First Michael Carroll rescued the popular southwest Roanoke County coffee shop Froth at The Forum on Starkey Road from oblivion – purchasing it from the former owners after they had planned to shut it down at the end of February. Now Carroll, a veteran coffee veteran who had been hired away from Mill Mountain Coffee, is thinking bigger. This week saw the debut of Café Froth at the Forum, which will offer an expanded menu and hours – including a rotation of dinner plates – along with craft beers and wines.
Café Froth makes its debut this week and Roanoke County officials will help celebrate the makeover with a ribbon cutting on September 18th. Carroll said getting his ABC license required “a big bucket of patience,” but vows it will be worth it in the long run. Carroll took over for good in April after working with former owner Luke Higginbotham during transition in the month of March.
Carroll said a more moderate “portion and price” for meals and wine will allow Café Froth to be a two-stop per week dining option for many people; at least that’s the plan. Café Froth customers will still have to order their meals at the counter but Carroll said they’ve been open long enough (more than two years) that he believes people will be comfortable with that. He’s hired kitchen help from Frankie Rowland’s, Billy’s and Hidden Valley Country Club in preparation for his 5 to 9 dinner service.
“Food and beverage is a balance [during] Froth after Five,” said Carroll, who plans to offer four dinner features and several appetizers paired with house wines or craft beer. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Carroll said the dinner plates will often be tied to countries near the equator where the coffee beans come from. “The seasoning or a technique that is used in the kitchen [there will be used here]. If coffee comes from Brazil – what do they eat in Brazil?…why don’t we eat it? What’s fun about the concept is that you get curious [about other parts of the world.]” Carroll plans to change that dinner option every few weeks.
Café Froth has introduced a wide variety of coffee beans from local roasters, cold coffee and even milk shakes since Carroll took over. “We are the only multi-roaster coffee house in Roanoke,” said Carroll, who brings coffee in from as far away nationally as Colorado. “The rotation – that’s what’s going to be fun at Café Froth.”
Froth has had a loyal clientele and Carroll greets people by name on a daily basis, often visiting them at their tables. He’s looking forward to stocking local craft beers and is relying on his staff to an extent for their expertise. Look for extended hours until 9pm every day but Saturday; a Sunday brunch may be also coming soon but is not yet in place.
Owning Froth and then expanding his business has allowed Carroll’s “passion to come forward,” he said, even with that “underlying fear” that all small business owners face. “Just because you think it tastes good doesn’t mean anyone else will agree with you. But I think they will.” Carroll said it’s all about “connecting with those that you truly want to connect with.” The Café Froth adventure begins in earnest on September 18th.
by Gene Marrano
