stories of days gone by in the Big Apple, Andy’s stock in trade. So, with all this patron interaction, when does he have time to cook? Actually, with the clever way this eat-in or take-out restaurant is set up, timing is not at all crucial, so when there are no guests to talk or sing to, Andy can cook. Boy can Andy cook! The refrigerated case beckoning you when you enter has three tiers: the upper level has at least six different meats and the other two rows have various vegetables that are so tasty, even the most rabid veggiephobe will have trouble narrowing his choices down to just two. Such a deal — one meat and a duo of veggies rings in at a mere $9.95! If that sounds like too much food, there are six mouth-watering Sandwich selections at the most reasonable price of $7.95. Whatever you do, however, you must save some room for Dessert ($3.50-$5). But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
First, a few words about the setting. Andy has taken a small house and added so many charming details of décor that, day or night, it takes on an ambiance of comfort and grace. Out front is a small patio with umbrella-shaded tables and a gurgling fountain to mask some of the busy Seventh Street traffic. At night, clever little LED downlights are clamped on the umbrella poles to illuminate the food without the glare of harsh spotlights. Lace café curtains add a bit of antiquity to the bank of windows that separates the inside from the al fresco area.
“Slow Food Done Fast” is Andy’s motto here, and since almost everything is precooked, most dishes simply get a quick heat up before being served. The sandwiches, needing only a bit of assembly, are done even faster. As with every morsel that comes out of this kitchen, all the ingredients are primo — fresh, organic (whenever possible) and, for the most part, locally supplied. Of course, some of the more obscure items, like the horseradish bread and butter pickles (which I could eat by the handful), are imported into Arizona by Andy. Although no one ingredient is uniquely exotic (except the fig balsamic dressing of the Caprese-type combo), the combinations show imagination and a thorough knowledge of food coalescing. Even the fresh-baked rolls are specifically chosen for both taste and texture to suit the theme of each sandwich.
Let’s start with the aforementioned sammie of prosciutto, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella and wilted greens (one of the key ingredients to individualize this creation), with the fig balsamic dressing. Here you have a variety of tastes to challenge all your buds and then some: salty, savory, mellow, buttery, tangy, bitter, sweet and pungent. Although some seem less adventuresome than others, I was not disappointed by any, and quite pleasantly surprised by a couple. One was the Italian tuna (a whole individual can) that was goosed up with capers, goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes, then topped with a layer of arugula dressed with a lemon olive oil mixture that was not at all bashful with the citrus. The other was a roasted chicken breast (usually my least favorite part), a thick slab of Bel Paese cheese, roasted (intensifies their flavor) tomatoes and wilted baby greens slathered with French honey mustard, an elixir that can spark even the most mundane pairing (which this certainly was not).
The Athenian broiled prime sirloin cooked with garlic oil and oregano is sure to please most everyone, especially since it is embellished with roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and sharp gorgonzola cheese. The Mufalatta is not the classic of New Orleans’ Central Grocery fame (they even spell theirs differently: Muffaletta), but a delicious facsimile nonetheless. Andy’s has Sopressatta, Parma cotta ham and imported Swiss cheese, all buried under a mixed olive medley, moistened with extra virgin olive oil and muscato vinegar (a little softer, fruitier tasting than balsamic). I love the original, dripping from an overdose of olive oil — this is traditionally a three napkin sandwich — and missed that here … but I really coulda (woulda, shoulda) asked for very more oil; maybe next time. The final sandwich, one of my favorites, features roasted eggplant with fresh mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil, with a balsamic reduction drizzle. When eggplant is cooked properly (which is not very often, but it is in this kitchen), it is really hard to beat. Unfortunately, it far too frequently gets a bad rap from poorly cooked examples.
The major ingredients from a few the above are also offered in plate versions, though some are top shelf (sirloin, chicken) and others are not (eggplant). I am told the featured selections will vary, but so far they have been pretty consistent: Herbed Turkey, a half Chicken Provençal, a chunk of wonderful oven browned tomato topped Meatloaf and slices of Roast Pork Tenderloin containing a ribbon of Scarborough Faire (parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme) running through its center, along with the aforementioned Chicken Breast and Bistro Tender Beef. As you would expect from a competent chef, all meats are juicy and only a few even need a knife. And, if Andy is in a particularly good mood, he will cook up some Calamari and Onions in a robust tomato sauce, or beautiful Red Peppers Stuffed with Orzo and Pork — strictly top shelf!
