Real Bites-Water St. Cafe

By Sheena Tollefson
sheena@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Sun, Apr 22nd, 2012
Posted in All Real Bites

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The Southewest Turkey Tom at the Water Street Cafe in Decorah was a deliciously healthy lunch choice.Photo by Sheena Suckow

After my recent battle with cancer, I took a new and improved interest in eating healthy and treating my body right. I've joined a yoga class, started going to the gym more and have been trying to sneak more of those fruits and veggies into my daily meals. My mom had recently started buying some groceries at the Oneota Community Food Co-op in Decorah, which focuses on selling organic and local products, so I thought I'd join her on a grocery buying trip to try and bring more organic items into my diet.

After I picked out some various nuts, dried fruits and hummus to try, I decided to eat lunch at the Water Street Cafe located in the Coop. The cafe uses primarily organic ingredients, makes almost everything from scratch and serves a variety of items throughout the day from made-to-order panini's, to an organic espresso bar, to a special Sunday brunch. There's even a nice sitting area in the front of the store overlooking Water Street for people to eat and relax.

I decided to try the grilled panini of the week, which happened to be Southwest Turkey Tom featuring turkey, cilantro mayo, divina tomatoes, and cheddar cheese served on Rudi's Sourdough bread. Along with a pickle spear and a fruit and yogurt parfait from the grab-and-go cooler, I was set for a delicious meal. The sandwich was everything I hoped it would be; the cheese was perfectly melted and the cilantro mayo was absolutely tasty.

Along with a superb cafe and a store full of healthy, organic foods, the Oneota Co-op provides great customer service. If you're new to purchasing goods at the Co-op, the employees are more then willing to show you the ropes of bagging up your own buckwheat flour or finding that certain flavor of goat cheese you've heard about from a satisfied customer.

If you're interested in incorporating more organic produce into your meals or have special diet needs, head to the Oneota Co-op in Decorah. Or just stop by for a great lunch!

I feel fortunate to live in an area where we have absolutely no corporate-owned restaurants. Every restaurant in our area is family owned and operated. Every dining establishment in the area provides something unique from the ambiance to the tasty bites that keep us coming back for more. We have a great selection of restaurants right here in our own backyard, and I plan on sharing my dining experiences from one town to the next.

Look for this feature every week in the Fillmore County Journal, along with online under the Real Bites section.

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