You could say that Coffee Depot Café (13408 Watertown Plank Rd., Elm Grove, 262-784-8401) is off the beaten path, buried at the back of a small retail shopping center and within a few yards of a railroad line.
Yet it hasn't stopped customers from trekking there to consume java, dig into a chicken salad or chat with owner Nancy Clausen (Her husband, Daniel, is co-owner.).
"We're like a hidden treasure. Every day someone will come in and say, "My God, we had no idea you were here,'" says Clausen, adding that she is in the café daily.
The couple opened the café -- their first coffee venture -- in March 1999. In June they shifted the café's operation to 890 Elm Grove Rd., directly across the street from its former location.
Nancy brings to the business her 20-plus years in the hotel industry -- "I did everything but food, which is kind of comical," she says -- and childhood memories of her father's restaurant in California. She and Daniel met in San Francisco. Ten years ago they relocated to Milwaukee, closer to Daniel's hometown of Madison.
Café staff dish up delicious (and huge) salads and sandwiches, as well as heaping bowls of chili. All bakery items are prepared right in the café.
The chicken salad is so popular that diners request its recipe daily. "Every day someone comes in to say, "Please give me the recipe,'" says Clauses. But she insists that it's a secret and won't ever be released.
Sandwiches are served on a wrap; whole wheat, country white or foccacia bread. Chips and a pickle are included with all prices. Taking a jab at local culture are the Mill Place Pile-Up (ham piled high with a slice of Swiss cheese, $6), WhimsiKidz classic (any menu item in child-size portion and with a beverage and treat, $4), Old Elm (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts and garden cream cheese, $5.50) and Pilgrim Park (bacon, lettuce and tomato, $5.25).
The café buys from a handful of coffee roasters, not just one, to ensure a variety. Alterra, Door County Coffee & Tea Co., Superior Coffee, Chicago Roastery and Victor Allen's are what the café currently has to offer. Only beans roasted less than seven days ago are used.
To understand the off-beat names assigned to the coffee concoctions, you must remember that a railroad line is next to the café. "When the train comes through, people literally hit the floor because it's really loud," says Clausen.
{INSERT_RELATED}Peek at the menu -- which is etched on old windows and doors, and posted above the barista -- and you'll see stuff like Dining Car Delight (honey-nut latte), Conductor's Cap (cappuccino), Mocha Tracks (espresso and milk chocolate), Railroad Crossing (espresso with a dollop of whipped cream or frothed milk), First Class Frappe (espresso chocolate shake) and Changing Tracks (espresso and white chocolate). The signature drink -- Train Wreck -- is a unique combination of espresso, white chocolate, coconut and milk chocolate (Ghirardelli chocolates are used, according to Clausen).
For customers craving something cold, there's Southern Pacific Smoothie (fruit shake), Whistling Waters (sparkling water with flavor) and the Hobo (coffee and frothed milk), to name a few. Four wines are on the menu, too.
Rishi Tea, a Milwaukee-based international importer of specialty loose teas, is the only tea supplier to Coffee Depot.
"I am real big on trying to support Wisconsin-based companies," says Clausen.
She's a big supporter of local arts and antiques, too. One of her girlfriends, an antique dealer, showcases Depression-era glassware, linens and hand-painted furniture in the café. All of it is for sale. Another friend of Clausen', Laina Truss, is a purse designer, making purses out of cigar boxes, and often on a custom order.
Grapevines hang from the ceiling and there's a true emphasis on mix-and-match dishes, which fosters a homey environment. Clausen has decorated the café with plaques bearing inspirational phrases like "Live well, laugh often," and above the restroom entrance is a quote from "The Wizard of Oz": "Nobody gets in to see the wizard. Not nobody not nohow."
Other kitsch-y details inside the café are a collection of mugs brought in by customers from destinations they've traveled to, and every-day use mugs from local businesses. It's free advertising for them, says Clauses.
Coffee Depot Café is located at 13408 Watertown Plank Rd. in Elm Grove; (262) 784-8401. In July 2003 it will relocate to 890 Elm Grove Rd., across the street from its current location.
The hours are: Monday and Friday, 6:30 a.m.-5pm; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Saturday (summer hours) 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
