Café 13 offered fine dining, colourful cocktails and an atmosphere of old-world charm

I remember returning home back in 1980 for a visit with my family and friends while working at Panorama Resort in Invermere BC. 

There were lots of new changes in Cambridge since my last visit home.

Hespeler Road restaurants, the Twin Cinemas in the new mall. Popular eateries on the Hespeler Road strip were booming. Places like the Log Cabin, Umberto’s, The Matador, Carl's, Ali Baba, Mother's Pizza, Tien Sun, Dallas Steak House, China Garden, Caz’s Fish and Chips, Swiss Chalet, Frost Top, A&W, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut and Nifty- Fifty made it a dining mecca. 

Downtown construction on the Mill Race Park and the Grand River flood control project still had the city core unsettled.

One of the first areas under redevelopment on Water Street was around the four banks, after the Capitol Theater and Walkers store were demolished.

The old city hall became the Old Post Office Restaurant and the Imperial Bank of Canada was transformed into Café 13, one of the cities newest eateries owned and operated by Blair and Audrey Bender.

It was truly a passionate endeavour for the Bender family after operating and managing several popular eateries like Chances R and the Ali Baba.

Café 13's mission statement read simply Purveyor of Fine Food and Drink.

Blair followed this statement right till it closed and they went on to operate another city favourite named after their two children, Lisa and Adam, called L A Frank's on Water Street North.

Today it remains a very popular hot dog and burger stop whose annual opening in May heralds the return of warm spring weather.

As the café restaurant’s theme and interior were evolving, the Benders filled three floors with themed rooms all brimming with local historical city artifacts like the theater seating from Scott's Playhouse, the billiards table, old city signage and period furnishings, and many other antiquities.

Even the Café 13 courtesy car was a vintage New York City yellow cab.

The bar and dining room appointments included polished exotic woods and cabinetry, wainscotting panels and framed period art. The decor gave the interior a posh and vibrant look of cosmopolitan sophistication. Soon as you entered off Main Street, you'd see walls covered with early Victorian collectibles, band instruments, a bust of Winston Churchill, framed images and mirrors to please the senses.

The bar was mostly occupied with regulars who chose to call this their happy place. Individual bronze bar plaques would soon cover a large section of the service bar's surface.

You would be asked to shift over when the daily patrons held court.

Bruce was the cafe's libations ambassador with his expertise at consistently remembering what drink you favoured.

"Would you like a red, dark or white cocktail today?"

Everything was served by staff selected for their well-rehearsed hospitality.

Bruce would entertain us mixing layered cocktails and flaming drinks made in his mortar and pestle cauldron. After-dinner flavoured coffees gave diners a reason to linger and soak up the atmosphere.

Upstairs, in the private banquet and game rooms, the Benders hosted tournaments and special food tasting events showcasing shared charcuterie, aged spirits and wine varietals.

I enjoyed several informative tastings showing selected new wines and spirits with appetizers that paired well together. The wedges and wheels of artisan cheeses, air dried meats with pickled condiments were all part of the experience.

The whole bar group regularly played the pull tabs as Lori was always promoting a winning smile as she handed over tickets to get you in the mood.

Some nights we had drinks for free as the winning ticket holder hit the jackpot and shared his good fortune.

It was then that Blair would often break open a 12-year-old single malt scotch, specialty beer, brandy or liqueurs.

The drinks paired perfectly with entrees that included chicken wings, baby back ribs, chilled shrimp cocktail, crabby croissant or bennies to name just a few.

I really enjoyed the crisp and tasty caesar salad as a starter before heading into the dining room for a most excellent dinner entree.

The building was originally built in 1851 but it caught fire and was rebuilt. It burned down again around 1860 and then housed different businesses after the Imperial Bank of Canada closed. 

Blair built some of the best kitchen and front-of-house teams. The menu was always on the cutting-edge, prepared and served with no attitude consistently, for decades.

I really enjoyed their seafood crepes. They were so deliciously decadent, yet were still a light lunch.

For something this fancy it's pretty easy to make at home. Here is the recipe.

Café 13 Seafood Crepes

FILLING

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup diced shallots

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup white wine

200 grams sea scallops

200 grams peeled shrimp

100 grams. crab meat

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoon fresh dried tarragon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 pinch cayenne pepper, to taste

8 crepe shells

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add shallots and sauté until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms, salt, and black pepper; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring for about 10 minutes.

Pour a good splash of white wine into the pan and bring to a rolling simmer.

Now put the scallops and the shrimp into the pan and sauté in the mixture until barely firm, after about 2 minutes add the crab.

Heat the mixture to medium-high, sauté it and now add the cream into the pan, bring the mixture to a simmer and remove from heat letting mixture cool for 1 minute.

Quickly whisk egg yolk into the creamy sauce until combined and stir in cheese, tarragon, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper.

Now let rest and start the crepes.

CREPES

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs                               

1/2 cup flour.

Pinch of salt                         

In a bowl, mix flour, eggs, milk and salt with a whisk until smooth.

In a hot, lightly oiled, non-stick skillet or crepe pan, cook crepes on both sides using about 2 tablespoons of batter for each.

Be sure to tilt the pan slightly to cover the entire bottom. This must be done immediately. Crepes take very little time to cook. Remove each crepe as it is finished to a warm plate from the oven and hold them there.

Fill each crepe with 3 tablespoons of seafood and garnish with some micro greens serving immediately.

Chef Wayne Conrad Serbu writes monthly for CambridgeToday. The former executive chef also shares recipes and memories from his more than five decades in the hospitality industry on his blog, the kitchenman.