Ula Cafe

I’m a fan of cafes. I love hunting through the various neighborhoods of Boston looking for those spots that only locals know about. It’s great because each café is representative of the neighborhood it is in. Last week, Boston’s Cool Spots blog came up in a conversation with a friend. She asked me if I had heard of Ula Café, a small café tucked away in Jamaica Plain. I had not.
“It’s on Amory Street, near the Stony Brook T stop,” my friend explained.
We drove down Amory and she pointed out an old brewery that had been converted into store fronts and space for rent. I went back to investigate further the next day.

Opened in June of 2007, Ula Café strives to create a space where individuals can interact with the Jamaica Plain community and eat good food. The café serves standards like coffee and tea, as well as sandwiches and soups. The highlight, however, is the daily fresh-baked pastries and breads.

The café takes advantage of its space with exposed brick walls and rubbed steel countertops covered with fresh baked goods. Polished wooden benches and tables line walls and recycled metal chairs are placed at each table. The place has an airy feel to it due to strategically hung track lighting and sconces. There are also large windows that let in plenty of natural light. Ceiling fans, in the same style as the metal chairs keep a cool breeze moving through the café.

The walls are decorated with artwork, currently by Joelle Voogt. On one wall, opposite the cash register, placards display the various types of food Ula offers from specialty sandwiches like the Sweet Potato Vegetarian to their season Quickbreads and baking powder biscuits.

Amanda Smith, a student at the Museum School and resident of JP, recently discovered Ula by accident. “I got off at Stony Brook thinking it was Green Street and happened to wonder in,” she explained. “I’ve been coming back because it’s a great place to study, though sometimes it can get crowded.”

Smith is right, while I sat in the café, taking using their free wifi, enjoying fresh-squeezed orange juice and a biscuit with raspberry jam, several cyclists came in to order Loose Leaf iced tea. The commotion, however, is welcomed because it means Ula is succeeding in its conviction to bring the community together.

Compared to Flamepoeira, Ula is less intimate. I like that the café has fresh-baked goods and real utensils. I’m also a fan of the artwork and funky design of the place, but I never felt a desire to hang out longer than it took me to finish my food. There is a feeling that, even though Ula offers nice amenities like free wifi, it’s more of a place to pick up a coffee and a sandwich and keep moving.

To get to Ula Café, take the Orange Line to Stony Brook, cross the street and walk south for half a block. The Brewery Complex will be on your right, and Ula is tucked in the corner

Flamepoeira

Tucked between Commercial Street and Fulton Street, Flamepoeira is a small gallery café owned and operated by Langelo, a transplant from Malaysia. The space has finished wooden floors and exposed brick walls. It is furnished with three tables, each surrounded by four chairs, and couches draped with maroon and teal colored fabric.

Flamepoeira


Flamepoeira is the realization of his desire to showcase his artwork and infuse a less stressful way of life. “I want people who come to Flamepoeira to relax and enjoy the environment. It should be an escape from the daily hustle and bustle,” Langelo explained. The name, Flamepoeira, is a mix that describes Langelo’s personality. The name comes from Flamenco and Capoeira, two disciplines in which Langelo is trained. “I love the passion of flamenco and the celebration of life that is capoeira,” Langelo said. “For me, Flamepoeira is a celebration of passion in life. I want my customers to feel that.”

Catherine Toppin, a resident of South Boston, is fan of the space. “I love the intimate setting. It feels cozy and hidden even though it’s just down the street from Surface Road,” Toppin said. Toppin recently threw a private function at Flamepoeira. Her guests were waited on by Langelo himself and were treated to a buffet as well as the café’s signature dish, the Vincent Van Gogh. The Vincent Van Gogh consists of toasted Japanese bread, herbal mayo, topped with fried potato, scrambled eggs, fresh mozzarella and a side mesculin salad.

All the menu items are original recipes that Langelo creates. “I do a lot of traveling through Europe and will recreate dishes I find,” Langelo explained. To get to Flamepoeira take the blue line to the “Aquarium” stop. Walk five blocks north and cross Surface Road. Turn right onto Atlantic Avenue and then take a left onto Richmond Street. Make a right turn onto Fulton Street and then a right turn onto Lewis Street. Bring your sweetheart, order two Love Potions and one Vincent Van Gogh to split.