The Winds Cafe and Bakery

Lunch

Soup of the day cup 4. bowl 5. Black Bean Chili cup 4. bowl 5.

House Salad
Dressings – balsamic vinaigrette, yogurt herb, sesame miso, lemon Gorgonzola or blue cheese 5.

Slow Boat to Sicily
It’s time to let go and trust. Caesar has left the building. For goodness sakes…you can get a Caesar salad at Burger King now. This is our most requested salad and a more than adequate replacement for the ubiquitous Caesar. A knife and fork salad of crunchy romaine hearts with olives, mint leaves and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with lemon Gorgonzola dressing and piled with fried onion strands. 8.

Winds Cobb Salad
Our rendition of this classic salad, invented and made famous at Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant. Hearts of romaine drizzled with creamy horseradish dressing and piled with poached chicken breast, Nueske’s bacon, blue cheese crumbles, avocado and chopped hard boiled egg. Served with bread. 8.

Brown Bag
The original Winds chicken salad. Boneless chicken breast is poached in wine with lemon and peppercorns, then cut up and mixed with chopped vegetables, mayonnaise and our own blend of light curry spices. Served on dressed greens with a cup of soup or black bean chili. Served with a bread basket. 10.

Tuscan Bread Salad
Tomatoes, peppers and sweet onion are dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil, mixed with fresh herbs, imported olives and mozzarella, then broiled with chunks of bread until hot and toasted. Served on dressed spinach. 10.

French Flageolet Beans
Tiny, tender, pale green kidney-shaped beans stewed with potatoes, leeks, green beans, lemon zest and lots of herbs. Garnished with chive oil and served with hot rice and steamed greens. Think green. Accompanied by a breadbasket. 10.

Lamb Burger
Ground Colorado lamb is seasoned with chopped shallots, smoked paprika and parsley, grilled and spread with harissa mayo and garnished with house-pickled onions. Served with mixed green salad and chips. 11.

Organic Sandwich
Swiss Emmentaler and White Cheddar cheeses with cucumber, red onion, sprouts, sunflower seeds, homemade slaw and house mayonnaise on our whole wheat bread. Served with dressed greens and chips. 9.

Torta Rustica
A tall pastry-crusted pie layered with seasoned spinach, fontina cheese and charred sweet peppers. Baked, cut into wedges and served on a pool of light tomato sauce spiked with fresh orange. Served with mixed green salad. 12.5

Cornmeal Crusted Walleye
It’s Great Lakes Walleye season. We dredge this popular fish in cornmeal and pan-fry until crisp. Served with a dollop of creamy watercress sauce, roasted potatoes and mixed green salad. 12.5

Stir-Fried Tofu with Mushrooms, Scallions and Cashews
A Winds standard served with organic brown basmati rice, dressed greens and bread. 10.

Classic French Omelette
Our omelettes are made with organic eggs locally raised by Dale Filbrun in West Alexandria. They are cooked and flipped the traditional way in French iron pans. This is a classic lunch or midnight snack in cafés throughout France. Filled with fresh goat cheese, fine herbes, the classic quartet of chervil, chives, parsley and tarragon, and rustic buttered croutons. Served with mixed dressed greens. 11.

Today’s Pasta
Served with a bread basket, selection and price will vary day to day.

Bread Basket and Butter 3.5

Dinner

Small Plates
Roasted Almonds 3. House Olives 3.

House Salad
Dressings – balsamic vinaigrette, yogurt herb, sesame miso, lemon Gorgonzola or blue cheese 5.

Slow Boat to Sicily – It’s time to let go and trust. Caesar has left the building. For goodness sakes…you can get a Caesar salad at Burger King now. This is our most requested salad and a more than adequate replacement for the ubiquitous Caesar. A knife and fork salad of crunchy romaine hearts with olives, mint leaves and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with lemon Gorgonzola dressing and piled with fried onion strands. 8.

