Central Perc European Café
2315 Far Hills Avenue
Oakwood, OH 45419
(937) 299-5282
hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Central Perc European Café is reminiscent of the English proprietors' home
country: like a good pub, service is 'come to the counter', with food then
delivered to table; no pence are squandered on posh garnishes, and you're likely
to be drawn into the neighborly banter between the regulars and their British
hosts.
English accents can be found in the food, as well. In example, an unusual
sandwich was served for Afternoon Tea. Frankly, I couldn't figure out what the
devil it was, and so I asked Mike Morgan, Central Perc's owner. He eagerly
explained his passion for the pungent ingredient, which was dark English
pickles, like those Bridget Jones reaches for during a feeding frenzy. The
Branston pickles are chopped, mixed with sharp cheese and onion, and smeared on
brown bread. Hmm. Delicious, indeed.
True to British tradition, Central Perc serves piping-hot tea in beautiful
English teapots. In lieu of china teacups, visitors sip their tea from
generously sized, heavy ironstone mugs. Mike Morgan enjoys blending loose teas
for his clientele. His signature Central Perc Blend is a high quality, smooth
black tea with a touch of Earl Grey for depth, and it is offered for sale by the
half-pound. Bencheley and Forrelli teas are also available in several no-fuss
varieties, such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey and Mint. In addition to tea,
the café serves gourmet coffee, soup, salads, sandwiches and fresh pastries.
Mike and his wife, Rose, hail from the Wirral peninsula in northwest England, an
area that produced the first public park in 1847, which served as the model for
New York's Central Park. The couple met when Mike drove the bus that Rose took
daily to work. They married and made several visits to the States, and, in 1996,
opened the café.
Bringing a bit of England to the Midwest has been warmly embraced; visitors love
Central Perc's popular Afternoon Teas, served from 2 to 4 p.m. and priced at $10
per person. Afternoon Tea includes generous servings of three types of tea
sandwiches, Rose's fabulous homemade pastries, and baked-from-scratch scones,
slathered in thick butter, strawberry preserves and whipped cream. The tea menu
changes seasonally or according to Rose's whims. Mike is meticulous about
steeping tea for five minutes, and instructs new customers about how to approach
the imposing three-tiered stand of Afternoon tea goodies, saying, "Begin at the
bottom, and work your way to the top." A pot of just-boiled water is also
brought to the table, to dilute the stronger tea at the bottom of the pot, or to
warm up a cuppa that's been neglected during thoughtful conversation or a
suspenseful novel.
The café is located on a shady, well-manicured boulevard, among upscale shops,
fringed by the gracious, historical homes of Oakwood, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio.
Shelves of English china perch high on the neutral colored faux painted walls,
sparkling in the gentle sunshine that floods in from the shop's full-glass
front.
Central Perc European Café delivers a charming English-style tea experience.