Here you will get a new respect for vegetables, which are not just simple distractions slopped on a plate to augment the main event, but each is treated with the same sense of importance as the protein part, and many have far more complicated recipes in their preparation. Even the most mundane, the Mesclun Organic Salad, has luscious grape tomatoes, mild Bermuda rings, a bit of goat cheese and is sprinkled with fresh herbs and spices to compliment its extraordinary muscato vinaigrette. And it gets better from here. Many dishes are prepared Mediterranean-style, the Couscous being a perfect example with sautéed onions, peppers and bits of bitter greens dotting the plump pearls of pasta. Orzo gets a quite similar treatment, and Farfalle (bowties) has so many Med veggies, it practically could stand by itself as an entrée. The final starch, Greek Potatoes, certainly proves that the whole is far better than the parts: oven roasted potato wedges with garlic and onions sounds simple, but Andy’s version is pure nirvana.
With far fewer carbs, but still intensely flavorful, you’ll find a perfect Ratatouille; tender pencil-thin Asparagus, garlic sautéed Spinach, impeccable Grilled Eggplant and gobs of mildly bitter Escarole (have you priced this stuff lately?) stir-fried with garbanzos. Don’t overlook the String Beans (and don’t expect any “strings” in these tender babies), the Beets with onions vinaigrette (served warm or, better yet, cold) and the Spanakopita (Spinach Pie), on par with the best of the Middle Eastern eateries.
I could spend thousands of words (and really have you drooling) about the Desserts, but instead will keep this section somewhat truncated and put extra photos up on the internet. First of all, they have about a dozen of Berto’s best Gelato flavors, including Pistachio, Tiramisu, Bananas Foster, Mango and Cookies and Cream.
Between the savories and gelatos are two cases full of cookies and pastries that Pappas has shipped in from four basic purveyors east of the Mississippi: Christie Cookie Company, Roland International, Plaza Sweets and Egidio’s. Some are sold as is, but many have to be baked (by Andy and crew) on the premises. The Cannoli shells must be filled with his custom ricotta blend (complete with sprinkles!), the Mousse Mountain must be melted to molten, some of the large White Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Raisin Oatmeal cookies must be baked and some of the goodies just need to be thawed. Even some of the pastries that are flawless when received get the Pappas touch. Take the Chocolate Profiteroles for example. This confection is about as perfect as you can get, with its nut-laden foundation holding up small custard-filled cream-puffs, the entire pastry then coated in a rich dark chocolate topping; yet Andy adds a quintet of bittersweet dark chocolate (a whopping 73 percent!) sticks to placate even the most jaded chocoholics.
The Lemon Bombe has a lovely (and tasty) raspberry swirl, the smooth dense Mocha Cheesecake (not crumbly like most Italian versions) is equally intense in flavors, the Peach Custard Tart with almonds is amazing, and the Raspberry Mango Mousse is an incredible sweet/tart combination. The Baba au Rhum has a nice custard center, but could stand a local shot of rum to moisten it up a bit. If you’ve never had a Sfogliatelle, this is as fine of an example as you’re likely to find in the Valley. It looks like a clamshell covered in layers of buttery phyllo but has a surprise creamy citron infused custard filling. Wow! The piece de resistance, however, is a remarkable Tiramisu. It’s light as a feather, rich, creamy and definitely influenced by a shot of robust coffee. Even though it seems like heavenly flavored air, we highly recommend stopping at one.
Speaking of coffee, they brew Mokarabia Extra. Look out Illy, this stuff is unbelievably good. Tea service comes on a doily-topped tray with a pot of infusion, sweeteners, and a vase of flowers. Santa Cruz Organic Sparkling Lemonade and Galvanina All Natural Pomegranate Fruit Beverage are two of our favorites, especially for hot spring (summer, fall) days, and are sold in big bottles. All kinds of espresso drinks are well made here, and sometimes just a cup and a sweet will be a delightful cap of an evening while sitting on the patio and listening to Andy, the singer, make his magic.
BLD $7.95-$9.95* Cl Sun
2241 N. Seventh St. (second building south of Oak — you’ll never find the sign), Phoenix, 602-358-7415.
