FOREST RIVER, N.D. --The cafe is the center of activity in this small town of about 100 people. And Elaine McDonald, who runs the place, is thankful for all the business she gets.
Just before noon on the last Wednesday of September, she was putting together monster sandwiches -- six of them -- for someone to pick up and take out to the field, where the harvest was in full swing. She was finishing up preparations for the pork chop dinner she was featuring for $7.50 -- $3.50 for elderly people on a Walsh County Senior Meals program.
On the first Monday of October, she was fixing hotdish for lunch along with a choice of monster burgers -- and the usual soup and salad.
There are no shortcuts here. The pork chops I ate were baked to the point they fell off the bone. The potatoes were baked the old-fashioned way -- in an oven. And the carrots that came on the dinner plate had a fresh-from-the-garden taste about them.
Most of the customers at the Forest River Cafe are regulars, and they seem to feel right at home. The cafe was full Sept. 21. Customers were helping themselves to ham and pea soup made by Elaine. And they took fresh fruit, cottage cheese and other choices from a small salad bar.
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And as customers finished their dinners, Elaine was passing around a plate of cake for dessert.
Working right along with her was Angelica Macias. Elaine said Angelica is her "right-hand man."
The cafe on Forest River's main street is in the same building owned by the city that houses the post office. It opens about 6 a.m. Monday through Friday, closes about 2 p.m. and is not open on weekends. Breakfast is a big part of the business.
The place is bright and light with sheer curtains on the windows and homey touches all around. It is well-arranged with booths on the perimeter and a round table and an oblong table in the middle.
This is a place where customers come up to the counter to pay for their food. There are no bills. They know how much to pay. They find the food of the day listed on a menu board.
After I paid, I noticed that Elaine had homemade bread for sale. She bakes it every other day, and I bought some to take home. It was a great purchase because this bread was light and tasty -- a rare treat. I would be tempted to drive back to Forest River-- about 25 miles -- just to get more of the bread.
Forest River is a little center for the surrounding farming area. People flock into town Wednesdays for Mexican food night at Tom's Lounge down the street. And there is a group of curlers who come regularly for a winter bonspiel.
Elaine has been at the cafe for 29 years. She started out with her daughter, Jodie Wohlgamuth, and her mother, Ellen Lunski, who died earlier this year. Jodie lives nearby in Manvel and helps out when needed.
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She is pleased with the business but worries about the winter.
Reach Marilyn Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or call (701) 772-1055.
