CHEAP EATS
The Palette Cafe: A piece of heaven
The next time you’re shopping in the revitalized downtown area of North Tonawanda, stop in for lunch at the Palette Cafe, where chef Collette Book dazzles diners with sandwiches, salads and pastries, all made on the premises, and all at great prices.
The anterior of this little cafe, part of an enterprise known as Hodgepodge, is reminiscent of Grandma’s house, with old-fashioned wooden tables painted deep red and creamy white, all surrounded by chunky antique chairs.
Penny Creasey, co-owner and waitress, leads into a more cosmopolitan dining area where original works of art, all for sale, hang on the deep yellow walls. A bridge club is playing in the adjacent tea room where “Simply Tea” is served from 2 to 4 p. m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and includes freshly baked scones, jam and cream, fresh seasonal fruit, and a pot of tea for $7.95.
Although the menu here is short, it’s full of homemade goodies priced from $5.95 to $7.95.
Penny explains that fall and winter are “soup time at the cafe,” with daily specials like Very Veggie Cheese Soup or Cream of Mushroom and favorites such as Irish Potato Chowder and Stuffed Pepper Soup ($3.25 to $4.25).
I have a bit of trouble deciding. I pass up the house specialty, Palette Chicken Salad—crisp apples, celery and light mayo, served over Romaine lettuce with sliced cantaloupe, cashews and a mini croissant ($7.95)—in favor of the daily special, a BLT ($6.75). The moist and meaty bacon, juicy tomato slices and crisp lettuce leaves nestle inside a fresh-from-the oven cheddar roll. The roll is grilled and buttery, light and airy, making the sandwich a gourmet delight.
My friend Tammy can’t resist another of the specials, the cranberry pecan salad—mixed greens topped with chunks of pecans and plump dried cranberries, sprinkled with Gorgonzola cheese, and drizzled with raspberry poppy seed dressing ($6.25). It’s a great combination of flavors: the somewhat sweet dressing complements the pungent Gorgonzola, with the nuts adding just the right crunch.
Everything in the dessert case is priced under $2. Dream Bars, Lemon Bars and Pecan Bars sit next to oversized cinnamon rolls, scones and pancake-size cookies. My Lemon Bar, served on rose-patterned Limoges china, proves a perfect confection. When Tammy finishes her Dream Bar, a delicious concoction of chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut and walnuts on a graham cracker crust, she sums up our entire experience in one short phrase: “This is Heaven!”
The Palette Cafe is open from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. Tuesday through Saturday. It is handicapped-accessible.
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