Taking its name from a Joni Mitchell song, the Mermaid Cafe opened quietly Monday at 1929 Winnebago St., next to Operation Fresh Start.

The cafe serves coffee, pastries, soup and made-to-order sandwiches.

"Very traditional sandwich fare," said owner Lisa Jacobson, whose turkey and provolone on whole wheat was the most popular sandwich on opening day.

Jacobson said she intends to break the business in slowly, getting a feel for the neighborhood.

"Once we have a sense of it we will have a grand opening," she said.

Mermaid Cafe uses only natural, fresh ingredients, Jacobson said. It features local Just Coffee brews and bakery from Francois' Bakery on Milwaukee Street.

Baker extraordinaire Francois Kiemde sends a different variety of pastries each day, Jacobson said.

Opening the Mermaid Cafe is a career change for Jacobson, who works as an occupational therapist in the Waterloo school district. She has also put in her time as a food service worker, she said.

The tiny cafe is mainly a to-go operation. There are no tables, but a counter along the front window seats about five people.

Jacobson said there are three reasons she named it Mermaid Cafe, but would divulge only one. The first time she heard the name was in the Joni Mitchell song "Carey":

"Come on down to the Mermaid Cafe and I will
Buy you a bottle of wine
And we'll laugh and toast to nothing
And smash our empty glasses down."

"We don't serve wine," Jacobson said, admitting that the lyrics aren't exactly pertinent. The point is to come down to the Mermaid Cafe and have fun, she said.

As for the other reasons, Jacobson said, "maybe some other time."

The cafe is open from 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.