At the plate: Café One easy on the palate and pocketbook

Café One - 4-551 Richmond Street

When one thinks of Richmond Row dining the name Café One probably doesn't jump out at you if you've never been there. I for one have a penchant for stopping by whenever my travels take me to the Richmond Street area for an afternoon of shopping in the quaint shops along the strip.

Café One is located at 4-551 Richmond Street in a small plaza that also houses a flower shop, Kiss the Cook (a kitchen/baking store), a used video game and music shop (great bargains by the way) and a pair of other restaurants.

I normally venture into Café One during the afternoon, either for lunch or a late lunch. The place is relatively small and quaint. It has a row of bar style seating for those that want to watch passer-bys through the front window. In more appropriate weather there is also a patio patrons can enjoy.

My standard order happens to be Pad Thai, a mixture of rice noodles, egg, green onions, roasted peanuts and bean sprouts in a South Asian citrus Thai sauce that comes in a mild, medium or spicy format at Café One. I quite enjoy the dish here because it's different from the typical Pad Thai you get at a place like Bangkok Pad Thai or the Ben Thanh. It's light and flavourful and that's why I'm always drawn to it. I've never been disappointed.

Café One is also known for their variety of sandwiches. What makes them unique, along with the standard fare, is the seasonal sandwiches that pop up from time-to-time. My favourite, the festive turkey wrap that pops up around Christmas, takes turkey, dressing, cranberries and gravy rolled into a wrap. For the less adventurous there are old standards like the club, hot beef, and for vegetarians the Portobello mushroom and Brie that happens to agree with my taste buds.

Café One offers up a wide-range of appetizers and salads. The soup menu offers a Pho Vietnamese soup along with a couple of other soup of the day choices. The carrot ginger soup always hits the spot just right for me. There are a number of noodle dishes like the Phad Thai and a build-your-own noodle bar. Also there are a number of entrees to choose from including lasagna, and various chicken dishes. There are 16 different types of sandwiches and wraps to choose from, or if you decide to get a soup and sandwich combo, you can choose a simple sandwich like roast beef, turkey or ham to partner with the soup. For those who like breakfast it's served all day and it shouldn't be difficult to find something that you would like.

The one drawback to Café One is that if you are expecting traditional sit-down service from start to finish then you may want to think twice. You place your order at the register and pay. From that point your food is prepared in the open concept kitchen area and brought out to your table for you to enjoy. Judging by the busyness of Café One it doesn't seem to bother their clientele and has never bothered me.

For students who may be facing a limited budget Café One is very affordable. Nothing on the menu exceeds $11 unless your loading up a couple of the noodle dishes with extras like chicken and shrimp. The coffee is good and they offer a variety of specialty coffees beyond the norm. The service is personable and friendly.

Next time you're downtown and looking for something to eat I suggest stopping by Café One to test your palate. The food will not disappoint.

At the plate is a weekly column that features local restaurants. If you have any suggestions drop us an email.