Camille’s Sidewalk Café is a place for fast, casual dining. As Bradly Berg, the catering manager put it, “The food is prepared right in front of you, but it’s also a place where you can sit, relax, and have dinner.” The new restaurant is located on 1120 122nd St. in Chippewa Falls.

Camille’s is a “fresh, new alternative than people are used to,” Berg said. They specialize in wraps (cold or grilled), Panini (a Focaccia bread sandwich grilled and served warm), sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, and smoothies. However, Camille’s has an incredible combination of flavors. The Apple-Walnut Tuna sandwich, for instance, contains an apple/walnut/tuna mix with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, sprouts, and mayo.

I tried the Napa Valley Chicken Panini, and the grilled focaccia bread alone added tons to the sandwich. It had grilled chicken, provolone cheese, mushrooms, sun-dried tomato pesto, red onions, and a balsamic glaze. Berg’s food of choice on the menu is the Kickin’ BBQ Chicken pizza. “It fulfills that craving for something different,” he said.

There’s also more of a variety for the vegetarians residing in the area . . . both of them (just kidding, but it does seem cruel to be a vegetarian in the “beer and brat” state. People who ask for no meat in Wisconsin are either laughed at or stoned to death with cheddar cheese.). Vegetarian options include the Veganini Panini, Sonoma Veggie wrap, house salads, smoothies, and more.

I met two Wisconsinite sisters, Heather and Beverly Payne, who braved the snow storm to come to Camille’s grand opening. Heather tried the chicken Caesar salad, which she enjoyed. “I love everything about it; it has a lot of zing,” she said.

    Beverly had the signature tomato soup. She said it had a lot of texture, “chunks of tomato and a lot of seasoning.” Heather came for the grand opening mostly for her boyfriend, who works there (nothing says “love” like wading through a Wisconsin snow storm). Beverly was just along for the ride. “I was the ride,” laughed Beverly. Both girls are looking into buying snow dogs.

The greatest challenge, Berg says, is trying to get people to understand a brand new style of restaurant. I admit that most of us grew up on McDonalds and deer meat and have no notion of what a “vegetable” is (can you hunt it?). But Berg says they’re trying to reach out and be a part of the community.

“We want you to know who we are, and we want to know who you are,” he said. Berg is originally from Chippewa Falls, so it wasn’t a big change moving back to open the restaurant. “It was like coming home.” He’s happy to be back, and we’re happy for a new type of dining. Check out Camille’s soon. Extra credit if you show up on a dog sled.

    Camille’s Sidewalk Café is located at 1120 122nd St, Chippewa Falls. It is open 7am to 9pm seven days a week. For more information, visit www.camillescafe.com or call 833-2233.