L’Amitie — Ooh La La

By Rob Curran

L'Amitie, the new cafe next door to Osteria il Muro on West Congress and Bolivar is an intriguing mix of French chic and Denton chill.

Amitie and Stan Robbins met in Denton in the 90s while both attended the University of North Texas. They moved to Keller for a minute where Amitie worked in events and Catholic charities while raising four children.

Now they're back, and tapping both French and Denton roots with breakfast and brunch offerings ranging from lemon muffins to salmon dishes. The cappuccinos, espressos and cafe au laits are made with beans from local roaster Gas Coffee. Service is a high priority – something of a novelty for a place that has some of the Parisienne feel. 

"My name means friendship in French, and that's what we're going for here," said founder Amitie. 

"It's a family affair," she said, with Stan helping to manage things, and her daughter Julia working behind the counter on Wednesday, the opening morning. Another daughter, Natalie, has been enlisted for weekend duties.

L'Amitie has a tres plaisant ambience, thanks to the thoughtful work put into the decor. One customer on the opening morning peeked over at the little nook room, where comfy chairs are decorated with ruched cushions and exclaimed: "cute!" Even the books set out, so often an afterthought, appear carefully chosen. 

The coffee is on point, and the ham-egg-and-cheese panini I tasted hit all the right notes.

Looking forward to sitting on the verandah and watching the Vespas go by, a la Montmartre. En core, en core!