Winds Cobb Salad
Our rendition of this classic salad, invented and made famous at Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant. Hearts of romaine drizzled with creamy horseradish dressing and piled with poached chicken breast, Nueske’s bacon, blue cheese crumbles, avocado and chopped hard boiled egg. 8.

Soup of the Day cup 4. bowl 5.
Black Bean Chili cup 4. bowl 5.

Cheese Service – Several artisan cheeses hand cut at the table accompanied by medjool dates and quince paste. 8. per person

Spanish Egg- hard boiled egg halved and topped with garlic mayo, white anchovy and roasted red pepper on a bed of spinach dressed with lemon oil and served with toasted almonds. A great starter with a glass of our A Priori Cava. 3.

Julia Child’s Chicken and Spinach Terrine
A light, warm weather pate with a nip of Cognac. A thick slice is cut and served with a crunchy salad of celery, walnuts and tiny cubes of gruyere, cornichons and pickled figs. 9.

Italian Spidini with Bagna Cauda –Skewered sourdough bread and fresh mozzarella cheese are brushed with olive and browned until crispy and melty. Served on a bed of homegrown tomatoes and drizzled with hot bagna cauda – a sauce made with anchovy, garlic, lemon and olive oil. 9.

Baja Style Soft Shell Crab – We’re crazy for soft shell crabs and this month they’re breaded and deep fried until crispy. Served atop a mound of fresh lime spiked slaw and drizzled with crema fresca flavored with jalapenos. 11.5

Spicy Thai Beef – Grilled beef on a pile of snow pea slaw is strewn with fresh basil, mint and cilantro and splashed with bright, Thai lime vinaigrette and hot, sweet chili sauce. 10.

Roast Figs with bacon and goat cheese – First of the season figs, stuffed with fresh goat cheese and wrapped with Nueske’s bacon that has been rubbed with cumin, black pepper and brown sugar. Broiled until the bacon crisps, the goat cheese melts and the fig caramelizes, then drizzle with Italian saba, a velvety syrup made from cooked grape must that’s aged in wood barrels. 10.

Large Plates
Choose soup or house salad – make it Slow Boat to Sicily or Winds Cobb Salad add 6.

Early Summer Risotto – Carnaroli rice from Italy perfectly showcases early summer vegetables. Fresh morels and English peas will be its staples along with the last of this year’s asparagus and fresh herbs. The vegetable ingredients will change daily, ask your server. 20.

Breadcrumbed Halibut- A springtime dish we get requests for all year long. Halibut is blanketed with sourdough crumbs and roasted until crispy and heaped with shaved fennel and orange. Drizzled with a Sicilian-inspired green sauce made of basil, mint and parsley. 24.

Dry Rubbed Grilled Duck- This is Magret duck breast from Labelle Farms in Sullivan New York
and it is delicious. The preparation is inspired by Wallsé in NYC. The duck is rubbed with bay
leaf and thyme, grilled and brushed with honey and Riesling. Served with roasted rhubarb
and potato rösti. 24.

Buttermilk Walleye with Crabmeat Vinaigrette – It’s walleye season! In this preparation, a walleye fillet is dipped in a buttermilk and mustard, rolled in cornmeal, pan-fried and garnished with sweet crabmeat, asparagus and buttermilk vinaigrette. Served with lemon almond rice. 25.

Grilled Spanish Sirloin- Sirloin lends itself to this flavorful Spanish inspired presentation. It’s the opposite of tenderloin with an intense beefy flavor and toothsome texture. We prepare this dish Spanish style with a dry rub of smoked Spanish paprika, cumin and ground chili. Served on thickly sliced grilled bread with the first of the homegrown tomatoes and Roquefort cheese. 25.

Sides
Vegetable of the Day 4. Potato Rösti 4. Lemon Almond Rice 4.

