Cafe Volage

The Scene
There's something strange and exotic about walking up the stairs of this narrow restaurant housed in an historic shotgun cottage, especially when the albino parrot hanging in a cage on the front porch squawks its greeting. The setting inside this comfy, welcoming French-Mediterranean restaurant is equally magical: bent wood chairs are placed at wooden tables with pastel tablecloths, old-fashioned kerosene lamps flicker on the mantel in the front room and dainty lace covers the windows. A tree-shaded patio spans the back of the house.

The Food
The menu at Café Volage includes several dishes with unusual names such as shrimp Aaron, quail a la Felix and lamb Chateau Princess. Local favorites such as oysters Rockefeller and shrimp remoulade share space on the menu with escargot and smoked Norwegian salmon.