Let's EatAugust 06, 2008
‘Come taste the love’ in every meal at Shea’sGALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – The proprietors of Shea’s Café and Bakery, Wendy and Lou Vazquez, call theirs a perfect partnership. “We do everything together,” Lou said of he and his wife, who became a couple more than 20 years ago when they worked together in food and beverage at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City. “We work together with our two daughters too – Ashli and Lailonni.” They took over an already busy breakfast and lunch establishment in the Oceanville Station strip mall about two years ago and keep busy trying new things. “Everything is special here,” said Wendy, who lists her name as Wendy L. Hewitt-Vazquez. “Everything is homemade. We give the customers what they’re used to – but more. I always try to add something. If it’s a three-cheese omelet, I maybe add two more cheeses.” Lou Vazquez said networking at the eatery has caught on. “It’s the crossroads of Galloway,” he said. “You want to know something, go to Shea’s – if you’re a doctor, an accountant or an auto mechanic.” He said his job picks up where his wife’s leaves off. “My wife is the artist – I am the brush,” he said Friday, Aug. 1. “Everything here is custom-tailored to you. When you order fruit, that’s when we start to cut the fruit. Everything’s fresh.” Their daughters go by the last name Hewitt. Years ago, Wendy and Lou said, their names didn’t fit on a school form so the hyphenated second half was dropped. Using different names seemed a good fit for a family not looking to be classified as routine. “We’re a little left of normal,” Lou said. “We have meltdown Wednesdays and pinwheel Tuesdays. We’re known for being different. Our specials are spectacular.” Weekend breakfasts include cinnamon swirl pancakes, strawberry shortcake pancakes and strawberry cheesecake pancakes. Eggs Benedict comes several ways. Bananas Foster French toast is a daily special. “My wife cooks from the heart,” Lou said. “It says, ‘Come taste the love’ on our menu. We mean that.” The couple said they have made improvements since taking over Shea’s, and there is often a wait to get one of the 56 seats in the dining room. “We have regulars who come here every single day,” Wendy said. “Some come twice a day. Lou’s very customer-oriented. We once had a customer call from Alaska asking – joking, about us making a delivery.” Another Shea’s specialty is related to a different type of delivery. “Before you have a baby, come to Shea’s for pancakes,” Lou said. “Then go to the hospital. I don’t know how many times that happened – quite a few. They would have a delivery planned and stop here on the way.” Their daughters work regularly as waitresses and doing whatever needs to be done. Ashli is a licensed dental assistant and Lailonni attends Widener University Medical School. “They fit right in,” Wendy said. “One time Ashli took magic classes so she could perform tricks for the kids here. She started in the morning, and by noontime the word got out. We had a huge crowd for lunch – with everyone wanting to see Ashli do magic tricks.” Before buying Shea’s, Lou said the family ran a water ice truck in Galloway Township. “We took pride in that too,” he said. “Ashli was 7 or 8. I had rigged up a bell to a button like a doorbell and her job was to ring the bell. She’d be saying her finger hurt and I’d be yelling, ‘Ring the bell.’ To this day, she’ll say her finger is crooked from ringing the bell.” On the spot, Ashli made up a slogan for Shea’s: “We may not have it all together – but together we have it all.” Her father applauded the suggestion. “We’re only human,” he said. “Nobody’s perfect. But even if you get a meal you don’t like, you’ll leave here with a good taste in your mouth.” And, he said, they know there’s no guarantee that people will always be lining up to get in. “We’re humbled and flattered,” he said. “We don’t take anything for granted. You always have to be better.” To comment on this story email steve.prisament @catamaranmedia.com. If You Go Open daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. except Thanksgiving and Christmas Tuscan Benedict ($11.95) English muffin and two poached eggs with Italian sausage patty, fresh sautéed spinach, baby portabella mushrooms, homemade hollandaise sauce and roasted red peppers with home fries – regular grilled or spicy baked. Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes ($8.95, $7.95 or $6.95) Cinnamon mix swirled into buttermilk pancakes while they are cooking, drizzled with cream cheese and topped with candied pecans and homemade whipped cream. Chicken Salad Sandwich ($7.45) White meat chicken with walnuts and currants. Turkey Sandwich ($7.45) Gourmet turkey breast roasted on premises and topped with homemade cranberry chutney. Fall River Clam Chowder ($4.75 bowl or $3.75 cup) Hearty New England-style chowder. Balboa ($8.45) Warm roast beef topped with melted provolone on a garlic-toasted Kaiser roll. Filet Mignon Sandwich ($9.75, $10.45 with crumbled blue cheese) Four-ounce tenderloin coated in blackened spice, grilled and topped with sautéed mushrooms and roasted peppers. Roast Beef Club ($8.75) Made with grilled onions, bacon and red pepper mayo. Turkey Rubin ($8.25) Turkey with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on grilled rye. Shrimp Sesame Salad ($9.45) Fresh romaine, tomatoes and green onions, tossed with grilled shrimp and sesame vinaigrette, topped with crunchy Chinese noodles. |
