While most people dream of retiring for Dominique Mancellon it was far too boring.
The gregarious French man, who is the former owner of the renowned Cafe Boheme in Aberdeen, retired twice before deciding that he’s just not a man of leisure.
Instead, after 40 years in the local hospitality industry, the 63-year-old is back in his happy place after opening Cafe Noir, a rustic little French cafe in Arbuthnott Place in Stonehaven.
Specialising in “good” coffee paired with traditional French crepes and galettes – a thicker style savoury pancake – Dominique is back doing what he loves best.
“I’m the man who can’t retire,” laughs Dominique who lives in the small coastal village of Catterline.
“Every time I tell my daughters that I’ll retire, another opportunity too good to miss comes up.
“I get bored very easily so here we are at Cafe Noir.”
The creme de la creme
Growing up in the Provence region of southeastern France in a family with a huge passion for food and drink, Dominique was destined for the culinary world.
And crossing the Channel to bring his taste of France to the north-east proved to be the perfect recipe for Dominique whose creme de la creme reputation precedes him.
“Because I’ve been in the hospitality business for 40 years I got to know a lot of people,” says Dominique.
“There was a young man who I used to serve years ago in Cafe Boheme who now comes into my new cafe with his son and grandson, so it’s lovely that you go a long way back with people.”
Located in the former Shamrock and Thistle Cafe, Dominique has transformed the space into a little corner of France.
Rustic vibes
“The cafe is very rustic, small and beautiful inside,” says Dominique.
“We specialise in good coffee so we’ve done a lot of research to get the highest quality coffee.
“One of the companies we use is Maison Dieu based in Brechin.
“It’s two young people who set it up and their knowledge on coffee is phenomenal.
“When I took over the coffee shop one of them visited me and spent about six hours showing me how to make the best coffee and teaching me the right ratio of coffee and water.”
Turmeric lattes and hot chocolate
As well as serving up good coffee, the cafe also has some more delicious drinks on the menu to warm the cockles this autumn/winter.
“We’ve got a selection of hot chocolate including a white chocolate, hazelnut and chocolate flake – we change our special hot chocolate every week,” says Dominique.
“We also do a good chai latte, a turmeric latte and a matcha latte.”
Brewing up a good cup of tea is also important to Dominique.
“We have a big selection of tea,” he says.
“Like with our other drinks, we try to get the best quality product so we use Eteaket from Edinburgh.
“The other one we use is Jenier, an American company which vacuum packs tea.
“So when you get a delivery of Earl Gray tea and you open it up, the aroma is amazing.”
French crepes and galettes
Perfectly paired with coffee, hot chocolate or tea are Dominique’s homemade French crepes and galettes.
“A galette is like a pancake but it’s thicker – it’s a savoury treat,” says Dominique.
“The galettes we make are made with buckwheat flour so they’re gluten-free.
“People can choose from a variety of fillings including a breakfast one with egg, bacon, sausage, mushroom and maple syrup.
“We also have a vegetarian galette and other fillings such as smoked salmon and a Mexican one which is like a fajita style and a bit spicy and a Croque monsieur with French cheese sauce, home-cooked ham and French cheese.”
Seasonal ingredients
Using seasonal produce is also a big thing for Dominique.
“When it’s the season for mushrooms, we and forage them as well as wild garlic,” says Dominique.
“I shoot and I also fish so we use that as part of our cooking.”
For those with a sweet tooth, the French crepes are sure to hit the spot.
“With the crepes, people can choose toppings such as Nutella, strawberries and Ferrero Rocher.
“The Cafe Noir crepe is served with strawberry, banana and espresso chocolate sauce and we’ve also got one that is made with apples with toffee sauce and whipped cream.”
Cakes and pastries
The cafe also has a selection of moreish cakes and pastries such as croissants and pan au chocolat.
Although serving up delicious food and drinks gives Dominique so much joy, it’s chatting and getting to know the customers that is what it’s all about for the veteran restaurateur.
“It’s a small place so it’s nice to have the rapport with people, that’s what I was missing,” says Dominique, who also used to own The Old Pier at Stonehaven harbour.
“I feel happy because I got this small business not to become rich but to keep me going and to be happy.
“In life, it’s nice to do what you want to do.”
A round of questions with Dominique Mancellon
It’s the end of the day, how do you unwind?
After a hard day in the office I like to take my dogs for a walk.
Most unusual drink you’ve ever tried?
Fernet branca (an Italian type of herbal liqueur which usually contains myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and especially saffron, with a base of distilled grape spirits).
What’s the most underrated drink?
Turmeric latte.
What’s in your drinks cabinet at home?
Gin, Ricard (a liquorice-flavored aperitif) and wine.
Best food and drink pairing?
Muscat de rivesaltes (a sweet French wine) and chocolate cake.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three drinks would be there with you?
Champagne, Ricard and beer.
You have to make a drink to represent Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire. What would that be?
Black velvet (champagne and Guinness).
You have to serve your favourite superhero or celebrity a drink.
I would serve champagne to Alex Ferguson.
Tell us a secret trick of the trade?
Always give a compliment to the ladies, they always choose where they go for a meal.
Cafe Noir is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. For more information check out their Facebook page or Instagram.
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