An Oasis After Irene, Hideaway Cafe Is No Longer A Best-Kept Secret

By John Voket

While thousands of Newtowners were struggling through without power in the days following Tropical Storm Irene, Hideaway Cafe owner Doug Masek estimates he made hundreds of new friends. For virtually the entire duration of the storm and days of cleanup, the South Main Street cafe was fully powered and running to keep up with demand for water, hot and cold beverages, sandwiches, sweet treats, baked goods and most importantly, Internet access.

“I was running extension cords from the kitchen with power strips so people could recharge their phones and laptops, and at some points I probably had 50 people at a time using our Wi-Fi,” Mr Masek said on a relatively quieter morning at the eatery. “I think we served more than a thousand people before everyone got their power back. And I hope they all enjoyed our service and the food, and they keep coming back.”

Mr Masek said he decided to return to food service and hospitality for several reasons after being away from the environment for many years while he built a successful contracting business from his home and office in the White Hills neighborhood of Shelton.

“When I was 13 years old I started washing dishes in a neighborhood restaurant to earn myself some cash, and by the time I was 17, I could prepare and cook anything on the menu,” he recalled. “But within a year, I saw the potential of construction work, so I left the restaurant business for a few years.”

But the call of the kitchen continued to beckon, so Mr Masek eventually returned to work in another pizza place owned by a family friend while balancing his day job doing everything from carpentry to roofing to remodeling.

About five years ago, Mr Masek said he started to get the idea he would like a little place of his own. And at the same time, he was realizing that maintaining more than a decade of sobriety was sometimes challenging for a bachelor who loved socializing and the atmosphere of a live music club.

“I’d go out with my friends to a club — and it was all right early in the evening — but by the time the music was ready to start I was ready to get out of there,” he said. “So my dream was to find and open an entertainment cafe without alcohol, but that served good coffee, good food, had activities and live music, maybe a pool table, but without drinking.”

Then one Sunday afternoon while he was out on his motorcycle, Mr Masek drove down Route 25 in Newtown and noticed the Hideaway Cafe’s former tenant, The Blue Z, had closed.

“So I contacted the realtor, met the owner and made him an offer,” Mr Masek said. “What remodeling there was to do, I did myself along with some friends and family, and opened up June 27.”

Since he enjoys motorcycles and music, one of the Hideaway Cafe’s niches is hosting an open mic and bike night on Tuesdays where they serve hot dogs, barbecue pulled pork sandwiches and hot soup. And if aspiring musicians and bands are looking for a different audience, they have another open mic night available to them on Thursdays.

“And there is always a guitar and microphone available if someone just shows up and wants to play a few songs, even on their lunch break,” he said.

The club also turns its spotlight on aspiring comedians Wednesdays with an open comedy night, and Mr Masek is hosting a variety of live music acts on Fridays and Saturday evenings with just a $5 cover charge so he can cover some of the added promotional expenses and provide something for the bands as well.

“It’s great because last week, we had a band with a bunch of high school kids from Trumbull, and in a couple of weeks we’re hoping to book an up-and-coming country band that is doing a tour of the East Coast,” Mr Masek said. “This is a great place for young bands to try out their material because there’s no alcohol and it’s a bright, safe environment for them.”

The Hideaway Cafe also provides a niche for small parties and gatherings for young people or adults who want to rent out the establishment for events. Mr Masek can provide a range of catering options and either DJ or live entertainment depending on the client’s budget. And they can start with the rental of the cafe at just $275 for two hours with a 15-person minimum guest list.

“Then we price the food and beverages by the head, and we can include music either built in to the rental, or based on the needs of the individual,” he said. “Typically with a teen birthday party, we’ll have a young DJ who knows their music, we’ll do nachos and finger foods, smoothies and soda, and wrap it up with fresh baked brownies and cookies for dessert.”

Daily visitors will also find a variety of fresh-made smoothies, cold bottled beverages, iced tea and coffee, and of course, lattes, espresso, cappuccino, coffee and tea. The cafe also serves up three hot soup choices every day, several fresh garden salad options, breakfast sandwiches and overstuffed wraps and hoagies for lunch or dinner.

“Where are you gonna get a grilled cheese sandwich and cup of soup for four bucks?” he asked. “And you can add fresh tomato or ham for another buck.”

Mr Masek challenges customers to measure the five-inch-thick layers of mouth-watering meat on his Roast Beef Monster, and he claims his Italian Stallion combo grinder is “the biggest in town.”

“This isn’t like the five-dollar footlong where you get two pieces of meat and its filled with veggies,” he said. “And for breakfast I make a pastrami, egg and Swiss on a fresh bagel for $3.50 — once you try it, you may never go back to bacon.”

As he gets his website and Facebook page up and running, Mr Masek invites Newtowners to visit often to keep up to date on Happenings. Go to www.dougshideaway.com or “like” Doug’s Hideawaycafe on Facebook.

The Hideaway Cafe is at 127 South Main Street. Call 203-304-9544 for more information or to ask about the daily soup, sandwich or salad specials, and find out what bands are on the bill for the weekend.