A trio of energetic 20-somethings have created a culinary oasis at St. Philip's Plaza.
The recently opened Liv Café & Bistro is at 4340 N. Campbell Ave., Suite 164, just across from Gadabout.
The café's spacious covered patio features couches at both ends, mosaic tables for two or four and herbs and other plants growing in pots - all lending to a relaxing atmosphere.
I wondered how co-owners Lee Klein and Alek Comyford and chef Emily King managed to make the place a reality after only 14 months of planning.
It turns out that Klein and Comyford, both graduates of the University of Arizona Eller College of Management, and King were friends and also neighbors for a time. King had always loved to cook and was a graduate of the Art Institute's culinary program in Phoenix. So the three of them brainstormed the concept of a neighborhood café and bistro.
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They came up with a mission to offer healthy food and artisan coffee, buying from local purveyors as much as possible.
"We wanted to give patrons an exceptional experience every time they visited," Comyford said.
King created the menu, designed the kitchen and became chef de cuisine. Comyford and Klein developed the business model.
"Every offering is prepared to order; it's not just sitting in a freezer waiting to be microwaved," Klein said.
Comyford is the property manager of St. Philip's Plaza so it was a natural choice for a venue.
In addition to being open seven days a week, Liv offers catering for parties up to 50. Call-in orders and carry-out also are available.
I talked to a few folks at Liv to get their take on the restaurant.
Sharon Finefrock and Diane Kurlander were having breakfast on the patio Sunday morning, accompanied by Coco, a bichon-poodle mix, and Riley, a golden retriever.
"We found out about Liv's while walking around the St. Philip's Farmer's Market last week," Kurlander said. "We decided to come back because the menu is interesting, the prices are reasonable and the patio is dog-friendly."
The coffee cake she tried that morning was so good she ordered a second, Kurlander said.
Sharon, who complimented the iced tea, said she plans to bring family members to Liv when they visit at the end of the month.
Later I caught up with David and Barbara Pearson and their bicycling pals Sam Negri and Denise Glover, all having lunch al fresco. This was also their first visit to Liv, after their usual Sunday ride on the neighboring Rillito River Path. They said they appreciated being able to keep an eye on their bikes, parked just outside the fenced patio.
Pearson, a self-described coffee connoisseur, gave a thumbs up to the brew at Liv. Glover was impressed by the generous amount of chicken in the curry chicken wrap, while Negri - a former Arizona Daily Star staffer - said he enjoyed the overall ambiance.
If you go
What: Liv Café & Bistro, 4340 N. Campbell Ave., Suite 164
When: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Phone: 638-5786
Barbara Russek is a Tucson freelance writer. Email her at Babette2@comcast.net
