Blue Note Café

By Anne Morrey

The Blue Note Café is located across from Thrifty's in James Bay. I decided to check it out and I am glad that I did. I felt at home as soon as I walked in. The café is cozy and has a friendly feel to it. I introduced myself to Mike Simmons and Gerry Burke, co-owners of the Blue Note Café. Both Mike and Gerry have had extensive experiences in the food industry.

Mike Simmons has been a restaurant server and bartender since 1984 in Vancouver and Victoria. Currently he works as a server at Café Brio, where he has worked for 14 years.  Mike is also a pianist and a  published short story writer.

Gerry Burke studied at Vancouver Community College, taking a one- year cooking course.  Gerry worked for the Vancouver school board as a night school cooking instructor.  Gerry has worked in restaurants and bakeries in Vancouver and Victoria since 1980.  He also worked as a cook in a mining camp for 2 ½ years, and is a quilter extraordinaire.

Mike and Gerry are doing everything right; I could not help seeing how clean the place is. The case where the food is stored and displayed is spotless. I ordered a vegetable quiche from the case and it was absolutely delicious! To make the mirror on the back wall stand out, Mike and Gerry painted the café blue. I asked Mike how long it took him and Gerry to get the café ready for business. The answer was that it took a month.

The name of the café comes from a record label of the same name. The best thing about the café, aside from the food, are the regulars. I spoke to four of them on a rainy Friday morning. A happier bunch of people I have never seen. They told of how they loved the muffins and quiches. I got a kick out of the little blue benches outside the café, and people seem to enjoy them. Stop in and say hello to Mike and Gerry. They would like to meet you.