If you haven’t yet heard about Café DeMi, allow me to introduce you to a place where quality is top priority, ambiance is sleek and seats are … hard to find.
When sisters Devora Naftali and Miriam Rosenberg started Café DeMi, their goal was to be a step above the average kosher café. They wanted to be the go-to place for everyone in the community to meet because Café DeMi was the place to be. Less than a year later, the foot traffic would indicate that they got their wish.
If there wasn’t food on the menu, Café DeMi wouldn’t be appearing in this column. That said, the coffee is probably where they stand out the most compared to other kosher options. Café DeMi serves only organic coffee that is roasted by specialists. The beans come from Costa Rica and the sisters make sure that the farmers make a profit from the coffee they serve in Teaneck. Not only that, they also use sustainably produced beans so as not to tax the planet with the burden of keeping up with their production. They then turn the beans over to a highly-trained barista using top-of-the-line equipment. Basically, Café DeMi is doing everything the right way.
This attention to detail extends to the food as well. They make almost everything in-house (a couple of items come from locally sourced specialty outlets), use super fresh ingredients and try to use organic and healthy options to make their menu everything you’d want it to be.
While you may be there for the coffee, I quit coffee long ago (too much of anything is a bad thing and I have an addictive personality). Instead, when I was invited to Café DeMi, I tried their Hot Chocolate and it did not disappoint. They were even able to make a nice pattern in the foam for me so that I had part of the experience that would be having one of their amazing coffee offerings. My drink had a nice rich chocolate flavor and the foam was a nice touch that made me feel like I was drinking something I couldn’t make myself at home.
But this is really a column about the food, so let’s start with breakfast. The Hot Oatmeal was really enjoyable and made for a great blend of textures and flavors. Featuring both almond milk and cream, the result was a smooth base that could be used to carry the other flavors. Perhaps the most noteworthy was the maple syrup (though cinnamon was also clearly present), but the dollop of jam in the middle of the bowl was great as a more sweet punctuation if that’s what you desired. The hazelnuts brought a great crunch whenever you needed a change of pace from the smooth oatmeal. All in all, this hearty bowl would be a great choice for somebody looking for something to warm them up inside while also enjoying a step up from a classic breakfast staple.
Though it isn’t in the breakfast section of the menu, the Salmon Tartine would also be a great choice if it’s before noon and you are on the run. A thick slice of challah is topped with a spread of dill cream cheese, smoked salmon, soft boiled egg and a garnish of chives. A real artisan takes on a breakfast sandwich, you get that good bite of carbs from the challah before that unmistakable mouthfeel and saltiness that comes with the smoked fish. The herby notes of both the dill and chives are great companions to both the fish and the egg, making for a cohesive bite to start your day.
Part of the hype around Café DeMi is their salads. And with good reason. Though I could just tell you to try whichever salad strikes your fancy when you walk in, I’ll jump in and recommend the Jerusalem Chopped Salad. It has all the elements of a great Israeli chopped salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, chickpeas), but it’s the other stuff that makes it stand out. First, there’s some hard-boiled egg to add protein but the dressing and pita are the real stars. The salad is topped with both tehini and a fabulous za’atar vinaigrette. If they sold this dressing in a bottle, I’d have bought a case. The pita comes in cubes instead of chips, which makes the crunch much deeper and able to stand up to the liquids. They cut a whole pita into squares before toasting the pieces leading to plump pita cubes that I would add to any salad.
If you can walk into Café DeMi and not buy a pastry, you’re stronger than most. But if you are just going to limit yourself to one choice, make it their Kouign-Amann. In case you aren’t familiar, this is a sweet French pastry made with layers of dough, butter and sugar. The individual portions made at Café DeMi are kind of like caramelized croissants. If you are looking to feel like you are eating at a fancy French café, buy this instead of a plane ticket.
For a more American choice, get a slice of the Pumpkin Bread. You would never guess that what you are biting into is gluten free if you weren’t already aware of that fact, but the moisture from the pumpkin is enough to overpower the lack of gluten. The result is a wonderful dessert bread that would complete any Thanksgiving dinner or just add some enjoyment to your day year-round.
The popularity of Café Demi is warranted. They may not be a full-service restaurant with a large menu, but what they do, they do well. And you’d do well to make your way down there and try it out if you somehow haven’t yet.
Nati Burnside is a freelance writer living in Fair Lawn and is a man of many interests. He can be reached at [email protected].
