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| - The good, the bad & the ugly. I have not tried the menu extensively but I will comment on what I've ordered and experienced.
I'm a local which means I live close enough to this cafe to pass by it (at least once or twice a day) and have been a patron when the need has arisen. When I say 'need', I mean it was a matter of convenience versus walking two short blocks further to find sustenance. I know they don't make everything on premises, some of it is delivered or provided by other entities and this includes the bagels/bread.
The shopfront isn't exactly welcoming, it's dark and for some reason the windows are always covered with bits of signs or half pulled shades. If you like to see what's going on inside a store before you commit to entering, give this a pass. The size of the shop is small, there's a few very small tables inside. This is not an impediment if the cafe is empty or just a table or two are occupied. Entering during lunch and you could find yourself bumping into patrons trying to eat their meals in order to get to the counter to order. Outside they drag tables and chairs in which folks 'camp' (some with very ill behaved canine companions tied outside) to watch the world go by. On a nice day, it can make passing by a bit of an obstacle course as the location is very close to a school crosswalk.
I had the misfortune of buying a 1/2 dozen bagels attractively displayed in baskets near the door for consumption at home. I should have had not assumed they were fresh. Within an hour of purchase, I sliced one and put it in the toaster. Even toasted, you could tell they were beyond stale. They were downright awful and I threw the whole lot out. Considering that there's a wood fired bagel shop that actually makes their product on premises all day, every day just up the street, you would think that Naturalis would up their game, wouldn't you? Nope.
My fav item: the brownies. I believe they're actually made on premises and they're very good. I can't tell you if they're gluten free or not....but I can say that they're worth it. The butter tarts are also yummy and worth the calorie consumption.
Coffee? Neither good or bad. I like my coffee with a bit of a kick. A can of pop/soda/soft drinks is a tad pricey. Again, walk a block or so to the east and there are other places that sell cheaper.
The only sandwich I've ever ordered/eaten from here is the tuna in two forms: a croissant or a baguette. I switched to the baguette because the croissant version tended to fall apart (not sturdy enough to support a spoonful of tuna) and it always seemed greasy. The tuna to mayo ratio is very good but you'll most likely want to ask them to spread some mayo on the bread as well. From a tuna salad perspective, this sandwich is a solid 7/10.
The soup. If you're not a big fan of spice give it a pass. They make their own soup here....everyday. Not sure if it's from a pre-made base or from scratch. I can attest that it's always heavily spiced. So much spice that the smell hangs in the air, stings the eyes and burns the inside of your nose as you walk by in the morning. I can only assume that spices are used so liberally because the 'soup chef' has little sense of taste or they're trying to cover the fact that the soup is thin on ingredients or they do not have a recipe for a standard chicken soup. I believe most soups are conducive to a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle: if you're looking for a bowlful like your mamma made, this will not be it.
Depending what you're looking for, this spot could be a hit or a miss as a dining experience. My advice? Approach with caution.
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