Text and Photos
By Shari Benyousky
Guest Columnist

Column Note: This is the 45th column in the Diners and Dives series in which a small group of Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club members and their guests road trip to explore the restaurants of Kosciusko and the surrounding area.

The Restaurant

A soft snow drifted down out the enormous windows as seven of us figured out where to sit around the “big table” and who was ordering what. The Syracuse Coffee Depot (shout-out to reader Lorraine Callahan for emailing me about it) can be found at its third location at 400 S. Huntington St., in Syracuse.

You’ll understand why the place kept growing and needing larger spaces after you meet the owners, see the sweets in the display case, and eat some of their awesome choices.

The Spectacular Food

Waitress and co-owner Connie Sears greeted us with a wide smile. After some repeat questioning, she admitted that if she had to choose, her favorite thing on the menu was “The Reuben Sandwich.” Wildcard No. 1 Attorney and Syracuse Town Council member Paul Stoelting immediately claimed that choice.

The regulars and first-time three-peat-wildcard Kris Williams visiting from Denver eyed each other. We have a rule that everyone orders something different, so there’s a distinct undercurrent of competition. Wildcard No. 2 chose Depot’s Signature staple Potato Soup. “It’s my favorite,” Martha Stoelting gushed. “Not too thick. Just perfect. You can get it every day.”

Wildcard No. 3 Ann Garceau chose the gorgeous Hawaiian Chicken Salad which brought Connie to Regular REMAX Jeff Owens.

He gave the rest of us a significant look before ordering the Poutine. “What is poutine exactly?” I asked before ordering the soup of the day and some excellent fries.

“It’s Canadian,” Martha answered. “We’ve gone a little Canadian in Syracuse lately.” Poutine takes many forms, but it’s basically a flavorful brown gravy with cheese curds over French fries. The dish originates in Quebec.

Denver Kris chose a salad with a sigh. “If I eat an unhealthy breakfast, I have to get a good lunch.” Builder Charlie breathed a sigh of relief that no one had chosen his Sourdough Melt first. Connie closed her order pad with a nod and promised to send her mom, co-owner Kimie McIlwain, out of the kitchen when she had a moment.

Both Connie and her mom Kimie glow with friendliness and welcome. When Kimie stopped by to say hello, she told us, “We like to make everything with a nice twist.”

We felt relaxed and at home in the Depot. “Clearly this place has a personality that helps it succeed,” REMAX Jeff Owens remarked with admiration. And the food tasted just as good as it looks.

The Historians

While nibbling lunches and greeting half a dozen or so other diners with hugs, Martha Stoelting turned to Ann Garceau and remarked, “Today, we could have a High School reunion in here!” The two historians chuckled, and she clarified for the rest of us, “You see, there hasn’t been a Syracuse High School since it closed in 1968!”

Martha described Ann as: “The premier historian of Syracuse. She narrates the twice-a-year Chautauqua cruises on the SS Lilypad II.” Ann has also written the book “Images of America: Syracuse and Lake Wawasee” with Erin Lomax. “I became a historian because of my dad Jack Vanderford,” Ann told us. “I listened.” Ann handed me a paper about the history of Syracuse. “I taught school for many years,” she smiled.

Ann returned the favor to Martha by telling us about Martha’s tours on the Oakwood Resort Tour boat on summer Friday and Saturday evenings. “It’s a smaller boat, so I get to know everyone.” Martha held up one hand. “Ann’s tours are longer because her boat has a bathroom. And a bar.” Martha also wrote the columns “Cruzin’ Cuse” and “Heart of the Lakes” for The Mail-Journal.

“The old joke used to be that Syracuse only had three Bs – Bars, Beauty Shops, and Banks,” Martha finished her potato soup.

“Now we’re running low on banks.” Syracuse feels small in the winter when the lakers leave and everyone knows everyone again.

Listening to them compare notes and greet everyone in the Depot, Denver Kris looked wistful. He compared his experience living in a metropolitan area to living in a smaller Indiana town. “I miss the community of a smaller town.” He finished his salad. “Nothing there has replaced the community here. Nothing.”

Both Martha and Ann represent the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum, which is currently closed for renovations, but when it reopens, be sure to check it out.

The Town Council Member

Martha’s husband Paul Stoelting finished his Rueben with a satisfied grin. He had been listening intently. “I’m here,” he told us leaning back in his chair. “Because she (pointing at his wife Martha] said you’re coming. I didn’t know what I was getting into.”

“She speaks for you, then?” REMAX Jeff raised his eyebrows dramatically.

Councilman Paul chuckled affectionately. “She usually does.”

I asked Councilman Paul what the biggest accomplishment of the town council had been on his watch. “The second industrial park, I think,” he mused. “We’ve done a lot of good things though.”

“Your council did this?” I asked.

Paul’s great humor bubbled. He winked. “No, I’m pretty sure, it was just me that got it done.” He paused. “There’s always that one guy, you know, the one guy who does everything.” He smiled, “We have a great council.”

“On the other side of good things happening here,” REMAX Jeff asked seriously. “What does Syracuse need most at the moment?”

“Oh, housing, of course. And childcare facilities!” Councilman Paul said immediately. “Low-cost housing.” Syracuse, like Warsaw, has lots of new housing going up, but that housing tends to be in the $300k and up range.

“It’s impossible to find something affordable to rent,” Columnist Martha added.

I made the mistake of asking, “What IS rent?” Simultaneously, Denver Kris and REMAX Jeff explained: “Rent is what you pay someone to live in their house, Shari.” They gave each other a high five.

Kris grinned at my eye roll. “Where else could you get double mansplaining, and in stereo?! And by the youngest member at the table too.”

This is where I point out the who-looks-youngest selfie included below. We compared birthdays. Kris won the youngest. I won the younger looking. He should know better than to test the writer, right?

The Cupcakes

Thankfully, Co-Owner Connie saved our sanity by bringing out a gorgeous trio of cupcakes. “Carrot cake, Oreo, and lemon with Lemon Curd and Buttercream,” she said proudly “We make them.” After a moment of salivating, Columnist Martha took up the knife and tried to figure out how to cut cupcakes into pieces for seven people to share. We passed them around in a happy sugar trance. Depot cupcakes are absolutely the way to end meals here.

Builder Charlie shrugged back into his work jacket. I asked him if he had any wise words to end with. “I do! There’s a saying that I like: Better to stay quiet and let people think you’re a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt!” We looked around at each other for a quiet moment. No doubt some people were reflecting on this deeply. I like to think this would be anyone who mansplains, but that might be optimistic.

“I was told earlier this week that grinning like an idiot was my natural state,” Denver Kris said helpfully.

Here’s to you having a fantastic week. Make sure you get one of those lemon buttercream cupcakes at the Syracuse Coffee Depot to make sure. It’s a valid reason to open one’s mouth and be wise simultaneously.

Do you know of an interesting place, restaurant, nonprofit, or person that you’d like to see featured in Diners and Dives, Whirlwind Wanderlust Travels, or Profiles Behind the Scenes? Send SB Communications LLC Shari Benyousky an email at [email protected].