Page 12 - Leisure Living Magazine: Spring 2021 Edition

Chef Felica
Continued from page 11
brisket, tacos, pasta, perch, steaks and prime rib call out to those who brought big appetites. Add country fried steak, chicken and biscuits, Tomahawk chops, pulled pork mac ‘n’ cheese, and it’s safe to say that no one will leave the table hungry. In fact, if any room at all remains in the stomach after entrees such as these, a generous piece of homemade pie, cheesecake or a waffle sundae will top things off nicely.
“Food started for me when I was young. While I cannot say that I was guided by just one, singu- lar person through my culinary journey, I always appreciated good taste,” notes Chef Felica. “I tast- ed a lot of good foods, but as I grew up, nothing seemed “loud” enough. A lot of the time, when I came across certain foods, I felt they weren’t being “heard”, if that makes sense. Tasting, dis- secting and finding hidden ingredients became an acquired skill for me.”
Although she humbly declares that she is “in no way” a master chef, Felica affirms that her varied culinary training, years of hands-on expe- rience in many facets of the restaurant business, and her personal dedication have made her the caliber of chef that she is today. When asked what one ingredient or kitchen gadget that she can’t live without, Chef Felica responded, “Honestly, my palate and my failure points through life. They are most important in my career and have guided me down most of my paths. Most menu specials that I create are because I had a craving, a whiff of fresh herb and wanted more from it, or because a food didn’t “speak” to me enough. Then, my failure points keep me in check.”
While area foodies rave about the Ala Carte After Hours Prime Rib Saturday special, Chef Felica’s pick for the most popular item on the menu is the Pulled Pork Mac ‘n’ Cheese. “The cavatappi pasta is encased with our wonderful beer cheese and then topped with smokey pork, scallions, queso fresco, and BBQ sauce. We pair it with garlic toast.” She points out that meats are smoked in-house.
The expansion of Ala Carte Café into Ala Carte After Hours has been received favorably by both patrons and the staff. “People love the enhanced After Hours menu along with the well-known Ala Carte Café menu,” explains Felica. “We are one unit, but yet two completely different units at the same time. EVERYONE, from owners, manage- ment, back of house, front of house and heck, the side of house is 100% a team. They have quickly become like family to me.”
Lisa Black, co-owner with her husband Bill of the Ala Carte pair of eateries, echoes Chef Felica’s sentiments. “It was, and still is, very important to us to offer the same great quality of food and service at After Hours that we have at Ala Carte Café, as well as offering Café favorites at After Hours.” She emphasizes Felica’s importance to the expansion. “Chef Felica has been a great addition to the Ala Carte family. She is very knowledgeable in the art of cooking, maintaining a kitchen and staff, and menu planning. We feel very fortunate to have been introduced to her when we started our search for a chef/kitchen manager. We look forward to continuing to work together with Felica to make Ala Carte and After Hours a great dining experience for all.”
The nightly specials at After Hours, such as Wednesday Burger Night, Pasta Friday, and Prime Rib Saturday are very popular with both locals and out-of-towners. Prime rib lovers are encouraged to call in their dine-in or carry-out orders early Saturday to avoid missing out on one of the most coveted items on the menu. The After Hours’ twist on traditional game day specials is Sunday Funday, with drink specials, buckets of beer, food specials, pool, and all of the good match-ups playing out on well-spaced flatscreens.
*Ala Carte and Ala Carte After Hours are locat- ed at 225 Madison Street, downtown Port Clinton. Dine-in, carry-out and curbside service is offered. See their Facebook pages or call them at 419-734- 9939 for more information.
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