Review: The Cheesemonger's Table Serves Up Fresh, Handmade Fare

As fans of Strom Peterson's The Resident Cheesemonger for years, Janice and I were itching to try his newest venture, The Cheesemonger's Table.

Located in the corner space of the newly spruced up Old Milltown Plaza at Fifth and Maple, The Cheesemonger's Table is both a cafe and a specialty store.

Customers of The Resident Cheesemonger will find the familiar array of cheeses and meats tastefully displayed in the retail section. The cafe offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, all made from fresh, natural products. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available.

The cafe portion is spacious, airy, and light. Wooden tables, bright colors and tasteful decor make for a pleasant dining experience. Outdoor seating includes tables and a counter facing the newly renovated plaza.

We loved the cow sculptures on the roof (all upright), and the corresponding upside-down cows leading up the door under the overhanging porch roof.

In the mood for something to evoke the classic New York delicatessens of my childhood, I ordered Seattle's Own Excellent Sandwich, which features several varieties of deli meats with Pecorino Romano cheese. Janice had the Hot Turkey Brie Sandwich with fresh basil.

Both arrived quickly, presented on small aluminum cookie sheets with a bag of The Cheesemonger's Table signature truffle popcorn. Both sandwiches were on fresh ciabatta bread. The crust had just the right amount of crunch, and the inside was soft, aromatic and flavorful.

The truffle popcorn deserves special mention. This treat is air-popped, then sprayed with truffle oil and sprinkled with truffle salt. Also available as a snack, it's flavorful and a nice alternative to the usual bag of chips accompanying lunchtime fare.

While the ingredients of these no-frills handmade sandwiches were fresh and flavorful, we both felt that they were crying for something more. Adding some fresh sprouts, lettuce, onions, peppers or tomatoes would have made them more interesting, colorful and flavorful.

And they seemed almost lonely on that big tray, the empty space begging for some tasty garnish like a deli-style pickle or a few pepperoncini.

, The Cheesemonger's Table is still gearing up and yet to hit its stride. With a local clientele already established from The Resident Cheesemonger, a clean, relaxing atmosphere, and handmade delicacies prepared from fresh, wholesome ingredients, Strom Peterson and company are on their way to becoming an Edmonds landmark.

Still under construction at this writing, the restaurant's Web site will be cheesemongerstable.com. You can also find it on Facebook.

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The Cheesemonger's Table is at 203 Fifth Avenue South in Edmonds' Old Milltown building. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call 425-640-8949.