'Not your ordinary breakfast’: New Cathedral City spot has family-style meals, soul food

Creamy corn pancakes, strawberry creme waffles and rib tips are on the menu at Cathedral City’s newest restaurant.

Le Petit Dejeuner, located at the former Yiannis Greek Taverna, opens this week and specializes in breakfast and soul food. Its owner Tina Motley’s second location after opening the first in Detroit eight years ago.

She chose its name, which means breakfast in French, after hosting a student from Paris while her two oldest children, who speak French fluently, were in school. Motley asked her how she says breakfast in French.

“When she said ‘le petit dejeuner,’ I was like ‘Oooh, I want that name. That’s it.'” Motley said.

The restaurant on East Palm Canyon Drive will serve breakfast every day of the week and soul food Thursday to Sunday, she said. They have a back patio that is shaded and will eventually have misters. Le Petit Dejeuner offers a family-style breakfast menu, meaning guests decide on multiple items to share.

She said one of the reasons she designed the menu that way is so people can try a variety of dishes.

“I’m a pancake person. My husband loves waffles. But I always try to, ‘Let me taste your waffles’ … and he goes ‘Just get your own!’” Motley said. “Well, I don’t want a whole waffle. I just wanted a piece of one, and so that’s what made me come up with the family-style concept.”

But more than just the menu at Le Petit Dejeuner is “family-style.” Breakfasts with Motley’s family inspired the restaurant’s whole concept.

“My family has always done breakfast, like when people get together for holidays … that's what we did,” she said. “We get together and everyone’s up with all these fancy breakfast recipes.”

Even her impending move from Michigan to the Coachella Valley is inspired by family: Her daughter lives in Los Angeles, and Motley wanted to be closer to her but preferred somewhere more calm and relaxing.

Motley’s late Auntie Glo Aikens’s corn pancakes are her favorite item on the menu. She said friends would try it for the first time when they visited with apprehension, but once they did, “that’s it.”

“That was kind of the inspiration behind (the restaurant), like ‘I gotta share these with the world because they’re amazing,’ and so what I did was I just took pieces of family recipes,” Motley said.

And her family members have been helping her with getting the new restaurant running. For instance, her mother Pat Brown has tagged along to give her full support.

“I enjoy seeing her grow with it and I tell her how proud I am,” Brown said.

Some of the other breakfast items at Le Petit Dejeuner include buttermilk pancakes, German chocolate waffles, create your own omelets, caramelized banana french toast and creamy strawberry filled crepes.

And Motley hasn’t left vegans out of consideration. She said all waffles and pancakes can be made vegan, and they serve black bean sausages that are made in house.

Can I get some sides with that? 

Le Petit Dejeuner will have no shortage of options for soul food.

The restaurant will serve chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, fried wings and sides that include macaroni and cheese, cabbage and mixed greens with smoked turkey, baked beans and coleslaw.

Motley’s best friend Latrice “Triecy” Hudson, who has dubbed herself the “grill master,” is behind the restaurant’s ribs. Describing herself as a “meat-eater,” she makes regular ribs, rib tips with rice and gravy and a rib snack.

The two have been friends for around 35 years. Motley said she’s addicted to Hudson’s rib tip recipe, which she  affectionately calls “Triecy meat.”

Hudson said her main focus has been getting the restaurant up and running.

“Once it gets open, (my goal is) just being prosperous and, you know, making everyone happy,” she said.

The restaurant also does catering, and Motley would like to be a vendor at events. They've served food outside in a tent twice already, which they likely will do again so people can sample the menu.

Motley said she plans to host a grand opening Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 so that people from Detroit can visit and they can fix any issues that arise.

Opening day will likely be on Thursday or Friday, according to Motley. She said they plan to eventually have live music as well.

“We’re not your ordinary breakfast spot," Motley said. "Everything that is made here is made with love and everything is made fresh and to order.”

Where: Le Petit Dejeuner, 67-778 East Palm Canyon Drive

When: Breakfast will be served 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, according to Motley. Soul food will be served 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 2 to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New restaurant opening in Cathedral City to offer breakfast, soul food