If you’re not already familiar with Fraiche Bakery Cafe, 815 Noyes St., you should be. Operating as both pastry shop and intimate bistro, Fraiche can be your go-to Sunday brunch spot or your quick before-class stop. The wide variety of coffee and espresso drinks provides the perfect pick-me-up, or you can make the commitment to sit down, stay awhile and enjoy something more substantial.
Fraiche veterans will notice a major change to the old system. Gone are the days of standing in line at the cash register, chomping at the bit to get your order in as soon as possible. Though you can still order food at the counter for takeout, all eat-in orders are now table-service, with place settings and everything. Yet the same challenge remains: actually securing a table. Weekends and lunch hours are particularly busy, and it’s likely you’ll have some sort of a wait time. But trust me, it’s worth it.
A result of this serving style shift is a change in atmosphere. In the past, this small cafe would be filled with studious patrons wisely avoiding the library and nursing lattes throughout the afternoon. Now, the table-service method has systematized the dining experience: you order, you’re served, here’s the bill — a somewhat discouraging pace to those of us hoping to sit around for a few hours. Shuffling more gourmands in and out, though, is undeniably good for business. An added perk for the wait staff is a new recognition for their hard work: tips (A benefit I am certainly conscious of after serving time as a diner waitress for the past two years.).
But when it comes to the food, fear not! The creative combinations of fine ingredients Fraiche is known for still make up a menu of stellar options. With both breakfast and lunch fare served all day, it’s not hard to find something to tickle your taste buds. If you’re looking to start your morning off with a protein boost, go for the steak n’ eggs, lovingly prepared with grits, coffee gravy, charred radicchio, spring onions and tempura fried green tomato. The breakfast burrito and oatmeal options also provide hearty meals, but the cherry-vanilla mascarpone french toast steals the show with its delicate sweetness coupled with smoky applewood bacon. Though I was sad to see the almond french toast taken off the menu, its successor left me with no further complaints.
Soups, salads and sandwiches make for an all-star lunch lineup, with the chicken meatball sandwich (served on a demi-baguette with curried cauliflower, arugula, pickled plum and cucumber sauce) and ahi tuna tacos (with house-roasted salsa, guacamole, pickled red onion and chipotle oil) standing out from the crowd. And of course, no meal would be complete without selecting one of the decadent pastries from the glass case — cupcakes, scones and lemon bars abound.
As one of the few, more northerly dining options, Fraiche is a great spot for both the off-campus and North Campus dweller. Just two blocks west of Sheridan, the shorter walk is certainly favored over the trek into downtown Evanston. Prices range from $5 to $10 for breakfast and $7 to $11 for lunch items, so come with your parents or treat yourself from time to time. And from a tried-and-true waitress to a potential customer: Consider leaving a tip.
— Katy Vogt
