Brunch beats lunch at Satellite.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OUR RECENT EXPERIENCE AT Satellite Coffee Co. & Cafe confirms, as we suspected, that the brunch offerings trump the lunch menu. We arrived at Satellite Cafe shortly before 11 a.m., surprised to find the place, which is usually bustling on weekends, to be nearly vacant. That, however, just meant that we were immediately seated at the table of our choice. A server promptly greeted us and then returned quickly with our drinks. Because we've been to Satellite before, we were surprised to find that the restaurant now serves dinner and that lunch patrons can order from the dinner menu. We started with the crab cakes appetizer ($8.95). Although they lacked flavor, the portion was large enough for our party of four. A mustard base dominated the remoulade ré·mou·lade n. A piquant cold sauce made with mayonnaise, chopped pickles, capers, anchovies, and herbs. [French, from dialectal rémola, large black radish, from Latin armoracia, that accompanied the dish, a flavor not to our liking. One of our party, however, declared that she thoroughly enjoyed it, so it may be a matter of taste. The lump crab omelet ($13.50), consisting of heaping portions of crab and cream cheese, enlivened en·liv·en tr.v. en·liv·ened, en·liv·en·ing, en·liv·ens To make lively or spirited; animate. en·liv  en·er n. by cilantro, was a delight. The
combination of crab and cream cheese, seldom used in omelets, was
inspired, with the cilantro adding to the nice balance. An entree
costing nearly $14 excited our skepticism, but the chef delivered
beautifully.
Another diner ordered the Italian chicken sandwich Noun 1. chicken sandwich - a sandwich made with a filling of sliced chicken sandwich - two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them ($11), a mix of well-seasoned chicken, blue cheese and olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. on thick wedges of Italian bread. The diner, who said the chicken was perfectly cooked, savored the sandwich. The steak and brie sandwich ($13.50) arrived with thick pieces of New York strip Noun 1. New York strip - steak from upper part of the short loin strip steak beefsteak - a beef steak usually cooked by broiling steak and delicious melted brie wedged between slices of Italian bread. The meat wasn't the best cut we've ever had, but New York strip isn't our favorite cut anyway. The last of our party had the chicken burrito ($10.50), a combination of jasmine rice jasmine rice n. A fragrant long-grain rice from Thailand. , black beans, salsa, guacamole and cubes of chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla. Unfortunately, the chicken was scorched scorch v. scorched, scorch·ing, scorch·es v.tr. 1. To burn superficially so as to discolor or damage the texture of. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. , resulting in a disappointment. A couple of diners in our party ordered the cheese grits grits coarsely ground hominy served in traditional Southern breakfast. [Am. Culture: Misc.] See : Southern States as their side dish side dish n. A dish served as an accompaniment to the main course. Noun 1. side dish - a dish that is served with, but is subordinate to, a main course entremets, side order . The grits, slightly spicy and so delicious, are a must-order. Although we didn't order them this time around, we know from experience that the huevos rancheros are excellent, as are the banana pancakes--another couple of points in the brunch column. The service was cordial and our drinks stayed full, which we find to be a good measure of a server's attentiveness. Also, we dined in under an hour. Because Satellite Cafe was quiet for a weekday lunch--at least as compared with our experience of the livelier weekend brunches--the restaurant wouldn't be a bad place for a business lunch. We'll return, but mostly for brunch. Satellite Coffee Co. & Cafe 5923 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock (501) 663-6336 Cuisine: New American Dress Code: None Noise Level: Low Price Range: $2.50-$15 Credit Cards: All major Reservations: None Receipts: $488,849 (May 2008-April 2009) **** = Outstanding *** = Good ** = Fair * = Poor |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion