Taste of Seattle Style at Neighborhood Café

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By Laura Kennedy

Story Published: Feb 9, 2012 at 8:32 AM MDT

Story Updated: Feb 9, 2012 at 9:16 AM MDT

BILLINGS - The sun is just rising over Billings' hospital district, but the owners of Harper and Madison are wide awake serving their breakfast fare to hungry patrons.

"I love getting up early in the morning and starting my day that way, knowing that the regulars are going to be coming in soon. There's a real community that's been built here and that's what I love the most," Harper and Madison Owner Joanie Swords said.

Swords opened her business in early 2011, finding what she calls the perfect location for the northwest coast style café.

"I wanted to create something that made people feel like they could be in Seattle or Portland, and I get that compliment a lot, and it means more than anything really," Swords said.

It's tucked away in a neighborhood by the hospital corridor, which also provides a large portion of their business.

"It's a huge community and really that's what we strived for here was to make it a neighborhood location and that's why I think we're so successful at it is because we are the neighborhood location," Executive Chef Shane Weigel.

Chef Shane is a Billings native, but loves to bring flavors from around the world into the food.

"We strive for the fresh, the peak, of everything that we can. I have an unusual bit of flavors I love spice so I use a lot of spice in my food," Weigel said.

Part of the freshness is using local growers whenever possible, especially in the summer.

Even though she strives for a big city experience, this is a Billings family run business, and that's important for Swords. Harper and Madison is named after her son and daughter, who also work at the restaurant.

"The whole community is a family here and that's what I really enjoy about the restaurant itself it's not a chain," Weigel said.

This style of eatery isn't easily found in the Magic City, but Swords feels the taste of the city could be moving in that direction.

"I think Billings is really hungry for something that's unique and different and judging from the support that I've gotten so far I think that other small businesses would be supported as well," she said.

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