19 April 20–26, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Coffee and Kitten- Around Dallas welcomes its first cat cafe. BY MOLLY WOLCHANSKY W hiskers and Soda Cat Cafe is more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. It’s a hub for cat lovers and animal adoption enthusiasts alike. Lake Highlands residents Rob and Caro- line Stovall put their hearts and souls into creating the cafe, not just as a means to hang out with cats and drink coffee, but also to create a new, immersive adoption experience. During their grand opening on March 25, more than 1,500 people stopped by to support the business and indulge in coffee and sweets. The real stars of the show, however, were the adorable cats that reside in the cafe, like Bruno, the gorgeous Bengal who craves attention from all the visitors. Caroline, the president of A Voice for All Paws (AVAP), has found an innovative way to revolutionize the adoption process through this new cafe venture. Potential parents can bond with cats in a relaxed and comfortable environment, unlike the typical adoption center where animals are kept in cages. Before a cat can frolic around the cafe and hang out with the coffee lovers, they un- dergo a thorough health check-up courtesy of AVAP to ensure they’re in tip-top shape. When the felines start to feel a little tuck- ered out, they have their own private oasis to lounge in, complete with a custom-made tree and cozy shelves framed by a glass wall. Next door is the kitten room, which is perfect for little ones who need to keep out of harm’s way. If any potential adopters or visitors want some playful and interactive time with these cute kittens, they can easily pop in and say hello. And for those who need a temporary home for their furry friends, they can visit the connected new luxury boarding facility, Griffin Rock Cat Retreat. The Stovall family has a fervor for felines, but their passions extend beyond their furry friends. They’re dedicated to promoting lo- cal businesses and sustainability, opting for biodegradable supplies. The Stovalls have joined forces with Cul- tivar Coffee and Leila Bakery and Cafe, two beloved Dallas institutions. The coffee menu is playful, featuring whimsical names like Amerigato, Meowchiato and Drip Pawfee. To sweeten the deal, they get their honey from a nearby aviary run by a friend in Lake Highlands. The East Dallas bakery, Leila’s, provides traditional Czech kolaches that come in a variety of flavors like cream cheese, rasp- berry and a zesty sausage and cheddar combo that customers rave about. Also sit- ting behind the glass case are vegan and glu- ten-free options, like the sweet coconut macaroons. Memberships are available for those who are interested in visiting on the regular; oth- erwise, drop-ins can come by for a small hourly fee. All proceeds go toward AVAP to ensure that the animals are well-cared for and properly vaccinated. It’s clear that Whiskers and Soda is more than just a cafe: it’s a great example of how a community can come together to aid in the adoption process and make a difference in the lives of animals. Whiskers and Soda Cat Cafe, 10320 Gar- land Road. Tuesday – Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Thursday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sat- urday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 6 p.m. ▼ DESSERTS ALL THE COOKIE CRUMBLES CHECKING IN ON KESSLER BAKING STUDIO 3 YEARS AFTER A JAMES BEARD NOD. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS I n early 2020 it was cookie bliss at Kes- sler Baking Studio. The from-scratch bakery in a charming restored house on Beckley Avenue in North Oak Cliff was buzzing along, baking 38 flavors of cookies each day. Things hit a high mark in March 2020 when the esteemed James Beard Awards were announced and Kessler was a named semifinalist for Outstanding Baker. What could go wrong from there? “For approximately three weeks, foot traffic into the bakery increased 200%,” baker and owner Clyde Greenhouse said. But soon, that momentum crashed head-on into the pandemic; shelter-in-place orders were issued and all of the food service in- dustry was in for a long and difficult time. “That said, the nomination did help our new shipping partner, Goldbelly, find us,” Greenhouse says. If you were a fan of the bakery — more specifically — if Greenhouse’s cookies were like a siren call to you anytime you were in the neighborhood, then you might have treated yourself to the curbside service. Greenhouse set up a series of flags along the north side of his property where cus- tomers could order cookies online. Speak- ing from experience it worked smoothly and helped bring a bit of sweet, crunchy normality to a complicated time. Greenhouse expanded the delivery ra- dius and added items to the menu like Satur- day morning cinnamon rolls (pre-order only), buttermilk biscuits and a dozen take- and-bake frozen cookie flavors. Greenhouse says things are not back to normal yet, but he’s continuing to navigate his way through this normal, which still has its complications. “As a 100% scratch bakery, the rise in raw ingredients cost has pre- sented us with our greatest challenge. We’ve experienced an average increase of 40% across raw goods,” he says. To balance that he’s had to apply mar- ginal increases to prices to help cover some of the costs. He also slimmed down some of his operations. Instead of 38 cookies on the daily menu, the bakery now produces the top dozen flavors. If you walk into the bakery now, you’ll notice a lot of new products: Rice Krispies treats, mixed nuts, coconut macaroons and a freezer with cookie dough. There are now cookie cakes, gluten-free options, brownies and blondies made with a four- to-one chocolate-to-flour ratio. Don’t miss the flaky from-scratch K-Tarts, their version of Pop-Tarts. And the biscotti, twice baked for extra crispiness, are un- forgettable. Once all of the nearby apartments open and are occupied (many are in the works), Greenhouse says he’ll expand breakfast be- yond cinnamon rolls and biscuits. Until then, get your preorders for those Saturday morning cinnamon rolls in. Molly Wolchansky Grab a coffee and hang out with adoption- ready cats. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish >> p20 www.dallasobserver.com/signup go to WEEKLY EMAIL D SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY EMAIL LIST for feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more!
