Jane's Addiction: Qupqugiaq Cafe & Eatery

by Jane

There's an instant aroma that fills your nostrils as you enter the Q Cafe, an aroma of roasted things like chicken breasts and grilled cheese on panini bread. It's a fabulous scent, very warm and inviting. The next thing you'll notice will be the relaxed, easy atmosphere with folks from 10 to 80 leisurely reading or studying or chatting quietly with a companion amid the dozen or so tables scattered about the open dining area. It's a homey place for certain, with oak floors, tables and chairs, muted white-washed walls, and dabs of paintings you'd assume are by locals. There's also a few elevated nooks and crannies for solitude or private prattling. The music playing softly overhead is upbeat, but mellow, Enya-ish or like some obscure African tribal cadence. You immediately feel comfortable.

Up at the counter, you'll find menu boards awkwardly hung from the ceiling in zigzagged curves. There are sandwiches, vegetarian chili, salads, a soup of the day, and, of course, espresso drinks, hot tea and a few interesting cold drinkables. The salads are on a global theme — a Thai chicken, a Greek salad, and a couple of others for normal folks. The sandwiches are on fun breads like panini, cooked on a mini-grill in full view, and served with either wedges of fresh fruit or a small house salad with a very light olive oil dressing. It's not a necessarily an "earthy" menu, but it's close, with plenty of items for my non-meat-eating compadres.

My first sandwich, the oven-roasted chicken ($6), was my favorite, which I had served with fresh fruit wedges. The amazing part of it? Oddly, the mayo. It was a hefty spread of basil mayonnaise that pulled the whole sandwich together. Served on grilled bread (crispy and buttery like mom makes) was a lean chicken breast with melted provolone cheese, red onion slivers, romaine lettuce, roma tomato slices and this amazing basil mayonnaise. This was possibly one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Oh, gads, I can't believe I just said that. It was truly a fabulous bite though. To finish the entire thing was a struggle at best, but I made the extra room and enjoyed the fresh wedges of orange and apple on the side, too. A sensible, truly delicious sandwich, kids.

My second visit entailed a Monterey panini sandwich ($6), an Italian sandwich toasted with pesto and grilled with avocado, sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes, and melted Swiss cheese. A fancy grilled cheese sandwich at best, this slightly bland combination is filled mostly with melted Swiss cheese and guacamole. The sun-dried tomatoes add a pinch of flavor, but all else is pretty ho-hum. I suggest a few peppers or something to spice it up, some fresh basil or a stinky cheese or two.

Breakfasts are served in the mornings and consist of omelets, Belgian waffles and bagels with cream cheese. The soups are rumored to be exceptional, served hot and loaded with vegetables and the like. Same goes for the vegetarian chili. The espresso drinks are good-to-go, but if you want a glass you'll have to stick with a 12 ounce or 16 ounce selection. The 20 ounce coffees fit into to-go cups only. The lemon-ginger blend is a saucy little drink is, particularly fine served on the rocks. The lemon flavor is prevalent, but the ginger bites on the back of the throat as it goes down. A refreshing sort of beverage, indeed.