Dining out: Rich coffee and a warm welcome

Why: Aly Youssef figured that what Vancouver needed was a little Middle Eastern caffeine infusion — perhaps a cup of Turkish coffee, thick as syrup and as spicy as chai tea. And maybe the city would benefit from some more-substantial offerings as well: sandwiches, gyros, hummus, and toss in a brick of freshly baked baklava.

So when a space became available, at the former home of Main St. Coffee House in Vancouver, he snapped it up and got to work on Pyramid Cafe.

The 49-year-old Youssef, who has worked in restaurant kitchens for 11 years, grew up watching his mother cook in Egypt. Now, you’ll find Egyptian fare including an Egyptian-style sandwich made with a fava bean spread on his lunch menu.

Atmosphere: It’s not the best stretch of Main Street, catty-corner from a downtown pawn shop, in a part of town where you’re likely to get hit up for spare change. And metered parking fits into the equation, too. But once you walk into Pyramid Cafe, an inviting space opens up.

First, your eyes are drawn to the lofty space upstairs, where tables are scattered over a checkerboard floor. It feels like a crow’s nest, with an overview of hubbub below.

On the main floor, where tables line the lemon-yellow walls, light streams in through the storefront window. A chalkboard behind the counter lists menu items, and a nearby display of freshly baked goodies tempts the tastebuds.

The artwork is something of a hodgepodge, with a sequined Egyptian dress tacked to the wall opposite the counter and a few framed pieces leaning against walls at floor level. Youssef said he’s still working on decor and plans to have local art rotations soon. Interested artists can call him for details.

What I tried: My dining companion and I strolled in on a Saturday afternoon. At the counter, we ordered a pair of Turkish coffee lattes, a hummus plate, a gyro for me and a salad for her. Then, we climbed the stairs to the loft and settled in.

Youssef steamed the lattes and brought them to us in oversized mugs atop matching saucers. He paused, waited for us to sip and asked how we liked our drinks.

“I taste something. Cardamom?” my friend asked.

Youssef’s face lit up with a nod and grin.

“Yes,” he said.

The latte was smooth and creamy with a tinge of subtle spices, and was a nice warm-up on a chilly day.

In a later interview over a cup of Turkish coffee, Youssef explained the drink, which is steamed with Turkish coffee and milk.

“You get the flavors of the Turkish coffee and the smoothness of a latte,” he said.

As I sipped the Turkish coffee, an intense, thick drink that swirls with spices that remind me of a chai tea, I understood how the coffee was different from the latte. Youssef warned me not to drink the last sip of my Turkish coffee, saying the gritty sediment is better left in the cup. The thick coffee, with its mixture of bold, bitter and spicy notes, becomes buttery smooth in the latte. Both are worth a try.

At lunch, our hummus plate arrived next. On it was a generous dollop of hummus, some pita wedges, feta cheese, and green and black olives. The hummus was smooth and flavorful, and the pita wedges were a nice dipping partner. If you’re a hummus fan, this dish could easily work as a meal. For us, it was more than enough. As an appetizer, we could have shared it with several more people.

The gyro was standard fare: lamb and feta cheese doused in a creamy sauce and wrapped in pita bread, served with a bag of Cheetos. Ditto for the salad, which was fine, but not memorable.

At the meal’s end, Youssef checked in on us and brought dessert samples from his pastry case: lemon bars, and a peanut butter and chocolate bar. I enjoyed the sour zing of the lemon bar, and the peanut butter and chocolate satisfied my sweet tooth with a smooth, rich flavor.

Highlights beyond what I tried: The baklava sounds intriguing. Youssef said it’s straight from a family recipe. The Egyptian-style fava-bean-spread sandwich also roused my curiosity.

Other observations: This is a low-key place, somewhere to grab that morning coffee — or Turkish coffee — or an afternoon lunch. The service is warm and friendly, and my dining companion and I, with lots of chitchat to catch up on, didn’t feel rushed or as if we’d overstayed our welcome, even as others shuffled in and out of the cafe.

Cost: Figure $2.50 to $3.50 for a coffee drink. Most lunch items are around $6.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Telephone: 360-735-7135.

Where: 603 Main St., Vancouver.

Health score: Pyramid Cafe received a score of five for its January inspection. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants that score 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.