Wines

Apéritifs

Campari 5.
Boissiere Sweet or Dry Vermouth 3.5
La Gitana Manzanilla Dry Sherry 3.5
Pernod and Water 4.5

June 2007 Wines

Colet A Priori Cava
The Xampanyerias (cava bars) in Barcelona are well known for their chic décor and cutting edge tapas. Cava flows freely at these late night haunts and pairs beautifully with delicious small plates. This delicious, biodynamically produced cava is perfect to celebrate the coming of spring.
Bottle 24. Glass 7.25

Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2005 Abraxas Vin de Terroir
This wine is fashioned after an Alsatian field blend. Abraxas is 35% Pinot Gris, 35% Pinot Blanc, 25% Gewürztraminer and 5% Riesling and is a succinct gem of a wine with bright citrus, restrained tropical fruit and bright minerality.
Bottle 36. Quartino 14.75 Glass 10.

Palacio Remondo 2005 Rioja Blanco Placet
Over the last few years Remondo has become one of my favorite Rioja producers. The organically handcrafted wines bridge the gap of old world sensibility and modern winemaking techniques. Placet is 100% Viura, also known as Macabeo and is brimming with citrus flavors with a lovely honeyed element. It reminds me of a California Chardonnay with a little Viognier added. If all you drink is Chardonnay, take a walk on the wild side and give Placet a try.
Bottle 30. Quartino 13. Glass 8.75

Anne Amie 200 Pinot Gris
We featured the Anne Amie Pinot Noir last year and everyone went wild. This Oregon Pinot Gris is a beautiful wine and is stylistically Alsatian in it’s flavor profile. It has a gorgeous copper color along with a creamy, succulent texture. Flavors of ripe pear and sweet lemon peel make my mouth water. Pair this wine with pan-fried walleye or Copper River Salmon if you’re lucky enough to eat some this season.
Bottle 25. Quartino 11. Glass 7.5

Pomelo 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
A delicious 100% Sauvignon Blanc made by California Sauvignon Blanc aficionado, Randy Mason. What a delicious, juicy mouthful of wine. It’s full of lime zest, tangerine peel and of course, grapefruit flavors. It just screams summer. Order the soft shell crab or the Spanish egg and start your dinner right.
Bottle 19. Quartino 8.5 Glass 5.75


Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2006 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir
We were out in Napa this past February and had a lovely lunch with the Sinskeys, I had my first taste of this delicious 2006 Vin Gris. The wine is juicy, crisp and just waiting to be part of your warm weather fun… welcome to the cult of pink.
Bottle 29. Quartino 12.5 Glass 8.5

Hazy Blur 2004 Shiraz Baroota
If you like a big Australian Shiraz that really packs a punch, Hazyblur will do it. Rich plummy fruit, chocolate overtones and lavender aroma, a hint of vanilla, and a touch of licorice in the finish.
Bottle 44. Quartino 17.75 Glass 12.

Château de Thivin 2005 Côtes de Brouilly
It always bothers me that Beaujolais has such a bad reputation. That blasted Beaujolais Nouveau ruins the whole category. I love the cru Gamay and this wine from Thivin is always one of my favorites. An old style hand crafted wine with lovely cherry flavors and a violet, lilac perfume. This beautiful bistro styled wine is best served with a slight chill.
Bottle 29. Quartino 12.5 Glass 8.5

Veglio 2005 Dolcetto d’Alba
This wine is like a woman with big biceps… intimidating at first but beautifully powerful. It’s substantial enough to pair with grilled summer fare, but accessible enough to wrap yourself around when you need a little summer comfort. Truly, truly adorable. Dolcetto with it’s bitter cherry flavors and a touch of almond extract in the finish is particularly versatile for summer dishes. Earthy, seductive aromas, but alos very refined with a silky texture.
Bottle 22. Quartino 9.5 Glass 6.5

