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Y! MyWebRestaurant Review
Artisans Cafe
Vegetarian dishes shine, but meat eaters will be happy, too
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
ENGLEWOOD — Pam Heintz grew up on a farm outside Trotwood and helped her grandfather tend a garden and fruit orchard there. Her husband, Joe, was born into a family of vegetarians and helped raise vegetables in a one-acre garden in Spring Valley.
So it's no wonder that when the couple bought a restaurant, they decided to include some healthy choices on the menu.
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Foreground: Mandarin Chicken Salad, left: Roasted Red Pepper Wrap, right: Roasted Veggie Sub, top: BLT Pizza, in glass: Tropical Taster's Smoothie at the Artisans Cafe 725 Wenger Rd. in Englewood.
Interior view of the dining area of the Artisans Cafe 725 Wenger Rd. in Englewood.Artisans Cafe
- WHERE: 725 W. Wenger Road, Englewood (just east of Union Road) [Map]
- HOURS: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
- COST: Sandwiches and wraps: $3.50 to $7.95; Pasta dishes: $7.95 to $10.95
- DISHES TO TRY: Roasted Veggie Sub ($4 for half, $6.50 whole), B.L.T. Pizza ($7.50 for single-serving-sized, $16 for a 12-inch pie), Portobello on a Pita ($7). No alcohol is served.
- MORE INFO: (937) 832-1176 or www.artisanscafe.net.
- MORE: Reader ratings, complete profile
More information
Artisans Cafe has an extensive menu that features dozens of vegan and vegetarian options, but this funky little eatery is no One-Note Sally: it also offers meat dishes from a quarter-pound beef burger to gyros to several types of chicken wraps and sandwiches.
"We're trying to get people to eat healthy (and) to get people to understand that eating a vegetarian diet, particularly a vegan diet, is the most important thing they can do to extend their life," Pam Heintz said. "But we also want to offer people other food options, so we give them lots of choices."
But not too many: don't look for any fried foods here. The restaurant doesn't own a fryer.
The couple purchased the restaurant — then called Flavors Eatery — in 2004. They expanded the seating from 10 tables to 25 in 2006. Three months ago, they changed the name to Artisans Cafe to reflect new menus and sensibilities.
Throughout the restaurant, there is evidence of attention to detail, right down to what's in the salt shaker: it's a delicately flaky Kosher salt. To help dieters, the menu lists Weight Watchers point values for every item.
The Roasted Veggie Sub ($6.50 for a whole sandwich, $4 for half) is both flavorful and colorful, with yellow squash, red onion, green beans, carrots and other veggies accented with provolone and mozzarella cheeses. A Mandarin Chicken Salad ($4.50/$6.95) also is colorful and artfully plated, but the chicken arrives overcooked and dry. All of the dressings are homemade; cucumber-dill is a good choice.
The Portobello on a Pita ($7) boasts a generously sized marinated mushroom baked with red and green pepper strips, tomato and spinach, topped with provolone cheese. The tangy marinade pumps up the portobello's flavor.
Even the nonvegetarian items allow vegetables to shine: The tomatoes atop the excellent B.L.T. pizza ($7.50) were locally grown and deliciously ripe, and the dish was loaded with plenty of smoky bacon and cheese.
Many sandwiches, and even the corn chips, come with a drizzle of "house sauce" that resembles a thin, garlicky ranch dressing. Pam Heintz said the sauce is mayonnaisebased, but a vegan version that uses soy-based mayo also is available. Heintz said the restaurant will introduce a lunchtime buffet later this month that will include a steam table and salad bar. The price hasn't yet been set. "We want people to be able to have options beyond chain restaurants and fast-food places," she said. Artisans Cafe provides just that — and does it well.
