We've often found that going out for brunch on the weekend turns into an expedition. So it was when we set out for Jamestown's European-style bakery/cafe Slice of Heaven. Snow clouds hung on the horizon in every direction as we crossed the new bridge, and there was an edginess in the air as the barometer headed down.

Heading down North Main Road into Jamestown Center, I admired the newly restored 18th-century windmill, did a double take at a group of five deer in a cornfield, and peered carefully at an osprey nest in the salt marsh. Then I came into town, hung a left at the stop sign, and looked for a parking spot. Time was when the streets of Jamestown were as deserted in winter as, well, the streets of most of New England's island communities. But year-round residents and weekend commuters have made it a bustling little village.

And they've made Steven and Maria Liebhauser's pride and joy -- their almost year-old bakery and lunchroom -- a thriving coffee-and-muffin stop, meet-a-friend-for-lunch spot, and brunch-while-reading-the-newspaper hangout. The cheeriness of this two-room establishment, with its white walls, plum-colored woodwork, light wood tables and rush-bottomed chairs, can't be overstated. Slice of Heaven is the proverbial "clean, well-lighted place" on a gray winter day.

We began the culinary part of this excursion with a breakfast burrito ($6.95) that was stuffed to the gills with scrambled eggs, black beans, guacamole, and shredded cheddar. Bill was quite pleased, though there were no fiery spices in the burrito, so he asked ask for Tabasco to sprinkle over it.

I traveled in a completely different direction: the Grand Marnier croissant French toast ($6.95), a truly heavenly dish. The homemade croissants were nicely eggy and browned, capped by clouds of whipped cream, handfuls of raspberries and blueberries, and a swirl of real maple syrup.

Other breakfast meal choices were eggs and a croissant with bacon or maple sausage, smoked salmon on a bagel, or oatmeal with fruit. However, many of Slice of Heaven's customers are quite happy to call a latte and muffin, or tea and a scone, breakfast. The muffins ($1.50) come in a half-dozen flavors, including bran, cranberry-walnut, lemon-ginger, blueberry, carrot, and cocoa-banana. We can vouch for the last two as fluffy, moist, and flavorful. The scones ($2) are usually peach, trail-mix, lemon-ginger, or Hawaiian. And there are also yummy mini-coffee cakes ($1.50-$2), either cinnamon or apple-cinnamon.

The real eye-catchers in the pastry case are the mini-fruit tarts ($4.50) -- apple, pecan, or strawberry-blueberry. Their larger cousins are tarts and cakes ($20) that range from raspberry mousse or tiramisu to open-face pecan or apple pies. The Liebhausers make everything from scratch, with butter in the batter. I'm sure the butter is responsible for the delectable texture of the muffins and coffee cake, and it certainly adds flavor to the crust for the tarts.

Going for great tastes and textures in their sandwiches as well, the Liebhausers offer a turkey wrap with smoked bacon and avocado (the counter person's favorite); grilled chicken, also with bacon, along with creamed onions and mushrooms; rare roast beef with horseradish; a vegetarian wrap with hummus, tabbouleh and grilled veggies; grilled sirloin with peppers, onions and Swiss cheese; a grilled ham and brie with carmelized onions; and a tuna melt with provolone. They're $5.95 each, except the sirloin at $8.95.

We took the last two sandwiches home and enjoyed them for supper. My all-white tuna was moist and nicely herbed with celery and onion, a generous portion on a homemade square bulkie roll. Bill loved the onions tucked inside a little bedroll of thickly sliced ham and topped with brie -- also on a bulkie. All sandwiches come with pickles and a side of the day -- ours was a delicious curried potato salad with celery and golden raisins.

Slice of Heaven's lunch menu also lists clam chowder or a soup of the day (Tuscan white bean on our visit) and two salads: baby spinach with pears, roasted peppers, goat cheese, bacon, and spiced pecans, or tuna salad Nicoise with kalamata olives, hard-cooked eggs, potatoes, roasted peppers, and Romaine. Or you could just munch your way through a baguette, a multi-grain boule or a rosemary ciabatta. They're all quite dreamy. The fresh ingredients and special care given to all of the things prepared at Slice of Heaven, along with its bright, airy atmosphere, will make any visit to this cafe celestial indeed.

Issue Date: January 25 - 31, 2002