Inspire Me Mondays #3

Good food inspires me. Good food at good prices in a simple and chic atmosphere inspires me more. Throw in a story of a dream to make it all real, add orange soda pop and inspiration sails off the charts.

Inspired by: Caffe Lola~ 507 Third St, Niagara Falls, NY 14301. 716-282-LOLA.

This my friend and former co-worker, Michael Kraus. This is my friend who had a dream, who took a risk, who stayed the course, who served me lunch last week inside his dream come true. And it was a damn fine lunch.

Truthfully, the fried Boursin cheese with raspberry coulis and the chicken brushetta panini with balsamic reduction I had were better than fine. They made me moan softly upon first taste. They were that good. What makes Michael's culinary skills so amazing with chefs aplenty in this world? Two words. Love and joy. Those are the main ingredients in the food he serves. They are the directives he employed throughout the mind-bending, character-building quest to open a restaurant. And they are what will make his dream a success. Love and joy. He lives these edicts, he exudes them, he serves them up on a platter. Literally.

If you need to be inspired to live your own dreams, it helps to step inside the manifested dream of another. I suggest, if you live in western New York or southern Ontario, you pay a visit to my friend Michael. Remind yourself that with faith and persistence, dreams can come true. Or if you simply enjoy fabulous food Caffe Lola is where you want to be. Please tell Michael, Graciel sent you.

{Directions and full menu are available at: www.caffelola.com}