Just Right

The word “porridge” is rarely spoken outside of a Grimm’s faerie tale, but you can find it on the menu at The Shop in Fox Point. The base is a mix of softened grains; then the baristas at The Shop add lemon and maple to the bowl, topping it with a pad of butter. Far from the flavorless gruel of yore, the Steel-Cut Oat & Buckwheat Porridge is startling; each spoonful of the steaming meal is sweet, salty, and citrusy all at once.

The Shop has occupied its little storefront for about four years; located at the summit of Wickenden Street, the cafe’s cluster of bistro tables stands a stone’s throw from the George M. Cohan Memorial. The menu is eclectic, from Chickpea Salad and Seasonal Quiche to Stewed Lentils and a Market Veggie Bowl. But once winter starts in earnest, and patrons head inside for vegetarian meals and free Wi-Fi, the cold-weather favorite is porridge – which nicely complements a cup of espresso.

“It’s very simple,” says John Paul Murton, owner-operator of The Shop. Yet you may be surprised to discover, it’s also quite filling.