A very famous chain restaurant had as its major marketing message the phrase, “Have it Your Way.” Their statement was a counterpoint to other chains’ inflexibility – you couldn’t have it your way at the other mega-chain-box places.
I don’t know if said mega-chain still touts the “your way” slogan.
I do know that a relatively new, and certainly fresh, face on the Evansville dining scene not only lets you have it your way, they’ll actually work for it to make you happy. As co-proprietor Zach Baughman put it to me recently, “If I have the ingredients, or know 24 hours in advance, I can make whatever [customers might want].”
Here’s just one snippet about Finn’s Café & Bakery that I – as a lover of All Things Local – find terribly interesting. It sure would be easy enough to offer a menu and stick to it, but at Finn’s, pleasing the customer seems their first goal, as a series of visits I’ve made there have shown.
Baughman enjoys food. A lot. I came in after a lunch rush on cold, wet day after it had already been warm and sunny outside for several days. In fact, while I was getting ready to leave for work that day, the thought “French onion soup” flashed through my fuzzy, 5:30 a.m. brain. Remembering this thought hours later, it was definitely time to zip over to Finn’s – French onion soup is on the menu every day, and it is very, very good.
Served in the requisite crock, thick with sautéed onions in a rich broth, a perfect hunk of brown bread and a thick slice of melted provolone cheese on top was the cure for me that cold day.
Such interplay of flavors… similar soups I’ve had (I always compare them to the long-gone Daryl’s) are bland. Not with Finn’s. Exactly the proper infusion of herbs – in this case, thyme is the predominant seasoning. Compared to Daryl’s French onion soup, Finn’s is – gasp – better. There, I said it.
Don’t simply visit Finn’s for their soup. Since acquiring the former Café Du Jour, John Finn set about balancing what previous customers had come to expect from the menu with his own, personal touches. As he relates, “Some recipes were taken from the Du Jour menu and others were recipes of my mother’s and grandmother’s.
“I loved my mother’s cooking and baking [while] growing up,” he says, “and am glad to be able to have others enjoy those same tastes.”
These tastes are made from scratch, too, just as one’s mother would make. As Finn continues, “They’re [the customers] going to get everything fresh.” I saw this first-hand when I popped in to chat with Zach. He spends a lot of time planning out the daily specials, which range widely in flavors and choices, but often reflect his own yen for Southern/homestyle cooking. He’d spent the morning preparing a big batch of beans and rice and fresh farm-raised catfish filets.
I snagged a few bites of the cornmeal-battered catfish; it was succulent, moist and not fishy at all – Zach knows all too well that fish such as catfish should be soaked for some time prior to cooking to remove some of the lingering fishiness.
I would be remiss if I were to neglect writing about more of what’s available at Finn’s. Being a café and bakery, a wide array of freshly-made sandwiches, salads and desserts are available, each and all prepared with the same love of food shown to me by both Finn and Baughman on my visits there.
Entrees are part of the repertoire as well – not just for lunch, but for dinner, which is a meal that wasn’t found at Du Jour. Here, Baughman’s Southern touch is found in such classics as chicken and dumplings, the Kentucky hot brown, Cajun-style orange roughy, and crab patties.
What’s the most popular item? “The Fajita melt,” says Finn. “It can be served on either fresh homemade Focaccia bread or a wheat or white wrap. It consists of chicken breast grilled with special spices along with onions and green peppers.”
Breakfast is available as well – from traditional fare to more tips of the hat to the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line (Hot Cheesy Grits… yumm). Whether it’s early, the middle of the day or even later, Finn’s caffeinated beverages are there for you: There’s plain brewed; espressos; cappuccinos; lattes and mochas, all there to satiate, invigorate and help the groggy of our fair town.
Co-Owners John Finn (L) and Zach Baughman.
More cool facts I found out about Finn’s Café and Bakery: Any meal can be made vegetarian with the use of a veggie burger or portabella mushrooms. They also offer free Wi-Fi, catering for small and large events, private dining/meeting room, delivery to area businesses, take-out and the aforementioned “special” ordering that is so rare now.
Finn’s is another locally-owned independent restaurant I’m happy to keep supporting. I wanted to ask him something I try to remember to ask each local owner I speak with: What’s the most rewarding thing about having your own independent restaurant?
“Being able to bring together people and culture through food,” Finn says, “I lived in the Netherlands for a short period and traveled much of Europe and am glad to bring some of the European culture back to the Tri-State area through our spices and food.”
And don’t forget about Mr. Baughman’s homestyle offerings… all this globetrotting has made me hungry again…
920 Main Street (next to Someplace Else) • 812-962-3694 • You can be a fan of Finn’s Café & Bakery on Facebook
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PHOTO CREDIT | DYLAN GIBBS
