Cacao Tree Café
Cacao Tree Café is tiny, but its freshness and big flavors have won fans for owner Amber Poupore's raw, vegan, organic foods and smoothies. Poupore, former manager of nearby Inn Season Café, has studied raw foods all over the country and her well-crafted dishes reflect it. She offers some salads made with cooked rice and grains and two cooked soups daily; all other items are raw, including the Cacao Tree's antioxidant-rich, handmade dark chocolates and other desserts on display in the front cooler. Virtually all of the exceptional smoothies include some kind of greens; try the gingery, berry-rich Inner Warmth, or the striking Bee Green, which includes avocado, peaches and spinach and a garnish of local bee pollen. The regular menu features salads and dishes such as tacos with seed-based "tortillas" and "pastas" of zucchini strands. Several daily specials are offered, such as Creamy Mushroom Lasagna with sliced zucchini for pasta, "meat" made with nuts and herbs, and a creamy mushroom sauce made with cashews, dill and lemon, served atop local organic arugula. (204 West Fourth; 248-336-9043 and www.cacaotreecafe.com)
