Foode Cafe impresses with delicious food

Why: Formerly known as Cream & Sugar Cafe, Foode Cafe brings a new look and a new menu. Owners Joseph Nutting and Joel Nehm have been in business since 2008. Their philosophy is to serve fresh, high-quality ingredients with a smile. Their mission is to take care of their customers, their community, and their employees. August marked seven years of success, which has allowed them to rebrand Cream & Sugar and open Luxe restaurant, a modern American option that serves creative cuisine, wine, cocktails and beer on tap.

What I tried: I had a bowl of soup, which was tomato basil on the day of my visit. I paired the soup with the ham and Gruyere melt made on a fresh-baked ciabatta roll. For dessert, I added a snickerdoodle cookie.

The soup reminded me of the tomato basil soup that I have had at Myrtle’s Tea House in Ridgefield — which is to say, it was delicious. It had a sweet tomato flavor accented with basil and a nice hit of cayenne pepper on every sip. There where also a few soft tomato pieces here and there that gave it a delightful texture along with the shredded Parmesan cheese that it was topped with.

The sandwich was equally impressive. Applewood smoked ham and fresh sliced tomato are melted together with aged Gruyere on an artisan quality ciabatta roll. A touch of honey Dijon spread is added, as well, and brings sweet harmony to the melt. I noted the difference between the last ciabatta I had from Foode (provided to another local restaurant) and the present one. The former lacked some of the key characteristics of this type of roll. It was somewhat dry and void of the springy quality. The present one was spot-on and very appetizing.

There is nothing quite like a scrumptious snickerdoodle cookie to finish off a soup-and-sandwich meal when the autumn chill is on the breeze, and Foode’s cookie did not let me down. I am looking forward to a return visit to the cafe sometime soon. I enjoyed my selections so much, though, it will be hard to try something else from the menu.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Breakfast sandwiches with meat, egg, and cheese are served on a waffle, bagel, bread, or ciabatta. The classic California Club sandwich on pesto bread made with roasted turkey, avocado, bacon, tomato, green leaf lettuce, and ranch spread sounded delicious, as did the signature Chicken Pesto Besto on a rustic roll, which consists of pesto chicken salad made with Greek yogurt, mozzarella, tomato, and arugula. The Chopped Thai Salad sounded like a delicious light option. The salad combines grilled chicken, carrots, bell pepper, cilantro, and peanuts.

Atmosphere: The cafe’s new look feels fresh and comfortable. Dark wood plank wainscot flanks the dining area where tables each accommodate four. The food-preparation area and order counter are trimmed in black. A stained concrete floor adds to the clean, streamlined appearance.

Other observations: Service was cheerful and friendly, and sandwiches are prepared made-to-order fresh. The cafe’s new look is welcoming and appealing. Presently, tomato basil soup is usually the soup of the day, but as colder weather approaches, options will rotate among several varieties.

Cost: Breakfast options cost $4.25 to $5.75. Classic lunch sandwiches cost $6.49 to $7.49. Signature sandwiches cost $6.99 to $7.99. Sandwich melts are $7.25 and $7.49. Salads and wraps are $7.25 to $7.99. For $2, you make make any sandwich or melt a Lunch Box by adding a fountain soda and chips or a cookie. Soup is $5.49 with an artisan roll. A bowl of soup and an entree cost $9.99.