Little Miss Perfect Piggy Tails enjoys her Perfect Hot Chocolate
I think, in spite of all my eccentricities, I am old-fashioned. At least I like old-fashioned values, manners, and prices. I like to feel nostalgic once in a while and yes, even cheesy. Especially nowadays, when everything seems so grown-up and hard. If you crave nostalgia, ice skating, and The Peanuts, honey I’ve got a place for you.
Breakfast Wrap and free refills on the coffee
The Warm Puppy Cafe is located at the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, affectionately known as “Snoopy’s Ice Rink” by the locals. You will fall into deep innocent love with The Warm Puppy Cafe. Just like the days of lemonade stands on hot summer days, there are some childhood memories that are timeless. The Peanuts are timeless. I’ve done an informal study and 96.5% of all children who like The Peanuts grow up to be intellectual giants and great humanitarians*.
I don’t like to ice skate anymore, let’s just say it makes my feet hurt. But never mind that, I enjoy sitting in The Warm Puppy Cafe. It’s always fun to sit by the window that looks out onto the rink and watch people fall skate. My favorite seat is in the corner by the fireplace. But whatever you do, don’t sit at the reserved table with the flowers. It belongs to Sparky, that’s Charles Schultz’s nickname. He used to work in his office right upstairs, often taking a break from cartooning to come down and visit with people, skate, or enjoy the food at his favorite table. Everyone misses him, that’s why his table sits in his memory. Reserved.
Foreground: Sharon Background: Block Head
Whenever I see someone sitting at Sparky’s table I want to walk over and pour hot chocolate on their head. That’s not a very Snoopy thing to do, but I’m more of a Lucy. In fact, I’d like to set-up a little booth right there. My sign would read “Psychiatric Help 5 cents – The Doctor is In” and I’d ask questions like “Tell me sir, how long have you been a block head!?” then I’d pound them on top of their head with my square fist.
Breakfast (and lunch) is served all day, but if you get there in the morning, you’re more likely to get a good seat. It’s not a huge menu, but there’s something for you. I had the Breakfast Wrap (Potatoes, cheese, egg, onion, and salsa). Don’t you hate it when the potatoes aren’t cooked all the way? Me too. Happily, The Warm Puppy Cafe uses hash browns and who doesn’t love hash browns? Block heads, that’s who. Hash browns add a nice crunchy texture inside the warm soft wrap with fluffy eggs and cheese. Add some Tapatio to the salsa though, because it’s just the bottled kind. But hey, its an ice rink, so get over it! The tortilla was the grown-up kind. I make this judgment based on spots. It had spots of herbs and spices all over it and while I enjoy this spangle of spice, children will pick each and every one off until they’re left with a burrito that looks like it was shot down by the Bloody Red Baron.
The best thing about my breakfast was the coffee. They use Taylor Made Farms Organic Coffee. My local favorite. Very rich and robust but doesn’t make you feel like you’re on crack like Pete’s does (not to offend Pete’s or crack-heads). Taylor Made Farms practices fair trade, ecological farming, yada yada yada. And don’t get me wrong, I really care about the yadas, but when it comes to coffee, I’m positively shameless. I would steal a cup of coffee from a blind republican with an AIG investment portfolio. A small coffee is only $2 and … drum roll please … free refills! If you don’t like coffee, please order the Peppermint Patty. Its hot chocolate with peppermint extract and tons of whip cream on top. Delish!
When you’re “doing” the wine country thing with kids, you owe them this. Buy them a hot dog in a cardboard snoopy bowl and take them skating. If you’re just someone who loves nostalgia or peanuts or ice skating, you owe this to yourself. True, its not highbrow foodie heaven, but it’s good. The people are friendly and the value is good. There is no charge for eating in the cafe so just walk right by the ticket booth in the lobby and head into the Warm Puppy Cafe.
Breakfast Wrap: $4.95
Coffee: $2.00
Total w/ Tax: $7.51
And that’s what you get for ten bucks!
Warm Puppy Cafe – Redwood Ice Arena
1667 West Steele Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 546-7147
*This is a little lie that I made up.
