The Froth House is the sort of place that every neighborhood should have. During the day, it's a popular place for Madison West High students and others to stop in for hot chocolate, coffee drinks, sandwiches, salads, soups and pastries. Unlike its predecessor, the Dancing Grounds coffee shop, beer and wine are also served.

At night, the space is used for community events, including Irish step and tango nights.

Free live music — gypsy swing jazz, Americana, flamenco, rockabilly, Cajun, Bossa Nova, folk — open to all ages, is another of its draws. Poetry readings, book clubs meetings, wine tastings and coffee cuppings (the caffeinated version of a wine tasting) breathe other forms of life into the place.

During a recent blizzard, my daughter and I were joined by the first-grade daughter of an owner. Even though she'd never seen us before, she came over to offer her review of the Harry Potter book she was reading and then asked if we'd join her in a game of Scrabble. Art photographs, all named with Bob Dylan lyrics, are for sale on the walls. An old upright piano beckons you to plunk out a tune. Feeling uncomfortable in such a welcoming cocoon seems almost impossible — even though the droopy and yellowed banana trees in the windows apparently disagree.

An upbeat and warm environment is exactly what owners Dean Welch, Terese Dietrich and Erik Thebert are aiming for, according to their mission statement: "Our mission is to provide a public house for the community to enjoy fine food and beverages in an artistically stimulating environment with our business practices emphasizing locally produced ingredients and utilizing sustainable energy sources."

The menu, written on a chalkboard, is currently on the minimal side, but what is there is good. A grilled turkey sandwich was thick and sturdy, as was a vegetable sandwich with a sumptuous layer of artisanal cheese.

The G'Banzo packs a lot into two halves of fresh white-flour pita bread: a pleasantly garlicky hummus (hence the "garbanzo" name) laced with tahini (sesame-based sauce) topped with romaine lettuce, a few slices of cucumber and tomato and a generous sprinkling of feta on top. The romaine replaced the spinach listed on the chalkboard menu, which also referred to alfalfa sprouts, also missing in action. On winter days, grilling the pita before filling might take the chill off the cold ingredients.

A different soup is offered daily, and a vivid orange, slightly chunky fresh tomato soup was perfectly timed to return blood circulation to cold, pale and often sickly customers at this time of year. A side salad, though fresh, was slathered with an overly oily, viscous balsamic vinegar dressing.

A much lighter note came from a Boylan ginger ale, a refreshing alternative to mass-produced sodas since cane sugar is added instead of corn syrup) and the ginger flavor and carbonation were subtle but just right with a meal. Sugar-free versions are also available. Daily coffee drink specials are also worth checking out. When, exactly, were pumpkin lattes invented?

An apple crisp was something you'd expect at Grandma's house, and a cupcake with a thick bouffant of multi-colored frosting was a child's ultimate birthday party dream treat.

With so many other comings and goings at the Froth House, it's understandable that the owners want to get on solid footing before doing anything more ambitious with the menu. But I imagine many people in the neighborhood would be eager for that to happen, especially welcome when the weather warms up and the outdoor patio opens.

Restaurant: The Froth House

Location: 11 N. Allen St.

Specialties: Sandwiches, soups, pastries, coffee drinks

Phone: 231-0100

Hours: Winter hours Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Price range: Everything under $6

Smoking: No

Credit cards: Accepted

Accessibility: No, though a patio with window service is open seasonally

Reservations: Not accepted

Bottom line: Not much on the menu, but what's there is good.