Alee’s Café Alee’s café opened its door to let you travel through the amazing Mediterranean food culture and its multiple variations. The concept is simple: to experience a journey through food. Alee’s café is more than just a simple bakery café; it would take you where you have never been. Chahra Bennari and her team make sure every day that every single item on the menu is fresh and daily made to represent at its best what the Mediterranean food culture is all about: Simplicity and quality. But how did the Alee’s Café story began? Well, let’s just say that the name of the café itself tells a long way on who made all of this happen. Alee’s café is a tribute and a dedication to the owner’s father, Ali Bennari (that should be pronounced A-‐LEE). Ali Bennari is from Algeria (North Africa) and has dedicated his early life to never end up like 90% of the population of his country, by starting to work at the age of 11 years old. His determination and talent for business turned him into the king of export and import between France and Algeria. The little boy from the Algerian countryside was then one of the biggest wealth of his country without the help of anybody. With the success came the joy of life, and Mr. Bennari discovered a passion for travelling and food, especially around the Mediterranean Sea. In 1975, the real changement occurred when he decided to set his life up in Paris, France, with his wife, Latifa Bennari. On top of being a strong and passionate business man, Mr. Bennari became later on the most dedicated father when he and his wife gave birth to their two daughters, Chaza in 1982, and Chahra in 1989. His passion for food and his determination had been transmitted to the youngest one, who is now proud to realize her father’s dream and carry his name on the frontage of her establishment.
Breakfast Sparkling Green Croissant
5$
Pistachio croissant, topped with sugar and fresh toasted pistachios, served with a lime and brown sugar sauce.
Not-‐so-‐French Toast
6$
Challah cinnamon french toast, served with a dry apricot chutney, topped with an almond spiced whipped cream and toasted walnuts.
Cray Cray Waffle
6$
Basil waffle served with a homemade strawberry marmalade and a lemon whipped cream
Jasmine’s Beghrir Plate
8$
Fresh Middle Eastern pancakes (Beghrir), served with sides of honey and fig marmalade, Moroccan aged butter named “smen” and a roasted almonds, pine nuts and sesame powder.
Oeuf a La Coque
6$
Soft boiled egg, served with toasted parsley pesto sourdough bread fingers, lined with prosciutto ham.
Roma Prima Colazione (for two)
12$
Traditionnal Italian breakfast with a trio of bread : Fette biscottate, a cookie-‐like hard bread, Hazelnut biscottis, and a lemon brioche. Breads are served with fresh butter, lavender honey and your choice of two homemade jams (orange-‐cinnamon, peach-‐apricot, strawberry-‐mint or mixed berries).
Lunch El Pan Rojo
6$
Chorizo, caramelized onion and rosemary on a paprika focaccia, served with a creamy cauliflower and saffron soup.
Verdure alla Griglia Piadina 8$ Italian thin flatbread from the region of Romagna, filled with grilled vegetables (artichokes, eggplants, zuchinnis and peppers), homemade feta cheese, basil, all tossed in a garlic and Moroccan imported olive oil vinaigrette.
Saj Fresh Kofta Wrap
9$
Flat round bread baked on an upside down iron wok hot surface, rolled and stuffed with marinated and spiced fresh ground beef, fresh cilantro, red onions, pickles and a cucumber-‐dill sauce.
Alee’s Quiche
12$
Chanterelles mushrooms, Yukon potatoes, lardons, thyme, caramelized shallots and white truffle oil quiche. Served with an arugula, walnut and shallot salad, drizzled with barrel aged balsamic vinaigrette.
Salmon Baguett’wich
13$
Daily homemade French baguette sandwich, spread with fresh dill butter, home smoked salmon slices, red onions, capers, arugula and a barrel aged balsamic vinaigrette.
Athen Style Pizza
14$
Homemade pizza dough topped with garlic and mint cream sauce, caramelized onions, spiced pulled lamb, grilled eggplants, homemade crumbled feta cheese and fresh mint and rosemary.
Dessert Loco Churros
5$
Traditional mini Churros served with 3 types of dipping sauce: Dulce de leche, fresh raspberry sauce or Hazelnut-‐ chocolate
Bombolinis con Crema
6$
Trio of mini Italian style donut filled with different pastry creams: Vanilla-‐cinnamon, Chocolate-‐raspberry and Lemon-‐honey.
Madeleine Zeal
6$
7$
Assortment of 3 Madeleines: Orange flower water, pistachio and lemon-‐poppy seed
Chocolate Fondant:
Chocolate lava cake with a melted praline heart, served with a vanilla and orange ice cream and topped with fresh toasted hazelnuts
Startlin’ Religieuse
8$
Two pate a choux balls filled with caramel pastry cream and topped with creamy salted caramel sauce.
Cioccolato Tart
8$
Italian Gianduja Chocolate ganache tart with hazelnuts. Served with a caramel tuile and hot chocolate sauce.
Macaroons de Paris
8$
Assortment of 3 Parisian macaroons: Vanilla-‐Olive oil, Strawberry-‐basil and Raspberry-‐Rose.
Arabian Sweet Travel (for two)
12$
Assortment of Middle Eastern desserts: Basboosa (sweet semolina cake soaked in orange flower water), Baklavas (small pastry made of layers of filo dough filled with chopped nuts and honey), Gazelle Horns (almond cookies). All served with a fresh cinnamon-‐orange salad and Moroccan imported dates.
Drink NahNah Mint Tea
3$
3$
Middle Eastern green tea made with spearmint and cinnamon.
Turkish coffee
Prepared by boiling finely powdered Turkey imported roast coffee beans in a pot (cezve), sweetened or unsweetened.
Capuccino
4$
Traditionnal Italian Coffee made with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-‐milk froth, with your choice of flavors: Hazelnut, Vanilla-‐caramel or Belgium Chocolate.
Espresso Con Cardamone Panna
4$
A single or double shot of espresso topped with a sweet cardamom whipped cream.
Venise Style Hot Chocolate
5$
Thick Italian hot chocolate served with an almond whipped cream and topped with cocoa powder.
Freshly squeezed juice (your choice of orange, grapefruit or apple)
5$
Fizzy Rose-‐Litchi
3$
3$
4$
4$
Fresh fizzy pink lemonade made with rose water and litchi syrup
Cantaloupe and peppermint Iced tea
Homemade cantaloupe iced tea with fresh mint leaves.
Orange, Apple and Ginger Granita
Homemade iced drink made of fresh squeezed juice and fresh ginger
Iced caramel cinnamon mocha
Espresso made with iced milk, swirled with caramel syrup and topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Work Cited From JWU Library: Yee, Laura. 21st century sandwiches. Restaurants & Institutions. Magazine/Journal. Feb 1, 2003. p20 Other sources:
Vanessa G., Colazione: A Guide to the Italian Breakfast, Sept 12, 2008. Web. www.italyinsf.com