Aug. 11, 2010 - Issue #773: The Fringe hotspots
Revue
Stop the presses
Whyte Ave bistro café mixes Italian and Mediterranean influences
OILERS' COLOURS » Press Café rocking its hometown advantage / Bryan Birtles
The bright blue and orange of the vibrant storefront certainly calls for attention and piques curiosity. On a beautiful summer's day it sure is easy to imagine yourself sitting at one of their little tables out front, taking in the ever-interesting scene of the Ave. Upon entering, I experienced some mixed feelings; the tables and chairs seemed nice enough, and the counter with its colourful back-splash was inviting ... but I couldn't help but feel that something was lacking—it seemed a little bare. Maybe that would be remedied if the small space had been bustling with customers.
My date and I went up to the counter and peered into the glass case, which seemed to be a little sparse as well. A few lonely salads and sandwiches remained near the end of the day. We were looking for dinner, but I was beginning to think that this place probably thrives more as a lunch spot.
The menu is very small. There are several types of coffees and desserts, but when it comes to actual food, the choices are limited. There are sandwiches, wraps, salads and that's about it. The menu also doesn't specify what kinds of sandwiches or wraps that they have available, so you need to ask.
The gentleman working behind the counter was friendly and very helpful. He let us know what all of our options were. I decided to go with the panini and salad combo ($9.95), while my date opted for the wrap and salad combo at the same price. After ordering, we found a table outside to sit and enjoy our food.
The smoked salmon panini was already in the press being grilled before I chose it. I think that the man working there was making it for himself, but generously gave it to me instead. It was quite excellent—the bread was hot and crusty but the ingredients inside, like the lettuce, were still crisp. Everyone knows that smoked salmon's best friend is cream cheese and I was happy to find that winning combination within this sandwich. I stole a bite of my date's chicken wrap and it was very fresh and tasty as well. The pasta salad that I chose was pretty standard and, while it was good, it felt like it was missing a little something. It could have used some sort of a kick.
I think that maybe the owner had caught wind that I was writing a review about his place because he brought us out a complimentary plate of baklava. Up until this point, I was under the impression that this place was supposed to be along the lines of an Italian deli, but now the Mediterranean influences were starting to stand out—I noticed several hookahs inside as well. The baklava was a delicious little morsel of pastry, nuts and honey.
We went back inside to get some post-dinner coffee and were coerced into trying a piece of the new cake that had recently arrived from the Italian Centre. It was a caramel cake ($5), and did look quite good, although I don't think that I would have bothered with it if it had not been so energetically recommended.
Press Café serves Danesi coffee, which is a brand founded in Rome in 1905. It has a very strong and robust flavour and, while I usually dislike very strong coffee, this one was very pleasurable.
The cake was also quite delectable. The highlight for me was the real whipped cream on the side, which I found to be an unexpected touch. The cake was creamy yet light, and as far as desserts go, it was enjoyable enough.
While there were some areas that could use improvement, the food that we ate was all very good, and the value for the money was quite reasonable as well. V
Mon – Sun (9 am – 9 pm)
Press Café
10846 Whyte Ave, 780.756.6300
More info about Press Cafe & Bistro →
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