By Amy Van Veen (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: February 22, 2012
9090 Glover Road
Fort Langley, BC
604.888.8386
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: up to $14 (not including $38 Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two)
If Pinterest was a restaurant, it would be Little White House & Co.’s Salon Café. Quite literally located in a crisp white heritage house, this Salon Café offers patrons Parisian eating without the rather pricey voyage across the pond. Since it is in an old house, this particular eatery suffers the same fate as Tracycakes – it’s a little cramped. What makes it different from the cupcakery, though, is its lack of awkwardness once inside.
Certainly from the outside it’s difficult to tell what is the store and what is the restaurant. There’s a sign that says “Salon Café” with a menu on the left hand side of the storefront, in front of a windowed door; however, once you step through it, the awkwardness starts to set in. There’s a tiny hallway that leads to the back of the house, but very little signage regarding where the café is and whether or not it’s a seat-yourself situation or a wait-to-be-seated. This little hiccup may cause the timid to turn back around and head to one of the other half-a-dozen restaurants down the street. Fear not, though, because once you seat yourself with a nod to one of the servers—so they know you’re there—the close proximity of the tables becomes unnoticeable and the adorableness takes over.
With a black, white and silver colour scheme, this little Parisian café feels a lot bigger than it actually is. Mirrors adorn tabletops, vintage frames and dainty lamps fill different wall and corners and a display of their miniature macaroons, tarts and cupcakes give customers an idea of what to expect from the menu. Their all day brunch and lunch options, as well as tea samplers, range from stuffed French toast and crepes to baked brie and macaroni au gratin (also known as macaroni and cheese).
Everything about the Little White House Salon Café is adorable. From their little milk bottles that come with tea and coffee to their novelty elephant teapots, patrons are left to “ooh” and “aww” about one thing after another. What makes it even better is that all of their dishes, like the teapots and sugar and cream sets, are for sale in the shop.
For lunch, I ordered the mini croissant combo which came with green salad or the soup du jour. I opted for the homemade chicken noodle which was served in, again, a sweet little handled bowl. The mini croissants were perfectly fluffy and buttery, filled with egg salad, which is normally a sandwich filler I avoid because of its tendency to be gummy, soggy and mushy, but this egg salad was light and refreshing – the perfect accompaniment to the flaky croissants. At the end of the meal, I was feeling full – a surprise since the meal looked on the small side, but quality ingredients have the ability to better satisfy a person’s hunger than quick meals void of substance.
Little White House also offers their back coach house for private parties of up to 30 people, and in the summer their private garden—which the café overlooks—is open as well. With nothing over $14, the experience and the dainty Parisian cuisine makes the Little White House & Co. Salon Café a great place to return with girlfriends and share an afternoon out.
