Like the city it calls home, ZuKafe coffee house and bistro in downtown Edmonds is upscale, eclectic and worth every penny (okay, you homeowners, we’ll shelve that third comparison until sticker shock over the latest round of assessments subsides).
One of the latest additions to Edmonds’ beverage-and-food establishments, the 2-month-old ZuKafe is the brainchild of local residents Mark Moffet and Paul Townsend.
The pairs’ intention in starting a business with a notoriously high mortality rate is doing something they’re passionate about, Moffet said. Their reaction to the Starbucks poised to open across the street? “We’ve purposely differentiated ourselves. We see our markets as completely different,” Moffet said.
Beginning with its French press coffee at drip-coffee prices, ZuKafe delivers a higher-quality product than java junkies have come to expect, even in caffeine-fueled Puget Sound.
Morning fare includes a full beverage bar featuring what Townsend called “guilt-free” coffee from Portland’s heralded Stumptown roaster, producers of what one reviewer called the “Holy Grail” of coffee. Certified organic and free-trade teas are by Rishi.
Organic French pastries, Moffet said, are baked on the premises. Pecan and cinnamon rolls ($3.35) are created in house. The frittata of the day is $3.95.
ZuKafe’s limited lunch selections feature long-line-caught albacore tuna, organic eggs and a big dollop of imagination.
On a recent visit, I sampled the mango chicken salad sandwich with wasabi mayonnaise ($5.95) plus a vegetarian pasta salad studded with fresh mozzarella, toasted pine nuts and grape tomatoes ($3.95). Sandwich fillings are served apart from the specialty bread slices, which makes for maddeningly messy assembly.
The mango chicken wasn’t as memorable as the curried tuna with apples and toasted pecans ($5.95), which was even better the next day spooned over rosemary crackers.
Shame on customers who get no further than the cafe chairs in front of ZuKafe’s chic, mustard-hued exterior. The two-level interior done in subdued neutrals features original artwork (for sale) as well as free wireless Internet access (with purchase, please).
For an Edmonds kind of Zen experience, slip into the secluded brick courtyard where a burbling fountain, stand of bamboo, wooden tables and chairs plus lush potted plants (again, for sale) double dare you to rush through your Mexican hot chocolate and the latest copy of The Enterprise.
Tiny quibble: All but two tables are very low, which is fine for sipping espresso but angst-inducing for dining.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
