Monthly Feature
Natalie is on the road again, this time bringing you a restaurant review from Dallas.
The Scene
We did everything we could to not flop on the floor and drag ourselves into this place – wrapping up a 9 mile run on a 40 degree day is not easy. While limping our way into Cafe Lago, I realized that this was going to be the cure for my particular ailment. The ailment here being hunger, as I came THISCLOSE to snacking on Gerber Arrowroot Toddler Cookies while out on the run. Nothing crazy stood out; your normal brunch place – tables, chairs, plenty of space. They did have a bakery display full of goodies, but it being ‘brunch’ time, we were more focused on the time frame at hand.
The Food
I had the Smoked Salmon & Wheat Bagel. This is almost exactly how I make this at home, although I have nearly a quarter of a jar of capers… I’ll admit it, I’m a caper fanatic… Anyway, I could have definitely ordered something a bit more complex, but the thought of this bagel seriously made my mouth water. I was perusing their menu and a few more options jumped out at me; Chorizo Omelette, Grilled Polenta on Sauteéd Baby Spinach, and Chilaquiles – Corn Tortillas cooked with salsa and cheese, served with beans and eggs. For the little one, I ordered scrambled eggs, milk and a fruit cup – imagine my surprise when the food came in on a kiddie plate, complete with kiddie silverware. I was impressed – the little things do it for me!
My cousin ordered the Lago Omelette. Complete with bacon, ham, mushrooms and veggies… this thing was huge! It also came with roasted potatoes [both sweet and normal]. Normally a Chatty Cathy, I didn’t hear a peep from my cousin for a solid 10 minutes. It was described as perfect, with the right mix of ingredients. It was so appetizing that he didn’t even give me time to snap a picture before jumping right on in. I was tempted to steal a roasted sweet potato, but I couldn’t come up with the right excuse for invading his plate.
The third dish at the table was the special, a sausage quiche cooked with salsa, mushrooms and veggies – served with potatoes. I was able to snag a bite of the quiche, and it was AWESOME. It would take a lot to deter from my salmon bagel, but this quiche would definitely put up a fight. Warm, the right amount of gooey, and a tinge of spiciness made this quiche so scrumptious! I also liked the fact that it wasn’t overloaded with sausage, which could make the meal very filling and in turn making you feel horribly full.
The Verdict
We all agreed that the food was delicious, and that it wasn’t just the hunger talking. My friend frequents this place while visiting in Dallas, and I can safely say that I would go back in a heartbeat. The service here was also great – the coffee was plentiful, the waitress was sweet, and the food came out in a timely manner. Café Lago also has a gorgeous patio, and upon further research on the web, they also have a ‘doggie menu’ – how cool!! I also noticed on their menu that Cafe Lago gives back to the community BIG time. They have a list of local places that they are continuously giving too – you don’t find that often, and aside from it not being a chain, it could very certainly have been a deciding factor in where to eat. I hate to point out negative things, I really do. With that said, it was very obvious that the owner was being incredibly rude to our waitress, but was perfectly normal with us. Thinking I had missed something, my friend mentioned that she’s always been this way, and has seen it on many occasions. This honestly boggles my mind! You have a successful business, returning customers; why demean those making the machine run smoothly? Also, as a side note, check their website out before you go – they have more information on there that you don’t see on the menu!
