Saucer’s Cafe
Neighbourhood: Academy
Address: 570 Academy Rd
Phone: 204-489-9204
Entrées: $7-$21
For 18 years, Stuart Deacon and Dave Schultz have successfully helmed Saucers Cafe on Academy, serving simple yet evolved in-house specialties to a broad cross-section of the North River Heights community. A full house of local denizens – four top tables of teens, large family gatherings, and couples – fill the bright and expansive layout that is loaded with character.
As the name denotes, beverages are taken seriously here, with a full range of aromatic loose teas from Cornelia Bean, specialty coffees, and an impressive beer and wine selection. Yet the real magic behind the name could be the full-flavoured sauces punctuating each delish dish, from salad to sandwich to protein.
Global flavours add interest to the well-rounded menu. The ever-popular Thai salad is drizzled with housemade peanut sauce that has the right amount of sweet. Colourful Mexican salad, a family favourite, arrives with honey cumin lime vinaigrette, adding a zippy tang to adobo chicken, corn chips, and black beans on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce.
Sandwiches served on fresh, soft Kaiser buns are hearty, flavourful options. The roasted turkey, avocado and bacon is better-than-a-BLT with Havarti cheese, gorgeously accented with onion relish and aioli. Roasted chicken breast is upgraded with heavenly sweet fig jam, baked brie, and salty slices of prosciutto.
Entrées are a smart marriage of health forward tastes and familiar comfort. Chef Schultz’s gnocchi game is strong. His perfectly textured, housemade Italian dumplings are in a ridiculously rich and creamy roasted red pepper sauce with sliced chorizo. For curry in a hurry, check out the chicken in a smooth Thai green curry sauce.
For those delighting in dessert, a selection of irresistibly displayed cakes is provided by Goodies bakery. Yet for a true sweet pleaser, dive into Chef Schultz’s own chocolate cheesecake, with cocoa-based layers founded on a dark cookie crumble crust, filled with a whipped mocha centre – then topped with the creamiest chocolate ganache.
Saucers Cafe delivers refinement with friendly service in a comfortable atmosphere, making it a neighbourhood café favourite for anyone who enters its doors.
