Stella’s hits the spot in the south end

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/07/2003 (8348 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stella’s Cafe

1895 Grant Ave., Kenaston Village Mall, 488–7810

Licensed

Wheelchair access

Four stars out of five

FRIENDS who know me now may have a hard time believing this, but I was a really picky eater as a child, and therefore, inevitably, skinny to boot.

My parents tried everything to put some pounds on me, and one of their efforts concerned oatmeal. Not just any oatmeal, but a version I’d call oatmeal royale — sprinkled with lots of brown sugar, laced with plenty of butter and swimming in heavy cream. I thought it was better than candy, and could never understand why my little friends of the time hated oatmeal.

I still love oatmeal and make it for myself from time to time, if not in the decadent style of my childhood — just a wee sprinkle of brown sugar, just a mere dab of butter and (sigh!) just milk, not cream. But when I saw it on the menu at Stella’s — described as slow-cooked, hot and steamy, served with butter, brown sugar and (sigh again… milk, although I’m sure they’d supply cream on request) — I knew I had to have it.

And I have to admit that, although mine is good, Stella’s huge bowlful ($3.75, and big enough for two) is better. They use rolled oats, and cook it in equal amounts of milk and water, which may explain why it’s better than my own lazy microwave version.

Like the Osborne Street original, this Grant Avenue spinoff serves other kinds of breakfasts too, all day, from 7 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and from 8 a.m. on Sunday. A variety of egg dishes, for instance, garnished with fresh-tasting hash browns, toast made of the house whole wheat bread and lovely house-made jams (most $4.25 to $6.95).

Eggs are pan-fried, poached or scrambled. Or baked with diced ham, glazed in cheddar and served with a nippy salsa. Or turned into a country omelette with ham, mushrooms, scallions and Swiss cheese — not puffy or fluffy enough for me, but good tasting. There are also pancakes, waffles or, for those for whom a sweet roll is a morning in heaven, a terrific cinnamon bun ($2).

The sandwiches are excellent, all on sizable slabs of substantial, tooth-satisfying breads, and most are meal-size. There’s an interesting Italian-style concoction filled with ham, pickled eggplant, provolone, lettuce and tomatoes. The egg and tuna salad fillings are ultra-thick, the smoked salmon filling, inevitably, less so but good, paired with cream cheese and sparked by capers.

Sandwich prices ($5.75 to $7.25) include a choice of good, if skimpily dressed salad or fine soul-satisfying soups. A roasted red pepper-tomato soup had an almost borscht-like tang. The Rockin’ Moroccan — a lightly creamed, subtly curried tomato-vegetable base — was thick with chickpeas on one visit, with hardly any on another, but wonderful in both versions.

There are, as well, a few hot entrees, among them a quiche of the day — a good tomato, cheese and onion topping on one visit ($5.95 including soup or salad and bread). I was less impressed with the chicken curry ($8.25) — the curried vegetable base was nippy and nice, and the house-made chutney had a real zing, but the chicken tasted as though it had been cooked separately, and the flavours hadn’t fused. Other entree possibilities include meat lasagna ($7.75), vegetarian chili ($7.50), a chicken burger ($7.95) and a veggie burger ($6.95), all prices including soup or salad.

Since the original Stella’s is part bakery, and all the baking in this one is also done on the premises, one might logically expect good pastries, but one might be disappointed. The cinnamon bun is one of the triumphs, but the pie crusts were surprisingly flabby and flavourless — if you don’t mind skipping the crust of the chocolate cream pie ($3.95), the topping is perfectly luscious. There’s also a fruit crumble ($3.50) that is delicious enough to survive the zapping that made the crumb topping soft instead of crisp.

The coffee is good, the refills endless and even the iced tea is made from scratch. The service has been exceptionally pleasant and accommodating — one of the waitresses, incidentally, is a dead ringer for Jennifer Lopez.

This is a busy, bustling place, with a non-descript modern decor, and most of the seating at tightly spaced tables. There are also booths along the one long window wall which offer more privacy, but if you’re after quiet conversation, forget it.

Stella’s has almost everything going for it but serenity and, no matter where you sit, this will be one of the noisiest restaurants you will ever enter — the boiler-factory blast hits as soon as you enter, and you’ll have to shout to make yourself heard. If you’re sensitive to noise, better go to Stella’s on Osborne.

Most of the clientele don’t seem to mind, though. Within days of opening, the place has been packed, often with lineups — obviously, Stella’s is just what this neighbourhood has been waiting for.

marion.warhaft@freepress.mb.ca

PHOTO PHIL HOSSACK/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS