An Up-Dated Review of Eat Cafe. More Updates to Come.

A Review of Eat Cafe'

By Brother Tracy Gibson…

**There is a small eatery at 3820 Lancaster Avenue -- an area trying to redefine itself economically even while the pressures of gentrification and the ``so-called'' property of traditional cultures work to gain or regain ownership.

**The food at Eat Cafe' is pretty good and the menu changes weekly. Eat Cafe' is really an experiment that seems to be working quite well.  There is a suggested price of $15. per person, but if you have no funds, you can pay the next time or not at all.  Remember your drinks outside of water is not free even if you can't pay. There is an additional price [$2.75], for specialty drinks like Cinnamon-Iced Tea.

** The fish I had last week was baked, which was good, and the vegetables are always done to perfection. I had vegetarian Pot Pie that was quite mild and delicious, and it had no cheese, so I didn’t have to worry or think about weight gain or extra calories. UMMMMM!.

     **Once I had rice which the Chef / Manager [ MR. Donnell Jones- Craven] told me was not cooked like regular rice from a box, but with vegetable stock or chicken stock and spices like parsley and garlic.  MR. Craven also told me the rice is rinsed to get the starch out. The end result is rice like you may have never experienced it before. Very tasty!

** Other main dishes have included Chicken Pot Pie with a puff-pastry crust and a cheese sauce. This was really delicious and served very hot. Fried chicken was also good as was the Cheese and pasta [If your not totally tired of this dish like I am.] .

**This is a restaurant that doesn’t stay open all week. [Hours are 4:30 P.M. to 8 P.M. Wednesday through Saturday] Being an extremely effective Black community activist, I want to see more activist and political types, especially Black People, support this successful experiment and find out what the management needs by making yourself known, interacting in a positive Way with the management, and visiting often to be a Vanguard force to not only protect the patrons, children and the establishment, but also the idea of the restaurant as well.

**  As a Black activist or Black valued politician you may be concerned about the pay for employees.  I know from the management and the Eat Café’ Web Page that the wait staff makes $14. an hour.  Restaurants in Pennsylvania are only required to pay about $2.50 an hour because waiters and waitresses depend on tips – which may or may not materialize.  Some patrons are not always as generous as others. At Eat Café’ you don’t have to leave a tip if you don’t want to because the wait staff are paid properly.  I am not certain or sure what the chefs make for salary, but I think they are paid adequately. I know some people don’t like to go to establishments that help poor or homeless People by offering free food or services (somehow People feel they are taking advantage of establishments that help the poor or they don’t want to rub elbows with poor or homeless People.) I can tell you most People pay something, from what I know. I have gone several times and not paid for dinner.  [Once I gave them a $20. For dinner. Boy, did that feel great!] I want to make that a habit in the near future.

     **I have a long list of things I’m proposing to do for Eat Café’ for free (I have sent them this list and gotten approval for at least one thing on the list. ]

•I forgot to say something about the service. The service is much more than adequate. The wait staff is well attired, professional in manner and attitude, and there is rarely a long wait for food. The kitchen staff [and I have met at least two of the chefs] are highly trained, highly qualified and professional in manner, attitude and attire.  Our Black activist and politicians of merit need to come out and support this stellar establishment. [By the Way, yesterday State Senator Vincent Hughes was right there on the money at Eat Café’. I was glad to see this gentleman, who has been a friend for over 30 years. ]

**At Eat Café’ they had signs up for the longest asking People to display their art work. Recently, distinctive art work and photographs, descriptive statements and credits to the artists have been posted on the walls.  The art lends a nice touch and a glowing atmosphere to the establishment.

** Another point of fact, Take Out orders have to also be paid for with cash or credit.  I think creative Black activists and Black politicians who really care should find out what Eat Café’ needs and be as cooperative and helpful as possible.