Moschetti, Kamphausen cafe collaboration nears completion in Vallejo

_{By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen | | Vallejo Times-Herald
PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019}

“Art, Hospitality, Community.”

That’s the motto that longtime Vallejo coffee roaster Fabrice Moschetti has devised for the cafe he’s been working for nearly a year to open at Marin and Florida Streets, in downtown Vallejo.

And if it sounds a little bit like the French national motto, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity — well, that’s no accident, Moschetti said.

“We want to make sure everything is beautiful and functional and works for the customers,” he said. “We will have a cafe that’s 100 percent — maybe 110 percent — up to code; with a stainless steel kitchen, nice restrooms, air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.”

Moschetti credits Vallejo businessman and property owner Buck Kamphausen with transforming the space that had been The Leaf cafe into a higher-end, welcoming gathering place.

“I couldn’t have done it on my own” Moschetti said. “Mr. Kamphausen has been really supportive and generous. He takes pride in his buildings.”

Fully aware of how long the process, which started last April, has taken, Kampausen admits to experiencing some irritation along the way. He suggested meeting those codes have mostly been responsible for the delays.

“It’s been a frustrating time,” he said. “Lots of Health Department requirements. The stove hood, for instance, had to go two stories, requiring a much longer chimney and fan. Lots of little things you don’t think about — all custom designed, but it’s all installed now.”

In response to often-asked questions about how a cafe replacing another cafe would require so many changes, Kamphausen said he may have been misled by the previous operators. He said he believes he’s sunk some $50,000 into the building so far, “not counting the lost rent.”

“I was told the last people were up to code, but learned they weren’t,” he said. “This caused the (regulators) to be leery of us, but, now they see we’re not cutting corners. We want this building to be perfect — code-plus is my way of doing construction.”

Kampausen said he thinks the place — which Moschetti says will be named Moschetti’s, like his roasting and Saturday gathering space at 11 6th Street — may be finished in the next month or so.

So, Moschetti, and his manager Haley Mosher, can start thinking about the fun parts of the enterprise.

“We’re trying to make it welcoming and safe, and on a par with anywhere else — Napa, San Francisco or anywhere,” he said. “You’ll be able to get a real good cup of coffee, specialty drinks, all with a French flair. Cultural events, maybe; French films. A place you can practice your French. I turn 55 this year, and this will probably be my last big venture.”

Those familiar with the effort to open the cafe have been pelting Moschetti with questions about when it might open, for a year, and he said he hopes “to fulfill their expectations,” in the atmosphere as well as the fare it offers.

“Locally sourced, organic ingredients,” he said. “Dairy products from operations that treat the animals humanely, but, also milk alternatives. It will be a small cafe, with a small menu, including pastries, sandwiches, crepes,” as well as Moschetti’s coffee, including some small specialty batches made in his brand-spanking-new little roaster.
Moschetti’s manager, artist Haley Mosher, shows off the coffee roaster’s new, small roaster, fresh from the European manufacturer, which will allow owner Fabrice Moschetti to create small batches of specialty roasts he plans to make available at his new cafe downtown, when it opens. (Rachel Raskin-Zrihen — Times-Herald)

“We’ll offer coffee tastings, specialty coffees,” he said. “This will be the hospitality arm of Moschetti’s.”

All Moschetti’s coffee is kosher, he said.

The cafe’s walls will feature the work of local artists, and the far wall will include local art that’s for sale. Information on the artists shown will be available on cards at the cafe, he said.

“We’re not Starbucks, and we’re not Subway, but I want to be proud of the place,” he said. “I want to offer people a place they can enjoy community, food, organic coffee with knowledgeable, friendly service.”

Basically, the men want to say, it won’t be long now.

“People ask what’s the delay, and the short answer is, we had a huge amount of work,” Moschetti said. “But, I think we’re seeing the end of the tunnel.”