by Jean Womack
It's an unwrapped wrap! one is tempted to say about the exquisitely delicious hummous-quinoa wrap at Hidden City Café, 109 Park Place, Point Richmond, CA 94801. They are open Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.lm. to 2:30 p.m., and open for dinner on Farmer's Market and music festival days. Their phone number is 510-232-9738.
This is the hummous-quinoa wrap.
Note that the plate has eight sides.
Little details like this can make a
restaurant great.
The deliciously organized serenade of freshly-made hummous, quinoa, lettuce, tomato, radish, cucumber and a hint of chopped red onion, with a dash of tangy yogurt sauce, was carefully heaped on a bass of two unwrapped small tortillas, just folded over a little bit. It's double string quartet group of taste sensations. The Symphonie restaurant is up the street, so it can't be a symphony of taste sensations. It can't really be described as wrap music either. Ian, who has been waitering there since December, pointed out that the hummous wrap is a vegetarian dish.
Freshly cut roses greet the guests.
It was really hard to decide what to choose because I know that everything Hidden City serves is outstandingly delicious. The first choice is always the brunch menu of notoriously large platters of scrambled eggs and everything that goes with them. That is the local's favorite after-church menu. Sometimes they can't get out of their pews fast enough to get a seat in this very popular local eatery. Then they sort of mill around near the door looking worried and hoping against hope that someone will get up and leave so they can sit down.
Guillermina and Robin LaFeber of Guiollermina's
Asian Art and Antiques, take a little afternoon
time out for a nice tete a tete in Hidden City Cafe.
But on a regular business day at 1:30 p.m., there was enough room for a single woman to take a whole booth for herself and spread her drawing book on the table for a good sketch. Ian the waiter brought my cup of Earl Grey tea to me instantaneously. I ripped open the paper pouch and basked in the delightful aroma of very fresh Earl Grey tea and citrus spices before plopping it into the very hot water.
Sketch of Hidden City interior by Jean Womack.
That's Ian Brick on the left, by the cash register.
There is a French flag on the wall over the
door to the kitchen.
Since the brunch was not available because they had stopped serving it earlier in the day, Ian gave me the regular lunch menu of ten gourmet items. It begins with a melodious andante vegetarian chickpea and vegetable soup ($3.50 cup, $4.50 bowl), continues with a lively allegro of Farmers Market salad ($5.75), and comes to a crescendo with the hamburger and fries ($9.75, $10.50 with cheese).
l to r, Ian Brick, Isaac Hite, Harrison Hite, Shellie Bourgault
of the Hidden City Cafe
of the Hidden City Cafe
Because it is difficult to choose the best item when one knows they are ALL top-notch five-star choices, I had a brilliant idea. Why not ask the waiter what HE recommends? Ian was very kind to suggest first the sirloin-prime steak ($14.50), or the hummous-quinoa wrap ($9.00). Ian says that quinoa is pronounced "keen-wa." The hummous turned out to be a good choice for a lady who wants to have a wonderfully tasty business lunch but not to go up another dress size as a result.
While I was enjoying my humerous-quinoa wrap and sketching the restaurant interior, Guillermina La Fever, owner of Guillermina's Art and Antiques, (http://www.guillermina.com ) came in with her husband, Robin LaFever, and were seated for a late lunch.
Shelly Bourgault opened Hidden City restaurant about 20 years ago. She is still the owner and chef of this fine restaurant. It has always been an artist-friendly place, with art work by local people on its walls. Large (18" x 24") ink drawings by Lauren Ari and Alison Luterman are up for view. They are displayed Point Richmond-style, in clear plastic wrappers, suspended from a horizontal wire laundry line by black clips. Poetry by by those two artists are also displayed. Photos by Jay Corey are on the wall in the back room.#
