Cafe Flora
I’m a meat eater. I have nothing against vegetarians or even vegetables for that matter. In fact I’m trying to find a way to prove the cuter the animal the better the meat. I also think that a cow would try to eat me if she had the chance so I’m really doing my part in helping to protect humanity.
Needless to say I was a little embarrassed when I showed up at Café Flora in Madison Park and realized that it is an all vegetarian menu. I’ll be honest, lots of the items looked and sounded delicious, plus I’ve heard a lot of good things about this restaurant. I was just kind of shocked that I’d be eating in my first vegetarian restaurant.
Cautiously, I tip-toed into the vegetarian world, sampling two of the restaurant’s salads. The Caesar Salad was typical fare, in that it had romaine, parmesan cheese, and croutons. However, it was a different Caesar because of its light and refreshing dressing with fried capers. Caesar salads usually have a pretty salty flavor, however since this dressing was so light the fried capers did a great job of adding extra flavor.
The Organic Wild Greens and Lettuces salad followed the same light refreshing recipe with its crisp herbed balsamic vinaigrette. Topped with a carrot twirl you will find that this salad looks a little plain but had quite an uplifting taste. Also this dish is Vegan and Gluten free.
There are few things more embarrassing when you’re a food critic and you cannot pronounce a menu item correctly. The Oaxaca Tacos (according to the menu pronounced wa-ha-ka) are roasted corn tortillas filled with mashed potatoes, cheddar and smoke mozzarella cheeses with lime crème fraiche and topped with feta cheese. Black beans and pico de gallo are served on the side. I always associate vegetarian foods with healthy foods. Not to say that the Oaxaca Tacos are unhealthy but damn were they cheesy. The mashed potatoes and lime crème fraiche was very tantalizing to the tongue.
Are you catching a trend here? Refreshing, uplifting, tantalizing? Towards the end of my meal I realized that this is what Café Flora’s is all about, very fresh and light but tasty food. If you’re a vegetarian then you probably already know about Café Flora. If you don’t know about it then go and give it a try. If you’re a carnivore willing to take a break from the usual fare, want a light meal and are willing to give vegetables and other non-meat dishes a try, then I definitely recommend you visit Café Flora.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when dining at Dixie’s. First, the staff knows that their food is good and that’s why the menu is so small. Second, ask for anything that isn’t on the menu (hung up on the wall) and you’ll probably be made fun of for not reading said menu.Although there are tables inside, it’s the outdoor seating that is packed on a sunny day. I parked myself on an empty concrete table and bench and began to check out my 520 Special (pulled pork with a hot link) and pasta salad. Before I began to eat I wondered if I would be disappointed. For years I’ve heard about Dixie’s and “The Man.” I worried that it wouldn’t stand up to its deeply entrenched, Eastside reputation. 
All sandwiches are served overflowing on Hoagie rolls. I recommend grabbing a fork and eating some of the meat before attempting to pick up the enormous sandwich. As for the BBQ sauce it was good but not the best I’ve had; very tomato based, but pleasantly sweet. The pork, I must say, was fantastic. It was very tender and tasty, and although it took in some of the BBQ sauce it still had its own unique flavoring. The hot link was also a tad disappointing. I was expecting a hot link of sausage, but this reminded me more of a routine baseball stadium hotdog. I also liked the pasta salad as a side dish. It was very creamy with chunks of cheddar cheese. Although I didn’t try it myself, I heard fellow lunch goers raving about the corn bread. 
What about “The Man”? I can safely and happily say that I didn’t try this legendary concoction during this visit. I have tried it a couple of times before, thanks to some “friends” who brought it home. I can honestly say it’s the spiciest hot sauce I’ve ever tried. I love hot sauces but I didn’t appreciate that “The Man” almost brought me to tears.
What I liked most about Dixie’s was the portions. I’ve been eating at a few BBQ restaurants lately and have been really bummed out by the size of the sandwiches. This is BBQ after all…isn’t it supposed to be messy and big? Despite some people’s belief that Dixie’s is the best BBQ joint on the planet, I will have to say it is very good, but what makes it fun and quite different is its natural quirkiness and individuality. And for me, that’s a good enough reason to stop by now and again to get some filling and reliable BBQ.
