Omar's Cafe
Where:West Concord, Minn.
Hours: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Sunday brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Phone:(507) 527-1000
WEST CONCORD, Minn. - As if running a successful catering business, baking dozens of breads, rolls, pies and cookies for his wife Lori's stand at the Rochester Farmers Market and having a concession trailer for summertime fairs and fests wasn't enough, chef Omar Feyen has yet another venture to his resume: Omar's Cafe in West Concord.
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"I like to keep busy," he says.
How does he manage to keep all those balls in the air? "I go to bed at 7 (p.m.) and start in at 2 (a.m.)."
"Having my own restaurant was something I have wanted for a long time, but finding space was a problem," Feyen says. After learning about an available space in West Concord, Feyen jumped at the chance to take a look at it.
"It was not exactly love at first sight," he says. "It needed lots of TLC. We pondered it for awhile and then got very excited about the possibilities."
Omar's Cafe opened March 30.
On the menu
Omar's Cafe is serving up home-style food for breakfast and lunch, though dinner is being considered. They also offer a Sunday brunch.
On the breakfast menu, Feyen and his crew cook up omelets, French toast, hotcakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy.
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Lunch items include burgers sandwiches, salads and soups. There are also daily specials offered for both meals.
"Nothing fancy, just hearty food and plenty of it," Feyen says. They serve their own homemade baked goods, which are also for sale there.
On, and off, the wall
The Feyens have furnished their entire restaurant with auction items they've found over the years. Every chair, table, the griddle and the ovens are secondhand; the walls are filled with vintage prints and mirrors from the early 1900s.
The dishes were even rescued from the Salvation Army store.
The Feyens cannot manage all of their ventures - especially the new cafe - alone. Helping them is Lucky Phang.
"I couldn't do it without him. He is sensational," Feyen says.
Both men do most of the cooking at the cafe, and the waitstaff are mainly people from around the area.
