PUBLISHED April 6th, 2014 11:30 pm | UPDATED April 18th, 2016 05:34 pm
We all have a friend who likes to discover new bands, books or movies; who appreciates and understanding something truly unique and little known. And if Little Part 1 Cafe was a person, it would be this kind of person.
Stubbornly hidden behind a curve just off Upper Thomson, this is hardly a place where a passer-by would walk in, with diners mostly locals in the know. The personal décor blends pictures of the owners’ trips around the globe and posters of (presumably) their favourite movies and bands making it feel more like the living room of your art-loving alternative friends and a decent-sized backyard features an alfresco dining option.
Their carefully washed up menu is equally curious: it consists of a mixture of American comfort food, crêpes and German favourites with an interesting beer list focusing on European offerings (German beers are 25% off on Wednesdays). Both food and booze are very reasonable-priced.
To keep things creative, we started off with the Smelly Cheese Buffalo Wings ($12.90). The wings were crispy and tasty, covered with a pungent ricotta and pecorino mixture, accompanied by a side of sliced cucumbers and chili sauce.
Next, we tried the Pomodoro Chicken Crepe (18.90) which was the best dish of the night by all accounts. The tomato chicken-cheese-spinach filing melted nicely, tasting almost like a decadent Mexican burrito. The salad, which in most cases is just a depressing sidekick to the main offer, held up against the crepe with a distinct delicate honey-based sauce.
We then shared the Honey-Roasted Barbecue Ribs ($24.90, half portion). We can only imagine the size of the full dish, since this one was big enough for two people and more. The meat was tender – almost falling off the bone. Although the barbecue sauce was heavy and overpowering, aren’t they all?
The Mud Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream ($7.50) though presented nicely seemed a bit overcooked. We felt like it needed less cake and more mud; the creamy, chocolate sexiness was nowhere to be found.
Little Part 1 is not – nor does it wants to be – high cuisine. Do not expect anything sophisticated or pretentious. Rather, approach it as your indie friends would do when discovering a new artist – with open-mindedness and a feeling of particularity. You might be surprised to find yourself having one of the best meals in a long time. Just make sure you do not tell anyone about it.
Written by Clyde. Photographs compliments of Bonnie.
On this occasion, the meal was compliments of Little Part 1 Cafe