Fringe Foodie
A Not-So-Secret Garden
Eating on the terrace of Café Santropol is like eating in a secret garden, tucked away in the Plateau just beside Jeanne-Mance Park. A canopy of trees covers the terrace, with rays of sun peaking into the fenced-in seating area. The garden seemed to be Zen inspired with random ornaments poking out amongst the plants. Though I don’t like birds, I didn’t mind them here; they seemed to complete the relaxed and whimsical atmosphere.
The café itself was eclectically decorated and aesthetically interesting. The waiter seemed to have no problem with my friends and me sitting with coffees and laptops discussing work for an hour before ordering anything to eat.
We arrived around three-thirty when the breakfast menu was no longer served (it’s offered from 9:00-11:30AM), I was disappointed to hear that I couldn’t order a bagel that my friend had said came with “too much cream cheese.”
A friend I was with ordered an iced chai, which came decorated with fruit, and while their filter coffee wasn’t free refill, it was decent. Their menu was embellished with vegan options, including their Sweet Root sandwich. The sandwich was prepared with “traditional Santropol bread” (which is essentially similar to rye bread but less dry and fluffier) and garnished with a mix of grated carrots, raisins, coriander, nuts, and eggless mayo, topped with fresh apple slices. Though it sounds like a light, summery sandwich, when it arrived I realized how much food I’d actually ordered.
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The sandwich was too thick for me to fit my jaws around. It came with a salad with greens, cabbage, sprouts and a mystery dressing. Though the dressing was slightly off-putting and had a bit of a strange sour tang to it, the salad was enjoyable overall. The sandwich was filling, tasty and fresh; it was so filling that I had to take half of it home.
The setting at Santropol reminded me much of downtown’s Burritoville in its casual feel free to study, sit and work on your laptop attitude. The prices of the entrees and drinks were reasonable for fresh food served in a casual, peaceful, fun place. The café is open daily from 9:00AM to 10:30PM, and they sell their signature bread at the front of the café for just $2.50 a loaf for those wanting to try crafting their own creative sandwich. Café Santropol may be my new favourite writing haven.
Café Santropol
Corner of St Urbain & Duluth (3990 St Urbain)
514-842-3110
Price Range: $5-10 per entree
