Fresh-baked cafe

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By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)

Originally published 01:20 p.m., October 30, 2007
Updated 01:20 p.m., October 30, 2007

Photo by Carly Pearson

Amanda Johnston has opened Amanda’s Bakery and Cafe in the Kress Center. Hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Someone needs to bottle the aroma that greets customers walking into Amanda’s Bakery and Cafe.

Owner Amanda Johnston gets up at 3:30 every morning to make all the breads, cinnamon rolls and cookies from scratch, and get pots of soup simmering on the stove.

Johnston opened the new downtown shop in the Kress Building, 702 Commercial St., on Oct. 22, after deciding that operating a restaurant would be a good fit for her.

“I’ve just always enjoyed it,” said Johnston, who watches Food Network shows for entertainment. “I used to watch my grandma cook in the kitchen and I always liked to help her out a lot.”

Photo by Carly Pearson

Customers line up at the counter to place their lunch orders Monday.

On Monday of this week, she had made seven loaves of wheat bread, four of sunflower, two giant “crunch” loaves and four baguettes, and pots of soup that emptied out quickly. That’s the way it has been since Amanda’s opened.

“It was so funny, though, because I thought we’ll have a nice quiet opening and get the hang of things, and that didn’t happen at all,” Johnston said. “That first week was really hard. It’s starting to get better; it’s feeling smoother.”

The restaurant offers cinnamon rolls, fresh homemade granola and fresh fruit for a light breakfast.

“We try to keep it pretty simple,” she said. “Our main focus is lunch. I don’t want to exhaust myself.”

Lunch brings eight types of sandwiches made on homemade bread, along with soups, pasta salads, chips, fresh fruit and potato salads.

Photo by Carly Pearson

Amanda Johnston’s mother, Sophie Mallon, prepares soup at the cafe.

“I do that kind of for myself,” Johnston said, laughing. “Got to eat something healthy — otherwise, I’d probably just make cookies.”

In addition to the standard sandwiches, Johnston plans to feature a monthly panini. This month’s was a Tuscan panini and next month’s feature likely will be a portabella sandwich.

“Usually we have tomato basil (soup) every day, because that’s really popular,” she said.

“I try to make cheesy potato and broccoli once a week” and chili and other soups will work their way in and out of the menu.

Johnston gained some experience in the soup-and-sandwich trade by working at Three Fools restaurant and, briefly, at Phoebe’s Cafe and Cakes. She realized that the town wanted that type of lunch fare after Three Fools’ owner closed the business.

“All I heard from people was ‘We miss your bread, we miss your bread,’” she said. “It’s always been in the back of my mind that I might kinda like to have a bakery. ...Apparently there’s a need for this.”

Photo by Carly Pearson

Johnston cuts bread for a sandwich. She bakes bread for the cafe every morning.

Once the project began, Johnston said it felt it took forever to complete.

The wooden floor that wasn’t practical for a restaurant was removed, and replaced with a ceramic tile floor. The high-ceilinged room was repainted and extensive plumbing and electrical work was done to make the cooking and cleaning possible. The walls are decorated with photographs by Dave Leiker, which will be offered for sale soon.

The store previously was occupied by The Embroidery Machine, which has moved across the foyer.

Johnston’s father, John Mallon, was in charge of the remodeling project, and her mother, Sophie Mallon, has been helping with the dishes and busing tables.

Alex Johnston comes in on his lunch break and runs the cash register.

“I’m so lucky to have a husband who’s willing to do that,” Johnston said.

Three two-person tables have been set up in the foyer for overflow customers, and the restaurant itself seats 34, including tables with chairs, plus a long counter with bar stools that spans the south window.

In addition to breakfasts and lunches, Johnston also makes baguettes of bread to sell in long, slender paper sacks.

“I used to try to make them freeform and they looked like snakes,” she said. “I’ve got a pan so they don’t go all crazy on me.”

Johnston doesn’t expect the menu will deviate appreciably from the foods she’s serving now. Healthy eating, with a few sweet treats, is the plan.

“I don’t have a fryer,” she said. “I don’t plan on frying anything. I don’t want to clog people’s arteries.”