Capriccio opens café at Towne Square Mall in Port Orchard

The setting is different than the one she envisioned.

Several years ago, when Desiree’ Steffens worked as a regional director for a medical imaging company, she envisioned retirement with a restaurant and gas station in the mountains.

Instead, she now has the former at Towne Square Mall. Steffens has teamed with former Smokey Delights owner Stephanie Jenkins to expand Capriccio Café and Catering.

“It brings a really nice variety of different kinds of foods,” Steffens said.

Some of those offerings include the “Capriccio Dog,” which is a bacon-wrapped hot dog with Jenkins’ special barbecue sauce, cream cheese and sauteed onions.

In addition to that, the café features a variety of soups, including a non-dairy clam chowder, sandwiches and boxed lunches. Capriccio also will feature daily specials, and Steffens said they can handle orders. Several lunches begin at $5.50.

The café, which also features an espresso bar, marks the latest change since it was opened in 2007 by the Kruger family. The business originally featured a café before just focusing on catering.

After a long career as a regional director for a medical imaging company, Steffens’ friends began advising her to simply find a career that made her happy.

“I love to organize parties,” Steffens said. “That’s where the wedding and event planning started.”

She expanded her business in November 2010 when she purchased Capriccio. Steffens still will focus on the catering aspect of the business, which includes wedding packages that encompasses wedding coordination, officiants, a disc jockey and flowers.

That works for the food, as well. Steffens said she generally charges $15-$25 per person for foods at events, but those rates can be adjusted depending on the meal.

For those looking to spend less, she might provide one salad instead of two or three.

 

Contact Port Orchard Independent Staff Writer Chris Chancellor at cchancellor@portorchardindependent.com or (360) 876-4414.

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