Bitch 2005 Grenache
I’ll let Dan Philips explain, “Hello Mary Kay and great to hear from you. I’m still a bit embarrassed by Bitch. But the population I worried about the most, women, have embraced it the most. I hate gimmick labels and I like to believe this one is not a gimmick.I’ve tried to sell grenache for years and people just won’t buy it. But, they’ll buy Bitch all day long. That was part of the point. We approached the word and label with good intentions from the beginning and most of all with the wine.The wine is very solid, old vine grenache material, mostly or sometimes entirely from the Barossa. It’s super stuff. I’m glad you liked it.”
Bottle 19. Quartino 8.5 Glass 5.75

Brunch

Asparagus and Mushroom Hash
A savory hand-chopped hash of mushrooms, potatoes and dark, leafy spinach. Topped with grilled asparagus then drizzled with hot cheese fondue and garnished with a tangle of crispy tobacco onions. 13.

Buckwheat Crêpes
Clifton Mill buckwheat is used to create these delicate, earthy crêpes. Two crepes are stuffed with Nueske’s apple wood smoked ham and creamy Gruyère. Served with scrambled eggs and steamed asparagus. 13.

Migas
A regionally revered Southwestern breakfast dish that scrambles tortillas, eggs and roasted green chiles shipped special from New Mexico into a delicious amalgam embellished by jack cheese, sour cream, chopped lettuce, and cilantro. Drizzled with smoky, spicy chipotle gravy. 12.


Buttermilk Pancakes
Four fresh flapjacks served with today's topping and pure maple syrup. 9.

Omelettes
Our omelettes are made with organic eggs locally raised by Dale Filbrun in
West Alexandria. They are cooked and flipped the traditional way in French iron pans. Check the special card. Served with home fries and a biscuit.

Biscuits with Rich Mushroom Gravy
A loyal following goes for this version of the breakfast classic. 7. half order 5.

French Flageolet Beans
Tiny, tender, pale green kidney-shaped beans stewed with potatoes, leeks, green beans, lemon zest and lots of herbs. Garnished with chive oil and served with hot rice and steamed greens. Think green. Accompanied by a biscuit. 10.

Fried Egg Sandwich with Cheddar and Bacon
Our terrific organic eggs are shown off when fried till the yolk is firm then put together on toasted focaccia bread with Nueske’s bacon, sharp white cheddar, lettuce and our own house mustard and mayonnaise. Choose home fries or dressed greens. 10.

House Salad
Dressings - balsamic vinaigrette, yogurt herb, lemon gorgonzola, sesame miso or blue cheese. Served with a biscuit. 5.

Slow Boat to Sicily
It’s time to let go and trust. Caesar has left the building. For goodness sakes…you can get a Caesar salad at Burger King now. This is our most requested salad and a more than adequate replacement for the ubiquitous Caesar. A knife and fork salad of crunchy romaine hearts with olives, mint leaves and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with lemon Gorgonzola dressing and piled with fried onion strands. Served with a biscuit. 8.

House Granola
Old-fashioned organic oats baked with honey and mixed with almonds, walnuts,
dried apricots and raisins. Served with milk or yogurt. 6.5

Steel Cut Oats
A bowl of steaming organic Irish-style oats, with your choice of maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, milk, sliced bananas, toasted pecans. Any or all. 6.5

Home Fries
Organic Yukon gold potatoes cooked in butter with onion and green pepper,
fresh ground pepper and spices. 3.5 (with sour cream or cheese, add .50)

Sides

biscuit 2.
mushroom gravy 3.5
one egg, any style 2.
side of rice 2.5
side of beans 3.5
side of corn grits 2.5
short stack of pancakes 5.5
one pancake 3.5

Bistro Dinners

June 6th Spanish-style Pork Ribs
June 13th Cheese Ravioli with Grilled Vegetables and Early Summer Pesto
June 20th Mussels with Dijon Mustard Cream and Tarragon
June 27th Grilled Mahimahi with Fresh Herb Relish
July 4th No Bistro Closed for the Holiday