The iconic yellow Victorian house on Main Street West in White Sulphur Springs, once an antique shop and then an inn, has undergone a refreshing and welcomed incarnation to emerge as Sanctuary Living Cuisine Cafe & Bakery.
The grand opening- ready or not- was held on Thursday, Nov. 30, with door prizes, music and entertainment, and tastings to tempt the crowd with their healthy menu items featuring fresh local and international foods. Despite the physical challenges of refurbishing the old Victorian, it is been a labor of love for co-owners Carina Dumitru-Fritz and her sister Adriana Grecu. Both sisters were on hand to host the event, along with kitchen manager and pastry chef Yvonne Ortiz.
Sanctuary Living Cafe & Bakery offers a rare respite from food fads and trends, said Grecu, during a Friday morning interview amid boxes of furniture and unpacked food stuffs. Sanctuary’s delectable entree offerings uses fresh, local or organic ingredients and includes chicken and duck dishes, plus vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, soups and sandwiches, salads, sides and also a kids’ menu.
Entrees examples found on the menu include Thai coconut curry chicken bowl, marinated duck with polenta, balsamic berry melt, “meat” Hoagie, spinach pesto grilled cheese, butternut squash soup and terragon pea soup. All are prepared on site and are nutrient-rich and delicious, and reasonably priced.
Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., Sanctuary Living Cuisine also offers a Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. featuring separate stations for omelets, crepes and waffles.
The Artisan bakery offers pies, cream puffs, eclairs, cookies, Napoleons, brownies and muffins and patrons will be coming back again and again to pick up a latte, cappuccino or herbal tea at the coffee and tea bar, or take home fresh baked Artisan breads, or order one of the many “elixirs of life” from the juice and smoothie bar. Be prepared to be awed.
Dumitru-Fritz, a professional baker with two separate bakeries under her belt, is famous for her spectacularly decorated cakes. Grecu and her husband Marius Grecu, a naturopathic doctor, own the Salt Cave and Spa, recognized as one of the best spas in West Virginia, according to bestthingswv.com/spas/. Together, the sisters invite the community to explore Sanctuary Living’s local and international cuisine that will “entice the taste buds and take you on a culinary journey.”
“Our purpose is to provide the community with healthy food options. It’s our way to give back to the community,” Grecu said, and as part of their commitment, Sanctuary Living Cuisine will donate 30 percent of its profits to the community via Healthy Habits Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing communities near and far through education, enrichment of the physical condition and support of the emotional/spiritual body.
The public is invited to savor the the warm, friendly environment of the old Victorian, and be sure to bring your appetite. You will feel as if you walked into your grandmother’s house filled with love. Visit Sanctuary Living Cuisine’s website for a full list of the menu offerings at www.sanctuarylivingcuisine.com, or call 304-536-1112 for more information. They are closed on Mondays.
