45 degrees of dining

Aug. 29, 2007

Whether you are a local or an out-of-towner, 45th Parallel Café has become a favorite of many in Suttons Bay. “We offer both classic American fare and also highly desired, only-can-get Up North dishes,” said owner Tim Lambdin.
Lambdin and his wife Bridgett have owned the restaurant since 1997. “We are most famous for breakfast being served all day,” he said.
Family connections brought the couple to Suttons Bay.
“My parents had recently bought a bed & breakfast (the former Manitou Inn),” Lambdin explained. “My wife and I would come up to visit from northern Indian,a and after each visit we never wanted to go back. We decided we wanted to raise a family here. My mom called and told us of this ‘cute place’ for sale on the corner in Suttons Bay. Eight months later it was ours.”
Lambdin has no formal training as a chef, but has had plenty of experience learning on the job.
“I was the ‘new guy’ here in town,” he said. “At 16, I was making pizzas, flipping burgers, and then all the way through preparing fine dining food at an upscale restaurant. I cooked all the way through college. I truly learned from the ground up, with hands-on experience. I had a feel for the business.”

COFFEE CONNECTION
If it’s coffee you want, this is the right place. They offer locally-roasted Brazilian coffee, alongside cappuccino, espresso, mocha, latte, café Americana and shot in the dark.
“We have any type of coffee you might want -- just ask,” said Lambdin. “We offer a wide variety of other flavored coffees. Princess Mocha is a special coffee (the recipe is by local horsewoman Bev Tarlton of True North Stables), in a large mug of regular mocha, a shot of caramel that we drizzle with more caramel, and topped with whipped cream. We also offer four flavors of chai.”
What jumps out at the breakfast portion of the menu are the omelettes -- there are so many to choose from you’ll be hard-pressed to decide. These include oven-baked smoked ham with freshly snipped chives and your choice of sharp Wisconsin cheddar, swiss or provolone cheeses; or sumptuous morel mushrooms with melted fontinella cheese (a 45th customer favorite). More choices are the vegetarian, classic western, seafood, Greek, country sausage, smoked bacon and potato, or baby spinach omelettes. Had enough? There is more - also available is the Giant Breakfast Burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs, a layer of sharp Wisconsin cheese and your choice of ham steak, crispy bacon or sausage, and served with Lambdin’s homemade salsa.
Kitchen classics include the traditional eggs, hash browns with your choice of meat, and toast. All breads are custom-made for the 45th Parallel Café and include sourdough, cracked wheat and traditional Russian rye. Crispy corned beef hash with eggs and toast are another favorite for the traditionalist. Or, try fluffy, golden brown buttermilk or blueberry pancakes, topped with fresh blueberries, banana slices or (a favorite for kids and adults alike) chocolate chips, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Outstanding is the Old Fashioned Giant Café Waffle. It’s garnished with blueberries and walnuts and almost smothered in whipped cream - it’s sure to please.

OAT SCONES
“Back by so called popular demand, we again are offering our blueberry, cherry almond and chocolate chip oat scones,” said Tim. And the restaurant - for five years in a row - has earned “Best Waffles” and “Best Kid Friendly Restaurant” in the Northern Express.
The café also offers its own blend of organic oatmeal comprised of oat, wheat and bran flakes, sliced almonds, dried local cherries and floured dates. It’s available in one-pound bags to enjoy either while in the restaurant, or to take home too.
The freshly made in-house soups are decidedly delicious, with the tomato basil being its signature. Other choices change daily and include beef barley, clam chowder, cream of broccoli, portabella mushroom, knockout chili and minestrone.
“I just hired a real live Soup Nazi,” proudly explained Lambdin. “He redid our entire line-up of soups -- they are awesome.”
Lots of sandwiches and roll-ups bedeck the menu. The Reubens (two kinds) are very popular and compete with a true Philly club steak, portabella mushroom, BLT, “The Perfect’ grilled cheese,” two kinds of albacore tuna and the Railroad Station Club sandwiches. To the side, add creamy coleslaw, or homemade potato or pasta salad. Asian chicken is another specialty - a wrap or sandwich in Lambdin’s “under lock and key highly-confidential recipe box.”
Kids fare includes fun choices such as Monkey Cake, served with bananas, chocolate chips, and topped with fluffy whipped cream, French toast with fruit, pancakes, eggs and cold cereals. Kids lunch menu offers include grilled cheese, grilled PB&J, mac & cheese, ham or turkey roll-ups and cheese quesadillas.

DINNER TOO
The 45th Parallel Café now serves dinner too. There are three varieties of white fish on the dinner menu to choose from. “The pan-seared whitefish seems to be the most popular,” said Lambdin.
The “Unparallel Ribeye” is served grilled to order with the restaurant’s own teriyaki glaze. Onions or mushrooms can be added on the side. Two pastas include fettuccini alfredo in 45th’s “decadent, yet light garlic sauce.” Shrimp and scallops, fresh veggies, or grilled chicken can be added. Or try pasta Estivi, which has local asparagus, broccoli, red onion, Roma tomatoes, and roasted red peppers blended in light olive oil and fresh garlic seasoning, and served with Fettuccini noodles.
Don’t forget to stop in 45th Parallels’ Candy World adjacent to the restaurant. Find nostalgic, hard-to-find candies, such as Bridgett’s award winning fudge, cut to order. There are also imported chocolates, turtle delight popcorn, candy truffles, gift baskes, stone artwork and other surprises. “We ship anywhere,” said Bridgett.
45th Parallel Café and 45th Parallels’ Candy World are located at 192 W. Broadway, “Halfway between the Equator and the N. Pole” in the village of Suttons Bay: (231) 271-CAFÉ (2233). Hours: Sunday - Tuesday, 7 a.m.- 4 p.m.; and Wednesday - Saturday, 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. (And remember - breakfast served ANYTIME!) Website: 45thFudge.com