Looking for Just a Bite? No Problem

It is a dilemma that faces everyone in restaurants all over America: I want to try an item off the menu, but I just want to try one bite. I don’t want the entire entrée.

Kevin Rivard and his wife often had this problem, so when the retired member of the Federal Reserve Bank decided to open up his own eatery, choosing the theme was simple.

“I always had this in my mind that it would be a great restaurant concept,” said Rivard, whose One Bite Café celebrates its grand opening this Saturday in the Simsbury Town Shops. “We keep everything on the small size, so instead of having one roast beef, you can have a roast beef, a chicken and a tuna salad.”

Portion control is the name of the game at the One Bite Café, where everything from doughnuts to sliders to even ice cream comes in a miniature variety. The menu also offers an extensive list of healthy food options from salads to mini sandwiches served in your choice of a roll or pita.

The variety is already a selling point to customers who found their way into the One Bite Café since it opened for business July 30.

“I just think it’s a great idea,” said Tammy O’Brien who came into the restaurant with her daughter, Kaitlyn, and ordered blueberry doughnuts and a turkey avocado slider. “My son is very picky, but I know even he could find something here he’d like. The variety is great.”

Rivard knew the variety would draw people in, but once he had the idea, the next step was the hardest — finding a location.

“Probably the biggest challenge once I had the idea was finding the spot,” he said. “I was looking for something in the Simsbury-Granby area. Then I find this plaza and I love it. There is a lot of traffic.”

Rivard also built a website and a company account on Facebook to get the word out about his new venture.

To come up with the unique, healthy recipes, from the Mexican Guacamole Meatball slider to the Skinny Elvis (peanut butter, flaxseed, bananas and honey), Rivard held a taste-testing party in which those involved voted on their favorites.

“We held a party with a bunch of recipes that different people have used over the years,” he said. “We gave everyone cards asking them to rate our different sandwiches and we took their comments and went on from there.”

Although the grand opening is not until Saturday, the One Bite Café has already seen its fair share of customers during the daily lunch rush, something the employees welcome with open arms.

“I actually have a lot of fun during the lunch rush,” said employee Meg Griffin, a Granby native. “It gets the adrenaline going and it’s fun to talk to new people everyday.”

Open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week, the One Bite Café offers plenty of options for meals throughout the day. But if you are looking for the restaurant’s bestseller, look no further than a breakfast snack served all the time.

“The apple cider mini doughnuts are our best seller bar none,” Rivard said. “But, just like the rest of our menu, you don’t have to commit to one thing. You can try a couple of different donuts without eating too much.”

The One Bite Café is also open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The grand opening on Saturday, August 6 gives customers a free mini doughnut with the purchase of a regular coffee or beverage.

One Bite Cafe is located at 928 Hopmeadow Street, (just below Subway and Little City Pizza). The phone number is 860-217-0730 and the web site is http://onebitecafe.com.