Dining Out

Karl Wells

The Pantry

Elaine Dobbin Centre

70 Clinch Crescent

Ph. 722-8200

A few years ago Elaine Dobbin asked me if I'd consider doing a television interview about a project she was working on. She wanted to help raise awareness of autism, as well as funds to build an autism facility here in St. John's. I did the interview but never dreamt that one day I'd be writing about the facility in a restaurant review.

Thanks to the generosity of the people of this province, as well as the tremendous generosity of Elaine Dobbin and her late husband, Craig, the Elaine Dobbin Centre for Autism now exists. It's a beautiful building with an appropriate homelike appearance. I discovered it recently hidden behind the Health Sciences Centre on land known as Shamrock Farm. The large wooden structure can be found nestled in the woods, surrounded by deciduous trees currently bearing fall coats of red and gold. Being there is like being in the country - a tonic most could use for an hour or so during a busy weekday.

One wing of the building has a ranch style veranda. Underneath the veranda on the main floor of the centre is The Pantry, a public café. However, it’s a café with a difference. All proceeds - once a couple of café staff and taxes are paid - go towards the work of the ASNL.

Inside, The Pantry can comfortably accommodate approximately thirty to forty diners. The nicest feature, for me, was the bank of tall windows - running along the front of the café - covered with mini blinds for subdued light. The windows also provided a pleasant view of the surrounding nature: trees, shrubs and grasses.

During my visit the tables were laid with white cloths beneath clear glass tops - for easy cleaning. Each also featured attractive stainless flatware, checkered cloth napkins, white ceramic salt and pepper shakers and a small clay pot growing real clover. Flooring of contrasting dark and light tile gave way to walls coloured a warm gold.

Booze was not an option at The Pantry but our affable server and dining room manager, Wayne Rodgers, offered us coffee or a variety of teas - including chai and green - before lunch. I chose a regular orange pekoe while my friend Ruthie opted for green with fresh lemon. Waiting for our tea to steep we contemplated the menu. Thankfully The Pantry’s menu, which changes daily, was very brief. Little contemplating was required.

The menu is always writ large on a couple of chalkboards. The Pantry - apart from their flexible catering business - is essentially a lunchtime operation. What you’ll find on any given day is a small selection of freshly made soups, sandwiches, salads and homey desserts. While menu quantity is small the quality of 29-year-old Chef Wayne White’s food is high. White graduated from Holland College and is capable of producing more elaborate fare, as he does for The Pantry’s catering side.

Potato combined in any way with cheese is comfort food to me. A more refined pairing was The Pantry’s creamy potato soup with fresh parmesan. I thought it might be a little stodgy but not at all. The soup was sufficiently thin, hot, had good earthy potato flavour, and was charged by the bite of freshly grated parmesan. Even more satisfying and delicious was a beautifully executed, yet simple, creamy parsnip with ginger soup. This soup was a little thicker than the potato with genuine natural sweetness. (Sometimes I forget how sweet parsnip can be.) And, the fresh ginger gave it spiciness and intense aromatic appeal.

The Pantry’s sandwiches are made with a variety of breads, however; I like the panini ones they heat through in one of those sandwich presses. My chicken panini featured plenty of chicken deli slices, as well as melted mozza, sweet peppers and tomato. A chutney dressing gave it extra flavour and zip. On the chilly fall day of my visit that warm sandwich and a bowl of hot parsnip soup really warmed me up.

Vegetarians or anyone in the mood for a meatless sarnie will absolutely love The Pantry's toasted Sicilian vegetable sandwich with hummus. Between two slices of thick whole wheat bread and slathered with hummus redolent of lemon juice, tahini and olive oil were pieces of sun dried tomato, spinach leaves, onion and green peppers. That, along with the accompanying salad of mesclun, celery, peppers and tomato, dressed with vinaigrette, made a feast fit for any vegetarian prince or princess. I found it to be thoroughly tasty and satisfying.

Desserts at The Pantry, like everything else on the menu, change daily and are fabulous. When you're mostly baking from scratch you can't lose, especially when the cook knows what he's doing. I tried the lemon raspberry jam square and a piece of pumpkin crumble with vanilla ice cream. Both were amazing but the jam square was wonderfully buttery, rich and sweet with the kind of crumbs that cascade down your chin when you bite into the delicate concoction (and the kind you want to surreptitiously collect between your fingers from the table and push into your hungry gob when nobody's looking.) Would that more eateries ‘round these parts offered such scrumptious treats to conclude a meal.

I enjoyed The Pantry at the Elaine Dobbin Centre for Autism and I’m sure you will too. It’s open from 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday if you’d like to give it a try. Luncheon reservations are recommended and there’s ample parking at the front of the building.

Our meal for two at The Pantry - including tip - cost $27.

The Pantry was wheelchair accessible and its noise level was low.

Best Points:

Atmosphere, friendly servers and very good food.

Areas for Improvement:

Add some seafood to your choices. How about a cold shrimp salad or sandwich?

Ratings Category:

The Pantry is a great “cheap and cheerful” choice for lunch and rates a well-deserved 8 out of 10 points.

7 points = satisfactory, 7.5 points = good, 8 points = very good, 9 points = excellent, 10 points = perfection