Thursday, February 17, 2011

Review: A first glimpse of Savor Cafe

“Do you think they are kid-friendly?” I said, looking at the menu for Savor Café online and printing out my Groupon before we headed out.  “I don’t know, but we can find out,” replied my friend.  This is always a concern of mine at lunch, when I can’t take a MNO (Mom’s Night Out, for those of you not in the know) to go check out a less-family friendly restaurant or get a babysitter and head out with the husband.
We called several experts of Charlotte child-friendly dining, but to no avail.  Spurred on by my Groupon, a craving for a seared salmon BLT, and a desire to find a good lunch spot for my mother and me to enjoy when she comes to town, I packed a sippy cup, goldfish, and the magnetic Cars Movie book and we took the kids out.  When we arrived, we discovered a full tiny parking lot.  Fortunately, we were able to easily find parking on the street next to the restaurant (the back parking lot seems to be entirely devoted to the restaurant next door).  We expected a small restaurant to match, but, in fact, it had two large rooms!

Fortunately, though our companions were the only people in the restaurant under the age of 18, the restaurant staff did not blink as we walked in.  They sat us right up front; prime for kids who can look out the window and have a private corner without getting in the way of other customers.  They were prompt with the drink service and friendly with the kids.  They did not have a children’s menu, but we ordered a terrific grilled pimento cheese sandwich, although only my friend’s daughter would try it.  My son preferred the kettle chips with his favorite condiment (ketchup).  We requested a side of fruit salad, and were pleased when it included strawberries, pineapple and grapes, all chopped into appropriate bite sized bits, rather than the usual melon-based fruit salad kids sneer at.

As for the grownups, I ordered my seared salmon BLT on focaccia.  The bread was a tad soggy on the bottom, but was otherwise fabulous.  The salmon was perfectly cooked, and the entire thing was the perfect size for lunch, great for folks with no self-restraint, not amenable for leftovers.  My friend ordered the marinated chicken breast sandwich, and the chicken was cooked to perfection, on a sesame bun with an avocado spread, also the perfect lunch size.

To drink, I ordered the strawberry lemonade, which did not disappoint; it almost has the consistency of a smoothie, thick and rich, but without the cream.  The portions at lunch were of a size that encouraged dessert.  So we obligingly tried the butterscotch bread pudding.  It was terrific, spread throughout with butterscotch chip morsels, bringing me back to the butterscotch chip cookies my grandmother once kept ready in the cookie jar.  The dessert portion was huge, which suits me, but one dessert certainly provided enough for both of us, the kids were too busy enjoying the crisp kettle chips.

Finally, just as we approached meltdown, our server brought us the check and quickly whisked it away.  The adults enjoyed every bit of the meal, the kids enjoyed every bit of the meal and we all walked away happy.

I am looking forward to taking my mother back for lunch in the weeks to come, and trying brunch with the family soon.  Is it Sunday yet?

~Aurora

Savor Cafe
1404 West Morehead Street
Charlotte, NC 28208
704-334-0098
http://www.savoronmorehead.com/


Savor Cafe and Catering on Urbanspoon

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