Café Zéphyr Opens With Baker Marc-André Cyr

A new N.D.G. café opened last Wednesday with one of Montreal's best-known bakers in the kitchen. Marc-André Cyr comes to Café Zéphyr by way of Le Pain dans les voiles in Villeray and was recently profiled in an article in The Gazette on artisanal bakeries in the city.

The coffeeshop, breakfast and lunch spot on Sherbrooke, corner Melrose, is the baby of Anne Durand and husband Stephen Homer, who operates the Ferme du Zéphyr in Senneville. The organic vegetable farm provides fresh local produce to the public through community supported agriculture programs and markets. Many chefs in the city covet Homer's heirloom vegetables as well.

Familiar to most as a baker, Cyr is a capable cook too and, with Durand and Homer, is responsible for the café's menu, which skews local and organic.

"They've hired me to help them get things going at the kitchen-end of things, taking their recipes and ideas and making them doable in a café setting. We're still getting things up and running."

Croissants and chocolatines come from nearby bakery Chez Fred for now, while Cyr concentrates on scones, sandwiches and sundry other items. While vegetables from Ferme du Zéphyr - and others - will figure prominently, the café placates carnivores as well. Think bacon for breakfast plates and pâté for bánh mìs.

Café Zéphyr holds 18 inside, with room for an additional 12 on a terrasse. Durand hopes to expand to accommodate more come winter. For now, hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Durand was keen to stress that this is very much subject to change as she develops a handle on customer ebb and flow.

· All Opening Announcements [-EMTL-]