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Hospitality Percolates at Salt Lake Coffee Break | |
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 08/03/2001 | |
| Mahmoud Himouda must have a little coffee running through his veins. His father and uncles were coffee roasters and sellers back home in Palestine, where coffee was the brew that begat many parties. During Himouda's post-graduate years at Brigham Young University (owned by the non-coffee drinking LDS Church), he spent many hours at an off-campus diner, sipping and studying. "I love coffee shops. Coffee means hospitality," Himouda says simply. With a life so steeped, it is natural that this manufacturing engineer is now the owner of a deli called Salt Lake Coffee Break. It is a welcome addition to the growing number of locally owned coffeehouses in the Salt Lake Valley. Along with a full line of coffee beverages, it has a delicious menu of American and Mediterranean foods, from sub sandwiches and carrot cake to falafel and a yogurt cheese called lebni. Much of the food is prepared without meat, a boon for coffee-drinking vegetarians. Plus, the shop is open late to serve the after-hours club crowd. Salt Lake Coffee Break is housed near downtown in a former office building that became a wide open space when cleansed of its cubicles. In the back, Himouda divides the area between the kitchen and a market selling canned foods, frozen treats like taro root and such dry goods as rice, pasta, bread, cookies, spices and pudding mixes. The one-room front of the shop is distinguished by its color -- rich yellow and green walls and a red tile floor. The light-colored wood tables are big enough to hold food and paperwork or a newspaper. North-facing windows overlook a good-sized patio and beyond it, construction of a light rail line on 400 South. Himouda opened two months ago despite the upheaval outside. But unlike established businesses, he had nothing to lose. Indeed, Himouda says his clientele is growing despite the construction. (It helps that customers can park behind the building, accessible from 500 South via Denver Street, midway between 400 and 500 East.) Himouda says the menu was determined largely by customer demand. They wanted things like hummus, a spread made of garbanzo beans that Himouda serves drizzled with olive oil and with wedges of pita bread ($4.75). It is mildly seasoned, light on the garlic, which lets the flavor of the beans predominate. Order the Mediterranean plate ($7.50) and get hummus plus falafel, fried cakes made of seasoned garbanzo beans; mujadara, a subtly sweet mix of basmati rice and black lentils; and a salad. If you're lucky, it will be the Mediterranean salad, a fresh mix of romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes and parsley, which lends an intense flavor. The dressing is a salty blend of olive oil and vinegar. The feta salad ($4.85) is also excellent, a plate of greens and fresh spinach, studded with chunks of feta and tomatoes and moistened with a light dressing that tastes wonderfully of olive oil. It comes with bread and several black kalamata olives. Alone, it is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. But it pairs beautifully with mild and creamy yellow lentil soup ($2.25). Stir in a squeeze of the fresh lemon wedge for extra flavor. Dolmathes or dolmas make another good summer meal. One serving is six or eight finger-shaped rolls of seasoned rice inside dark green grape leaves. The plate comes with a small serving of Mediterranean salad for $4.50. The sub sandwiches ($6.75) at Salt Lake Coffee Break are gigantic. An entire loaf of French bread is layered with your choice of ham, turkey, pastrami, roast beef or all of the above, plus cheese. Garnishes include lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado, plus seasonings. The only thing that would make them better is a wider selection of exotic meats (salami and mortadella, for example) and real cheddar instead of American cheese. For those with daintier appetites, half sandwiches are available for $4.65, and still will leave you stuffed. Pastries and desserts are prominently displayed in two cases right where customers place their orders. Himouda gets the baked goods from an outside supplier, but he plans to add bakery staff who will soon make an expanded selection of breads and cakes on site. Most of it is delectable stuff (although some looks better than it tastes), ranging from cannoli to elaborate cakes with chocolate and spice-flavored layers interspersed with whipped cream and chocolate mousse. A raspberry-flavored brownie and Turkish coffee is a the perfect ending to a night on the town, although that potent brew could prevent sleep for the entire night. The shop sells a small selection of bagged coffee beans, two of which are brewed each day. Prices are competitive, with a 16-ounce latte going for $2.44 and Turkish coffee, thrice boiled and laced with sugar, priced at $2.50. Cold drinks range from iced chai to iced coffees, Italian sodas and a selection of juices and bottled soft drinks. Caffeinds will agree that Salt Lake City needs more late-night coffee shops, especially places that also offer good food. For them, "coffee means hospitality" are true words of wisdom. Salt Lake Coffee Break 430 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City; 355-4244 Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Prices: Entrees from $3.70 to $7.50 Liquor: No Reservations: No Children's Menu: No Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Outdoor Dining: Yes Parking: Lot on south side of building Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
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