If you are buzzing down the road (and everybody east bound does, as a choked up "downtown Brandon Rt. 60" opens up to the promise of wider lanes and fewer stoplights on your way to the country) you might easily miss this little treasure of a spot. It is a place with personality. Their logo is the outline of a family tree.
It is set back and slightly downhill at the short end of a smallish strip mall, partially hidden behind a small stand of oak trees and dwarfed by the allure of the Racetrack gas station, Walmart Super Center and all the other more immediate curb side neons crammed together to catch your eye on the north side of the boulevard.
The one thing that might catch your attention on the right (south) side of the road is the offset small town façades that differentiate the businesses sharing the building. Another good landmark is a side street, Glendale Dr. This is actually the best entrance for the west side of the parking lot closest to the bistro.
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| Standing right in front and it is still slightly shielded by the oak. |
Hours: TU - F, 11am - 8pm; SA, 9am - 5pm; SU, 10am - 3pm
FEATURES: FREE WI-FI and a bit of outside seating
This is a family owned independent restaurant that prides itself on local sourcing of ingredients and homemade finished products delivered fresh to your table. Chef Michael was very friendly and welcoming as we studied the chalkboard menu, then stepped up to the counter to place our orders.
We were both thinking of ordering the half sandwich and soup or salad combo and were slightly disappointed to see the soup of the day erased from the board. Michael told us the soup was Pasta Fagioli, but it sold out very quickly today. We were a little late, getting there close to 2PM, so that was bad on our part I suppose. (Note to self, on soup days get there early or no soup for you!)
Erin ordered the Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich with a Blue Cheese Chopped Salad and an Iced Tea. She loved it all. The chicken salad was not too mayo-nasey and not too dry. The croissant was very fresh and light tasting, but held together quite well. The chopped salad had plenty of pecans, cheese and dressing in good proportion to the greens.
I ordered a Muffaletta Sandwich with a Spring Salad. I was very satisfied with my choices as well. I would have liked a little more of the olive salad on the sandwich, but then that may have overpowered the taste of the other ingredients. The salad had a nice strawberry vinaigrette dressing on it. Chef Michael explained that he had recently switched from pear to strawberry thinking that the pear was more a fall fruit thus not fitting for a spring salad. He also commented about the nice hint of radish he added because he just likes the crunch and punch of a good radish on the mix. (He is really into it!)
Since our visit some of the family from the north ended up there and everyone raved about each and every thing they ordered. I think it's the kind of place you can go to and know you will not be disappointed (unless you are too late for soup).
On the YUCK TO SUPER scale I would rate it a Super minus. A touch more olive salad on the muffaletta sandwich and enough soup for all. I am getting so picky aren't I? But if I give out a full SUPER rating we have to stop going on these trips, me thinks.
Lunch ran us about $17* and change. (Michael was nice enough to ask if I fit the "senior discount" age criteria. Often one has to drag it out of the person at the register.)
*I think it was a 10% deal for old dad.
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