Eastside Cafe

2113 Manor Rd.
Check 'em Out

Rob and I went to meet his Great Aunt Barbara for dinner at this lovely place on the east side of Interstate 35.  Located on a block with lots of great little restaurants, this un-assuming little house has a large front porch for lounging while you wait for your table.  Their claim to fame is fresh, sustainable food which they grow themselves in the backyard.  Take a look at their menu on the website to just get an idea of the variety of what they can do with what they have.
I ordered the Artichoke Manicotti with a dinner salad for my entree. Before food came out, we were served some warm, fresh cornbread with butter.  The salad came with a feta dressing.  The feta in the dressing was nice and creamy and the taste not over powering, but a great complement to the fresh salad greens.  My Artichoke Manicotti was made with carrot pasta-that's right carrot pasta.  Filled with lots of great veggies and pistachios.  I was amazed at the creativeness of it.  The pasta was perfectly cook, and the taste of carrots was very subtle.  It was a nice change from traditional pasta, it simply added to the complexity of the flavor. I was surprised and it was so yummy.
To end the evening, I indulged for all of us in a yummy fresh carrot cake.  It had pineapple in it which made me want it even more.  Plus, I'm a sucker for cream cheese icing.  The best part of the whole thing: it came out with a lovely edible passion flower on the top of the slice of cake. 

Overall the food was good, the atmosphere was lovely. The price of dinner entrees would categorize this as a lovely date night place, not an every night place.  Wonderful. 

Five stars from K. Happy dining :)