— by Margie Doyle —
Mia Kartiganer and server Eros Belliveau at the new, expanded Mia’s Café in the Our House building
Mia Kartiganer, proprietress of Mia’s, having successfully navigated from Eastsound Square to the Our House building on North Beach Road last year, now plans to shake things up in a number of ways.
She’s already asked and answered the question, ‘How often do people get together — sober– and dance?’ with early morning dance sessions at Mia’s Café on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“Hey what if we all did some stretching? It works really well for people who want to move and visit and giggle and then get to work,” Mia says.
The Morning Dance starts at 7 a.m. with disco, salsa, tango, hip hop among the music selected. “It’s free and free-form,” she says.
She’s added hours for a Wine Bar and light evening dinners on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4:30 to 9 p.m., and looks forward to poetry readings and live music and more in the intimate atmosphere of her new surroundings.
Such are the innovations Mia has incorporated. She started her own cafe in 2009 after the typical island job smorgasbord of jobs in construction, at title companies, managing vacation rentals. She first came to Orcas as a massage therapist at Doe Bay.
Business on Orcas “is a roller coaster every year,” says Mia, who serves on the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce board. “It can be over-the-top overwhelming in the summer, and then extremely anxious in the winter.” She initiated an Orcas Island Restaurant Association last year, with plans to coordinate the openings and closings of island restaurants.
Her own restaurant adventures started with Mia’s Winter Kitchen at Charles Dalton’s Kitchen in winter months, cater to locals, working by herself and serving three soups, a quiche and a salad. No seating inside then, or outdoor heating, so it was important to serve customers efficiently.
In the new Our House location since last May, remodeled after years as Chimayo’s, Mia has recreated the colors and tripled the seating of her former establishment.
She describes her work as “Cooking and bossing people around,” and attributes the success of her cafe to managing the “fit” of her employee team. “The key is employees who like each other — and accepting that, as the owner, I’m outside that circle,” Mia says. “They have to have their own relationships that’s how it works. When things happen, they understand each other and work it out so they’re not all burnt out. Being supportive is important.
“As a business owner, you work to cut the stressors, which can include the people you work with. My employees like each other.”
Eros Belliveau, a server at Mia’s, adds the basic importance of paying employees fair wages, paying on time and understanding that people need to have some time off.
Running Mia’s is a labor of love, and a community service, Mia says. “Not just by hiring employees, but by providing a place where people can meet each other. People want camaraderie, and I love it when islanders — and visitors — can connect. Most islanders are pretty awesome customers and it’s always nice to see new faces.”
Her personal learning curve was most challenged by serving breakfasts — the timing and juggling of preparing all the different things like poaching eggs, frying hash browns, making waffles, cutting fruit. Now, Mia says, that’s her favorite service. “I like it when it gets busy and I’m simpatico with the people on the [cooking ] line. Sometimes there’s just two of us and suddenly it can get crazy busy, and so you can cry or laugh and make it happen. It’s always amazingly gratifying when we can enjoy it.
“And somedays we’re so bad ass!”
She’s also expanded her retail product line, with coffee and biscuit mix. And she enthusiastic about introducing tsampa, sprouted and roasted barley traditionally prepared for Himalayan breakfast. Like a hot cereal, served with nuts, yogurt, fruit, coconut, with a smoother texture than cooked oatmeal. “But it’s more than breakfast, it’s a staple in the Tibetan diet, whether fine ground for baking or part of traditional, well-wishing ceremonies.
“Now, I’m really enjoying that we get to be more creative and playful and cater to people more than usual.”
Starting January 15, former Loft chef Dirul-Islam Shamsid-Deen will be coming to Mia’s on Fridays and Saturdays to serve dinners with such “homey, interesting” menu items as:
- Roasted cauliflower, fried capers, lemon, evoo, parsley
- Pork belly, stone fruit, whiskey
- Artisan romaine, anchovy, lemon, cornbread croutons
- Kale, tea-poached raisins, shallots, sunflower seeds
- Chicken leg confit, mashed potatoes, tarragon beurre blanc
- Sous vide rib-eye, fingerling potatoes, horseradish-herb salad
- Grains, greens, and legumes assortment of seasonal vegetables, grains, and beans
- Butterscotch pot-de-creme
Reservations for the dinners can be made at orcaswintertide@gmail.com or by calling 376-MIAS
