Seemingly out of nowhere sprung a bustling little breakfast/lunch cafe and bakery that is sure to blow your mind.  The Blue Door in Cuyahoga Falls, our new fave weekend destination restaurant, is now so familiar that I can barely remember life before it opened.  Since it is slightly out of the way for us, we end up stopping in late on a Sunday morning, after developing a laundry list of (mostly imaginary) things we MUST accomplish in Akron.  And of course, they are PACKED.  Fortunately with only two of us (we opt to roll kid-free on this excursion) there is rarely a wait.  This level of culinary intensity is so unique for this area, it’s a miracle we can even get a table.  Since I’ve waited so inexcusably long to share with you, I have accumulated far too many food fotos.  But before getting to the eye candy, might I share a few reasons why Blue Door is a real success here in Northeast Ohio.

First and foremost, these people know food.  Don’t believe me?  Check out their facebook page, where you can find mouth-watering depictions of specials on an incredibly regular basis.  And I’m not talking about a little teaser to get your taste buds working; I’m talking a full-blown dissertation of ingredients, often including which farm grew the produce and where the animals were raised.  Preparations are revealed in intimate detail, for example…. “croissant French toast with Ohio peaches, fresh raspberries a Belgian Lambic Frambois reduction, Creme Chantilly and an almond crumble”….oh yeah, it’s like that.  But don’t be scared, the actual menu is decidedly simple, straight-forward, and chalked full of classics (french toast, corned beef hash, pancakes) for all to enjoy.  Not to mention, the staff is appropriately menu-savvy and eager to help…or just talk food if you please.

Reason #2: their baked goods are downright ridiculous.  So naturally, they become the star ingredient of many Blue Door dishes.  The croissants are enormous, buttery, flaky, and sometimes filled with chocolate.  They take their bread very seriously – so much so, they have a page devoted to it’s ethical treatment on their website.  Major.

With all this decadence, you might think you should wear a tuxedo or evening gown the first time you go.  Wrong!  This place is as down-to-earth as it gets, making it comfortable and relaxing for just about anybody.  Believe me, you’ll want to sit back, sip your bold Angel Falls coffee (a roast unique to Blue Door), and hipster-watch all day long.  The place (like the menu) has a European flair; you might be surprised at how close you’ll be seated to your neighboring diners, but the tight quarters just add to the overall experience.  They seem to be evolving the interior decor; most recently, new booths were installed to go with their classic white marble tables.  Exciting!  They also have a small patio that stays busy in the warm weather.

Last, but maybe most importantly, the Specials menu.  This little blue sheet of paper is what I wait for, with bated breath, every time we go.  It contains the unique menu offering for the week (in case you didn’t catch it on facebook) – chalked full of local and seasonal ingredients in brilliant combinations.  Here you will find an unexpected variety of sweet and savory dishes, seafood, vegetarian, sometimes vegan, sometimes meaty homemade delicacies.

And without further ado, snippets from my growing arsenal of photos, taken on various visits to Blue Door:

Crepes with foie gras mousse and figs.

Baklava french toast.  (That’s house-made biscotti perched on top of creme friache.)

Corned beef hash.

“Tartine”…crepes with Nutella, berry jam, and fresh fruit.

Croissant Monsieur.

…and I could go on.

Bottom line, arrive early, and hungry….and this little cafe will surely make your weekend to-do list.  And if you are close enough to get to Blue Door for lunch on weekdays, enjoy your life, and don’t take it for granted.