Mocha-colored walls, comfy couches and local art. The ming-ling aroma of fresh java, buttery bakery goods and savory brunch items. The din of conversation, the rattle of newspapers, the clatter of plates and glasses. What else could make a neighborhood coffee shop more perfect? At Lucky's Café in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, chef-owner Heather Haviland has gone above and far beyond nurturing a local coffee clutch. In this small space – including an ultra-petite kitchen – Heather has created a local-foods dynasty that expressly celebrates community and connection to the land.
Regardless of the season, Heather germinates her ideas as though the sun shines day and night. Before long, she plants her thoughts in the fertile minds of empathetic visionaries. From there, the ideas grow into reality, and her visions bloom with the amazing fruits of her labor. In 2006 alone, she initiated the building of four raised-garden beds in Lucky's yard, started a scholarship program for at-risk youth to tend the community garden and began a farmers' market in the open lot across the street. And this is merely a smattering of her recent accomplishments.
| Cheddar-Scallion Biscuit topped with Soft Scrambled Eggs and Sausage Gravy. |
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Truly demonstrating how a restaurant and bakery can feature local products, Heather sources as many ingredients as possible from area farms for both Lucky's Café and Sweet Mosaic, a bakery business that she owns with her sister, artist Rebecca Star Haviland. Everything they use, from eggs to butter to grains, originates in Northeast Ohio. And during the growing season, she plucks tender greens, juicy tomatoes, crunchy peppers and more from the garden right in Lucky's yard. Heather notes, “The garden is a source of life and food. It can be central to a community.”
Heather's devotion to local foods originated from an experience she had while living in Seattle when she joined a group of Native Americans to fight the clear-cutting of forest land that had once belonged to them. Immersed in a culture that takes pride in the offerings of the land, Heather explains, “I learned firsthand that a change in a person's perspective can truly affect whether something turns out poorly or positively.” Later, living in the Woodstock area of New York, Heather discovered that the many local restaurants support the farmers and each other in the local foods movement. By doing so, she comments, “the quality of life for everybody is improved.”
Waffels topped with seasonal fruit, honey
whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel. |
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Fortunately for us, Heather returned to the Cleveland area to be closer to her family. (She grew up in Lakewood.) Here, she met her “significant other,” Andy Strizak, chef de cuisine at Parker's New American Bistro in Ohio City. Impressed by his commitment to support local farmers, she shares that, “By example, he showed me what resources we have here.” His commitment, as well as his passion, comes through in the food.
“I believe that one of the most important ingredients is the cook's intentions,” Heather says. “To some extent, the creation of a community and a place of peace for people to gather come through in the food.” Nothing epitomizes a community space like a coffee shop. However, Lucky's Café offers much more than a hot cup of joe. The café offers a variety of sandwich options in a “build-your-own style” menu. Next to the front counter, the pastry case brims with sweet confections – cinnamon rolls, scones, cakes, cookies, brownies, tortes and more. And on weekends, the brunch menu cannot be matched.
Although Lucky's only began serving brunch in the spring of 2006, it has quickly become “the” spot for a fabulous late morning meal. Locals stroll in; suburbanites join in the fray. And some-where along the way, the community connection clicks again. Regulars can be overheard chatting with newcomers about their musings on the local art adorning the walls, the café's use of locally sourced ingredients and their personal recom-mendations from the menu.
| Lucky's meat loaf is made with grass-fed beef. |
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Although the menu is limited to seven items (due to the small size of the kitchen quarters), suggestions from regulars abound. For some (myself included), it can be nearly impossible to pick a favorite from the list of offerings that range from savory to sweet and light to decadent. In fact, Heather invariably hears grumblings from some of the guests when she changes one of the five regular menu items (the other two rotate weekly). Even if hard pressed, I absolutely cannot pick a number-one preference. During each of my visits, I go for whatever strikes my fancy that day, and I am never disappointed.
For those of you who go for a filling, savory brunch, try the Cheddar-Scallion Biscuit topped with Soft Scrambled Eggs and Sausage Gravy. While truly decadent, both the airy biscuits and the creamy gravy are exceedingly light. (A warning: You may need to protect your plate from your dining mates. They are likely to reach over and dip their bread into your gravy.) Rounded out with a hearty serving of crisp home fries and fresh fruit, this slightly salty, extra creamy, amply portioned meal will satisfy even the biggest brunch hunger. If, for some reason, that does not seem quite enough, order a side of crispy, sweet praline bacon. Yes, that is bacon encrusted with caramelized pecans. Sweet and salty – a combination that wins every time.
If a sweet dish strikes your fancy, go for the waffles. The offering changes regularly – gingerbread, chocolate, lemon and cornbread waffles have all graced the menu. During an early-fall visit, I delightfully dove into the cornbread ones. The tender, light squares were bathed in a warm, tart berry compote. An immense scoop of honey whipped cream melted over the top into a frothy foam that swam around the drizzle of caramel.
To provide the people of our community with pastry and breads that are made by hand with care and attention to quality, using only the freshest of ingredients. We will support and promote our Ohio farmers and producers by showcasing the bounty of their harvests in our products. We will offer our customers an alternative to the mass produced by committing our passion for the craft to creating good, wholesome food. We will remain creative with and inspired by the cultural diversity and layers of tradition our community offers us.
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On the ultra-healthful side, Lucky's offers homemade granola.Topped with organic yogurt, fresh fruit and local honey, this jumble of local grains includes rolled oats, rolled spelt, wheat germ, puffed corn, almonds and dried fruit. On a recent visit, my bowl brimmed with slices of banana, peach and plum and a handful of raspberries. While healthy and light, the rich, naturally sweet flavor and variety of crunchy and chewy textures was sublimely satisfying.
If you happen to be in Lucky's on a weekday, never fear. Scrambled eggs and homemade toast are both served any time. So are sandwiches. Be sure to try Lucky's meat loaf for an extra special treat because it made from grass-fed beef. And you will definitely want to polish off a meal with something from the pastry case. Heather's confections are out of this world. The real, farm-fresh butter and eggs make a decisive difference in the flavor. Try a soft, decadent double-chocolate brownie, a slice of spicy, moist gingerbread cake or a pastry with a name you have never heard before (such as peach frangipane). Too full? Take it home. Or, even better, order a cake or a batch of anything from the bakery to share with family and friends. (Think about how much easier your holidays could be if Heather does some of your baking!)
Named for the “777” street number on Starkweather, Lucky's might not be so blessed with good fortune if it were not for the vision, talent, time, creativity and dedication to local foods of Heather Haviland. Rumor has it that she is unstoppable on her quest to close the gap between local farmers and consumers, as well as to keep those consumers happily fed. Plans are in the works for an independent, wholesale “mother bakery,” another restaurant location and environmentally “green” renovations to Lucky's Café. “I love making people happy with food,” Heather shares. “Clevelanders are my people. This is my community. It's important for all of us to support our farmers and to do what we can to live better and live selflessly.” To that end, I again encourage you to buy something from Lucky's pastry case to take home for your family or friends.
Lucky's Café is located at 777 Starkweather in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. It can be reached by calling (216) 622-7773. Its website is www.LuckysCafe.com. Sweet Mosaic may be found online at www.SweetMosaic.com and reached by calling (216) 374-9030.
Photos by Bob Perkoski www.Perkoski.com.
