by Kirby Lindsay, posted 11 July 2014
On Friday, July 18th, the owners of Vif Wine & Coffee café invite all their supporters, friends, neighbors and other customers to celebrate a great occasion – the one-year anniversary of the opening of Vif!
Last summer, Lauren Feldman and Shawn Mead took over the one-story building – and its adjacent parking lot – across the street from Marketime Foods. “Our presence here has changed our corner of the world,” Mead acknowledged. Vif provides high-quality, carefully selected items from local farmers, global artisans and makers dedicated to natural deliciousness. Still, although, “people think we’re fancy, just because it’s clean in here,” Feldman explained, “that doesn’t mean it’s fancy. We have all kinds of things in here.”
‘Products Of Agriculture’
Mead used a French term – cavé a manger – to describe Vif. The term means a combination wine shop and café, a duality that has confused some customers. Co-owners Feldman and Mead still hope to further expand the retail selection to include more pre-packaged food items, just like the hand-selected ingredients Feldman uses to create the daily menu. Still, wine remains, “our primary focus,” said Mead, “people can reliably come to find wines.”
“The food that we serve and the wine that we serve reflect back on each other,” Mead explained, “as products of agriculture.” Mead didn’t use the term organic, although she described the wines she selects for Vif as those that share wine makers with an appreciation for and a use of the natural environment. “The steps that farmers go to matter,” she said, “the same with wine – the fruit grown matters.”
“Something from the Farmer’s Market tastes different,” Mead observed, than the same produce purchased at the grocery. The same can be true about wines. “Our commitment is to wines that use almost nothing in the processing of the wines,” Mead stated. She looks for wine makers that dedicate themselves to making the best wine possible out of the grapes they have, rather than using colorants, color strippers, flavorings, or other legally approved enhancers that create a specific taste/color wine regardless of the fruit.
“In wine, every year is different. You can’t get a cookie-cutter wine if you approach it naturally,” Mead observed. That said, she prefers to seek out the wineries that want to showcase the best of the fruit, this year and every year. After all, she noted, “in the worst years, the natural wine makers make the best wine.”
‘Always Variations’
They’ve spent the last year establishing the shop, and their philosophy, among customers in Upper Fremont. They’ve also created a lively and social atmosphere in the café, hosting tastings, seminars, wine maker dinners, and cooking classes. Looking to the future, Mead and Feldman see more of these educational and inclusive events, with more food, and more wine.
“We love our café,” Mead said, “we get such good feedback on our food!” According to Feldman, “we really want to make delicious food,” but they also plan to expand and promote the wine. “We are very happy to be here, right now,” Mead agreed, “we are going to look for more, fun ways to get wine in front of people.”
With their commitment to small, natural wine makers, Vif can’t always have a customer’s favorite wine in stock, but “when we can’t find that specific wine,” Feldman explained, “we can find something like it.” They want to create that confidence among their customers – to ask for suggestions for something they like, even if from another label. “Vintage to vintage are so different. There are always going to be variations,” Feldman said, “and we find that very exciting.”
‘A Neighborhood Here’
The Vif owners also take pleasure in their location – they’ve heard ‘Top Of The Universe’, ‘SoZoo’, and ‘Fremont Heights’, but they call it ‘Upper Fremont’ – and their actual physical building. “We have a great clientele of people who walk to us,” Mead observed, but they also enjoy having ample parking. “It’s so central,” Feldman said, “we’re on our way from everywhere.”
They had to do a thorough clean-up of the building when they moved in (the site had problems – from grime to crime) but they’ve slowed down the changes since opening, preferring to be slow and conscious about their growth.
“This feels like a neighborhood here,” Feldman said about the location. They’ve heard from customers who walk – and drive – to Vif about how glad they are to have a good, quality café come to the site.
Celebrate Survival And Success
Mead knows that Feldman, whom she described as the ‘creative mind with the food,’ bring the philosophy they hold about the wine to the food served at Vif. In the kitchen there, they take the best ingredients they can find, and look for simple ways to showcase their best flavors and textures.
For the anniversary barbeque on July 18th, Feldman has a basic menu plan in mind – for kebabs, flat bread and other ‘street food’ items (easy to carry, and eat on the patio at Vif.) “It will be something along those lines,” she said, a little more than a week out, knowing that the ingredients available in the days before the party will inspire her to recipes she hasn’t considered yet. She has promised a vegetarian option – although not skewered chickpeas – and a tasty dessert.
The family-friendly feast will cost $12 per person, with plenty of food options for all ages of diners. The wine tasting, with several select options from the Vif collection, will be $8 per person. For those 21+, indulge in both wine and food for $18 per person.
Mead and Feldman will host the party in the Vif café and its ample parking lot out front. They plan to have entertainment on hand to entice all their well-wishers and revelers to this multi-generational celebration. “There are a number of ways to enjoy yourself,” Feldman said of the party, which will start at 5p and, according to Mead, “go until we run out of food, or 9p.”
Come celebrate the survival, and success, of this wonderful, independent, hybrid café and shop – our neighbors in Upper Fremont!
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