Thé Cup pleases diner with atmosphere, quality food

A former gym and studio is now the 2,800 square-foot location of Mike and Kristin Rozsa's cafe, thé Cup.

Using the French word for tea in the name of their restaurant, the Rozsas wanted to focus on the fair trade tea industry that, in their opinion, was lacking in the Lincoln area. The result: a rustic tea/coffee shop with a plethora of sweets, sandwiches, soups and salads.

Located on 25th and Randolph streets, thé Cup's eclectically-aged floors, brick walls, month-to-month variety of local artwork and chalk menu give customers an aura of contentment upon entering the restaurant that swung its doors wide open to the Lincoln community in October of 2006.

Kristin Rozsa's desire had always been to open a restaurant since she achieved her culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America. Her love of cooking stemmed from summer memories of cooking with her grandma, a love that is still a driving force behind her work in the kitchen at thé Cup.

"What I enjoy most now is what I enjoyed as a kid: making people happy through food," Kristin said.

Growing up in a family of eight, putting a meal together was a big production. So, when the opportunity presented itself to open a restaurant, she and her husband leapt at the chance to make her dream a reality.

"We were looking for something with a certain sense of feeling to it and we didn't want just anything," Mike Rozsa said. "You might see a miss-match of things, but we hold that it contributes to an atmosphere where people can relax."

And relax I did.

Ordering a roasted chicken and artichoke panini ($7.95), coffee ($1.85) and a mocha cupcake ($2.25), I found a secluded table in the corner of an area sectioned off from the rest of the tables by a thin curtain.

The Rozsa's dedication to organic food, which promotes local businesses, was exemplified in my meal. The fresh and not overly complicated sandwich, in conjunction with fair trade Cultiva coffee, roasted in Lincoln, and mocha cupcake that taunted me with it's tower of butter cream frosting, was a lunch to reckon with. I'll be the first to admit, not two bites in to my panini, I couldn't resist taking a swipe at the mocha frosting. Exquisite.

Conducting wedding cake tastings with a few brides during my visit to thé Cup, Kristin's culinary passion was exemplified in the unique variety of cupcakes and cakes. Making 36 assortments of cupcakes and 12 cakes, she has orders for various events from weddings, baby showers and anniversaries. Displaying around 12 flavors of cupcakes in the case each day, I'll undoubtedly be making return visits to take in a few more flavors.

While the sweets make the Rozsa's restaurant unique, it's the atmosphere and quality food that keeps customers returning.

"I did think (thé Cup) would have an emphasis on the sweet side of things," Kristin said, "But more than anything it's been the quality ingredients and community focus that keeps people coming back,"

Despite how customers pronounce the name of the restaurant, Kristin said it didn't matter to her. As long as they returned for more. I have a feeling that won't be a difficult task once people get wind of the flavorful food featured at thé Cup.

ashaanchan@dailynebras kan.com