By adding dinner, alcohol and other changes, owner wants to write new future for library eatery.

The new Cafe L A has set out to make a big splash in Auburn. Housed in the annex of the Auburn Public Library at 49 Spring St., the venue is freshly redecorated and repainted, and big name-change signs have gone up outside what was the Library Cafe.

Dan Gagnon is the new owner, a man with restaurants in his blood and two other businesses — National Protective Agency and Rocky Coast Coffee Roasters — under his belt.

Gagnon says he means to up the food ante in the L-A area, enticing the hungry and thirsty from near and far to his new eatery.

“I don’t want to be pigeon-holed as the place to go get coffee when you drop off a book,” said Gagnon, who took over the cafe a couple months ago. “I want to make this a destination.”

The team at Cafe L A , which includes manager and baker Sarah Hicks, will not only expand on the former Library Cafe’s favorites — like the all-day breakfast that regular customers have come to count on over the years — but in the next few weeks will start offering some unexpected twists that promise to boost the cafe’s profile.

For instance, the addition of a flat-top grill, as well as a liquor license for serving wine and beer, will allow the restaurant to attract the dinner crowd. “I want to develop the menu beyond sandwiches, soups and salads,” said Gagnon, who has a fierce desire to champion the cause of bringing more diners to Auburn.

When he gave this writer a tour recently, it was obvious Gagnon is looking forward to unleashing Cafe L A in the community, and his efforts can only be helped by his infectious energy and the obvious love he has for what he’s doing.

“I got my start young, working with my mom in a family friend’s restaurant. I was just a little kid busing tables and washing dishes, getting paid in chicken nuggets, but even then, I felt so much joy from it.”

Except for a stint with the U. S. Marine Corps, Gagnon has spent nearly his entire life moving up through the restaurant ranks, performing nearly every job connected to the business. “When this opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance to make the dream I’ve had since I was a teenager come true.”

The venue itself is small but inviting, and Gagnon is providing space for local artists and photographers to display their work. Cafe L A’s amenities include a meeting room complete with a presentation screen and faux fireplace.

This time of year, Gagnon is hopeful customers will enjoy the outdoor seating while sipping a glass of homemade lemonade or iced coffee drinks made with coffee ice cubes, a cafe favorite.

As for the food, Gagnon gives a lot of credit to his support staff, who are constantly developing the menu.

“I definitely don’t consider myself to be a chef. I leave most of the cooking to the staff that really makes Cafe L A possible. However, I do love to cook, and if you ask my wife, she’ll tell you I’m pretty good at it.”

Right now, the cafe’s fare includes soups, sandwiches and salads. Its all-day breakfast sandwiches are among the favorites, and this writer can attest to seeing a lot of chicken salad — both in wraps and sandwiches — flying out the door (recipe on this page), along with scones and chocolate chip cookies.

Additions to the menu are expected as Gagnon adds dinner and alcoholic beverages to the offerings. In addition, he will be providing catering services, selling his Rocky Coast Coffee by the pound onsite, and plans to host both wine tastings and coffee “cuppings.”

On this page, Gagnon shares some simple summer recipes perfect for lounging at the lake, enjoying family time and staying cool. (After this writer tried the lemonade and chicken salad wrap at the cafe, she couldn’t wait to go home and make more.)

To sample other Cafe L A choices, like the killer bacon and roasted tomato pasta salad, the cafe is now open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, with hours expected to expand later in the summer.

Karen Schneider is a Brunswick-based writer, editor and publicist who has written for the Sun Journal, as well as dozens of other publications, since 1997. She can be reached at [email protected].

Cafe L A lemonade

Cafe L A owner Dan Gagnon recommends mixing this refresher below 50/50 with unsweetened iced tea if you want to mix things up a bit.

4-6 lemons

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 cup warm water

4 cups cold water

Ice

Juice 4-6 lemons to make 1 cup o juice. Combine juice with at least some of the pulp. (This is key for optimum flavor.) Dissolve sugar in 1 cup warm water. Add lemon juice, lemon extract and stir mixture into 4 cups cold water. Chill. Serves 4.

Summer chicken salad

Note: Store-bought mayo is fine for the recipe below, but using homemade garlic mayo (recipe below this one) makes this salad a showstopper!

2 pounds cooked, chopped chicken

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups Craisins

1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese

Mayo, just enough to coat the other ingredients and keep them together.

Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with your favorite bread as a sandwich or spread it on a wrap or use it to top off fresh, seasonal greens. Serves 4-6.

Garlic mayo

6 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup olive oil

2 egg yolks

Crush garlic cloves with salt until it forms a paste then stir in the egg yolks and vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil until the mixture is at desired consistency. Makes 1 cup.