Eburg Veg Eats: Cafe C5
Click here for the March 2019 blog post with the updated menu for Cafe C5 in their new location on 4th Ave.
This blog post has been updated to acknowledge that as of January 27, 2018 the establishment formerly known as Curbside on 5th has changed their name to Cafe C5.
Zesty isn’t usually a word I have the pleasure of using when eating out. But that is exactly the name for the flavor explosion experience I had when trying the new Beet BOX salad at Curbside on 5th. The inviting earthy flavor of golden beets pickled for just a hint of sweet tangy perfection pairs thoughtfully with the deep acidity of sliced blood orange and warmth of toasted almonds. The citrus vinaigrette blanketing romaine lettuce flows into the composition of the salad so gracefully that you don’t overextend yourself trying to catalog the details of its ingredients to help yourself make better salads at home. This is a salad you will go out to eat again and again because it is not a boring blend relying on whatever fat free dressing you can come up with this week to choke some greens into your mouth. Vegetarian by design, the only thing you need to do for this salad to become vegan is ask to leave the gorgonzola off.
Brand new menu feature at Cafe C5, Beet BOX salad w/o gorgonzola
The entire staff is fully trained on how to customize each dish on the menu and can help you eat dairy free, gluten free, meat free, or soy free. Each customer has the privilege of taking advantage of gourmet fare in a comfortable, fast paced take out setting where you can grab a quick lunch and still enjoy quality food made just the way you like it.
Chef Devin opened Curbside on 5th in 2015 with the intent to have a fully functional commercial kitchen to keep up with the demand of his personal chef and catering business. After about 2 months it “just made sense” to start serving the public. I know I’m taking some liberties when I speak for the public, but I think we’re all pretty glad he did! He still works as a personal chef, does private catering, and event catering too (as anyone who saw him at Dusty’s Harvest Fest knows well).
Jonas enjoying his FLUMERFELT Mac & Cheese
Jonas ordered (veganized) FLUMERFELT Mac & Cheese, which is trottole pasta topped with a rice based cheese sauce, roasted poblano peppers, and pico de gayo. After I boasted of his love for hot sauce, he got some house made habanero on the side, which we completely forgot about until later when the crushed container was threatening my carpet. I carried it to the safety of my countertop where I proceeded to sniff it every 20 minutes wondering if it could really even be called hot sauce since it smelled so mild. I finally just dipped my finger in to taste some and you can imagine my surprise when I realized my mouth was full of HOT sauce. After a few sips of water the feeling in my mouth was more like a hug and I’ll be really happy to have some incorporated into my food next time. Jonas ate up his mac & cheese like I’ve never fed him the stuff in all of his (almost) 3 years and the rest of the night was a tribute to variety, in that he found as many ways as possible to ask for more mac & cheese.
It’s safe to say we’re regular C5 customers now, and whenever they (hint, hint, fingers crossed) move into a larger space, we’ll follow them there, too, where Jonas will be delighted to stand on chairs, run through the open spaces, and badger all the other customers about whether or not they have cow milk in their food. Thanks for inviting us in, Chef Devin; Jonas was beyond thrilled to meet his first real chef!
WHAT CAN I EAT HERE?
This is a place where you can feel safe using the V word. They know what it means, and are happy to help. There is careful consideration to use separate utensils and equipment for items ordered vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free.
Some vegan menu ideas:
Cafe C5
109 W 5th Ave
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Tue 11AM-6PM
Wed 11AM-6PM
Thu 11AM-8PM
Fri 11AM-8PM
Sat 11AM-6PM
Sun & Mon - NOT OPEN
All photos featured on this blog are copyrighted images. © January Bear Photography, 2018