Sticking to your New Year's resolution to eat healthy is easy, if you're dining at the Wholesome Café. For most of us, eating in a restaurant brings out a "feasting mentality." We abandon self-restraint as soon as we smell the aromas of our favorite high-calorie foods. Not always is this the case, however. A few weeks ago, on what was probably the coldest day of 2011 yet, I drove the 20 miles from Concord to meet my business partner and to check out this little café in Ayer. I didn't once feel I was cheating on my resolution, despite leaving with a very full belly.
The Wholesome Café is a funky mix between an old Victorian home, where your grandmother would be standing behind the stove whipping up nutritious soups, and a New Age California-style café that caters to vegan and raw-food converts. Imagine clean white vintage tile floors, bright natural light, high ceilings with modern fixtures, and vibrant green walls and accents. Antique country tables display hand-knitted scarves and artisan jewelry. Books are tucked into every corner, from shelves to windowsills next to your table. The kitchen is in full view of customers and the friendly staff is ready to alter each dish to accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences.
The owner, Deborah Holloway, has an impressive approach when it comes to purchasing the highest quality organic, local ingredients she can find. When I asked her if the noodles in her "Sassy Noodles" were made from buckwheat, she told me that she would have preferred to have used soba noodles but couldn't find a decent, affordable source. I was impressed. Not only had she found a fantastic substitute, but the fact that she considered buckwheat at all says a lot about her nutritional health knowledge. She confirmed what I have suspected for a while, that trying to make a profit in the dining industry and sticking to local organic food purchasing is really tough.
I ordered the butternut squash ragout ($5.95), kale chips ($4.95) and the signature turkey cheddar meatloaf ($12.99), all superb. Although our server (who doubled as the chef) explained the kale chips would take 20 minutes to prepare, my partner and I were happy we waited. They were mildly spicy and perfectly crisped. We agreed these were something we'd love to have at home but rarely took the time to make. The butternut squash ragout, perhaps better described as a soup, had generous chunks of veggies in a clear, sweet vegetable broth with bright green leaves of parsley and kale. The meatloaf had been cooling on the counter when we walked in. The aroma was so alluring that I couldn't resist ordering it, despite it being more of a dinner entrée. Local ground turkey was mixed with chopped spinach and cheddar cheese from Vermont. The meatloaf was served with brown tamari rice pilaf. My partner ordered the "Sassy Noodles" ($8.50), which I sampled. The consistency was a wonderful chewy, yet soft noodle in a sweet, dark miso sauce. The noodles were topped with stir-fried vegetables and tofu.
The menu is extremely varied, with items as simple as apple slices and cinnamon to the more complex entrées like "Kim Bab." This complicated dish involves brown rice lightly seasoned with sesame oil and sea salt, carrots, egg, cucumber, and pickled radish in a seaweed wrap, served with a side of pan-seared tofu and dipping sauce. Although neither of us ordered a wrap or panini, those needing to carry out for a quick bite could also be accommodated. Sandwiches and wraps range between $5.95 and $8.95 and main dishes between $8.95 and $15.95.
My partner and I had a quiet table near a sunny window, very conducive to a working lunch. We were in no hurry, so the fact that the service is casual worked well for us. We placed our order at the counter, which afforded us a view of the specials in the case. Our food was carried out to our table when it was ready. When it was time to go, we figured out through the absence of the check that we needed to pay at the counter and bus our own table. Clearly this informal approach to dining is a way to reduce service costs, but it was a bit confusing for first-time diners.
For a nutritious and delicious meal, a visit to the Wholesome Café and Bookstore is worth the trip.
Guest reviewer Jeanine Calabria is a local nutritional educator and personal chef.