Keith Lowman is all about the flavors.
As owner and executive chef of Gettysburg’s newest addition, Christine’s Café, he uses his skills to create a taste that will keep you wanting more.
From an entrée plated with wild boar to a turkey club made with a flash-fried and seasoned turkey cutlet, customers can expect a more exotic experience when they dine with Lowman for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The BYOB café, which opened in June, took the place of former French bistro Café Saint-Amand on Baltimore Street in downtown Gettysburg.
Take a look at what Lowman had to say about his new endeavor.
PA Eats: With a Christine’s Café already in Waynesboro, how did you come to open a second location?
Keith Lowman: I was their opening executive chef down there about five years ago, and I worked there to help them get up and running. Then I drove by here in May, saw the sign, called them up and said, “Hey, here’s a location. Do you want to open one up in Gettysburg?” Since I helped them learn how to run restaurants and cook and everything like that, they helped me out opening this location.
Why Gettysburg?
It’s close to home. I live down Route 30 in Orrtanna. I figured if any spot would be a good spot, it’d be one block away from the square in Gettysburg. It’s a good location. There’s a lot of foot traffic and, of course, the tourism season.
What kind of atmosphere can customers expect?
It’s a work in progress, obviously. But a nice, casual and welcoming-style atmosphere is all. Not too stuffy. I definitely want people to feel they’re eating at home when they come to my restaurant.
How does your background in cooking play into your American fusion theme?
I [have] definitely lived in various areas. I like Southern, soul food dishes the most, I guess. If I would have to pick a favorite style cuisine it would be that or Asian. I love Asian and its layers of flavors, but I don’t have a specific cuisine I really like to cook. That’s why I do American fusion. Sometimes I’ll do the traditional dishes or I’ll infuse American-style dishes with other flavors.
What can people expect in regard to food?
I actually studied graphic design for a little bit so I have an artistic sense and I love cooking with different styles and flairs. Breakfast I’d say is a little higher scale than your typical diner breakfast. I do offer normal eggs, but crepes and eggs Benedict are kind of my specialty. I also cure my own salmon. I’ve got Nordic-style cured salmon instead of cold smoked salmon.
Lunch is kind of a mix between sandwiches and small entrée styles, like the chimichurri chicken rice bowl or the vegan burrito bowl—things of that nature. So it’s not just a sandwich joint for lunch; you get a little bit more of an offering.
For dinner, that’s where I get a little more eclectic with flavors and styles. I do have wild boar, done the traditional Jamaican jerk way, marinated with orange juice and scotch bonnets so it does have a little bit of a kick. There’s the bison meatloaf wrapped in bacon and stuffed with sundried tomato cream cheese. Then I have a Cajun chicken dish served with creamy polenta, so that’s a little Southern flair.
Will the menu change?
I want to say I’ll change it seasonally. I’ll do a fall/winter menu shift and hopefully next year I want to start doing a spring, then a summer, a fall and winter, so it will change.
What separates you from other cafes?
The freshness. I don’t make anything out of a box or a bag. Everything I do is made in-house from scratch, all the way to my pasta. I make my pasta every shift before dinner. It gets rolled out and cut per order. That’s something you can’t get anywhere else unless you’re in a large city or a five-star dining restaurant. So I come with a different quality in food, I think.
What motivates you to make this the best it can be?
The biggest thing I like is creating memories for people: Having a great meal, sitting here having great conversation. That meal will help make that a memory for people. That’s what puts a smile on my face, people enjoying eating.
Now that you have a sneak peak into Christine’s Café, it’s time to check out the flavors for yourself. Whether you’re in the area for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s worth a trip to this café to get a taste of passion in your meal.
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Find Christine’s Café at 48 Baltimore St. in Gettysburg; phone: (717) 398-2056.
- Photos: Davin Jurgensen
