Cafe starts from scratch to serve up comfort fare
According to Carl and Dorothy Miller, most people find Emelenton by following the river. In those cases, the sleepy town of 784 welcomes guests from all locales: from Pittsburgh to Germany to Australia.
"During the summer this is really more of a tourist camping town," Carl said, citing the river's attraction to canoers and the rails-to-trails allure for bicyclists.
The Millers own the Emlenton Cafe, housed in a historic grist mill on Main Street.
Although cafes previously were operated in the building under various names, the Millers have run the cafe since June.
Despite its newness to the community, the restaurant maintains an old-school tradition: Instead of flavored coffee and designer scones, guests will find time-honored breakfasts beginning at $2.50 for an egg, toast and home fries, which are prepared on-site instead of purchased precut and frozen.
"Everything we can make homemade, we do," said Carl, who sometimes shares the role of cook with Dorothy as well as hired help.
"I make my own soups, and salad is made to order," Dorothy added, explaining customers with schedule restrictions sometimes call ahead to eliminate the wait while meals are prepared.
But the homestyle approach is no surprise: Dorothy said she opened the restaurant because her husband and daughter, both ambulance medics in Emlenton, work in 24-hour shifts.
"I wanted them to have a place to eat," admitted the former nurse, a profession Dorothy's patrons say has honed her focus on cleanliness.
Although the cafe features all-day breakfast seven days a week, it also features a daily lunch special, served until 6 p.m. to accommodate those in search of an evening meal.
On a recent weekday at the cafe, Swedish meatballs over noodles with corn, coleslaw and a role was featured on the board for $3.75.
Dorothy said such specials come from customer requests.
"'My mother made that,'" Dorothy repeated. "You get the request at least once a week."
Dorothy said Hungarian goulash has garnered multiple requests.
In addition to the goulash special, pancakes and the chicken breast sandwich are among the menu favorites.
As well as traditional comfort food, the cafe is known for social comfort.
With tables nestled into the modest space, patrons sometimes banter from table to table, exchanging gossip and quips about current events.
A typical place to linger over morning coffee, the Millers describe their customers as a predictable and loveable group.
"Our breakfast club sits here for about three hours," Carl said, noting the wealth of information exchanged in that time.
"You don't have to listen to the news," Dorothy added.
