Cafe 24 another culinary gem in Radford
Thursday, May 24, 2012
It’s nice to walk into a warm, friendly eatery with fine artwork on the walls, nicely appointed tables and a cozy atmosphere. At Cafe 24 Bar and Bakery in Radford, the tables are close enough that you can chat with your neighbor, but far enough apart to have a quiet conversation. Jeramy and Jeanie Owens opened Cafe 24 in a space that used to house Bar 24. They have created a family-run restaurant that is yet another culinary surprise in this city.
Open almost a year, this restaurant offers healthy choices and dishes made to order with fresh ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner . At dinner, each entree is served with a “family-style” side to pass around the table. Diners can choose from garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, orzo salad, fries, sauteed vegetables, tortellini salad, basmati rice, soup, or the side of the day.
During our first visit to Cafe 24, our neighboring diners became our friends as we talked about the cuisine. They are frequent diners who come back for the shrimp etouffee ($15.95) and the eggplant Parmesan ($10.95). Our server was attentive to our needs and brought two pieces of warm, thickly sliced olive oil bread while we awaited our bruschetta ($6.95).
Other appetizer selections include fried goat cheese, fried ravioli, fried pickles, and peel and eat shrimp, just to name a few, and all cost $6.95. Our bruschetta consisted of the olive oil bread smothered in tomatoes, herbs and olive oil. A little fresh basil would have been an improvement. The artichoke dip was served with pita bread and a spoon to help scoop up the thick pieces of artichoke heart covered in cheese.
Grilled salmon ($13.95) is prepared with a lemon butter herb sauce. A hotter grill would have resulted in a nicer sear on the exterior, but the interior was moist and tender. The stacked chicken quesadilla ($13.95) contained large chunks of grilled chicken with black beans and cheese between layers of crispy tortillas, and it was served with spicy pico de gallo on the side. The chicken was overcooked and the pico de gallo was necessary to add some acidity to the dish.
The seared tuna salad ($10.95) featured a huge slice of tuna that could have also benefited from a better sear on the outside, but the salad was fresh and the ginger dressing was a perfect complement. The Tex-Mex salad ($9.95) was also generously portioned, with rice, black beans and fresh salad greens.
Especially satisfying was the chicken salad croissant ($7.95), which is available for both lunch and dinner. It was warm and creamy featuring walnuts and grapes.
With so many other choices available, including vegetarian options, more trips will be needed to fully appreciate this restaurant. As another bonus, kids eat free from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Cafe 24 is also a bakery (yes, they bake that olive oil bread), so be sure to check out the bakery case for cupcakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet delights. The chocolate cupcake is especially good.
Radford is gaining a reputation for delicious little restaurants, and Cafe 24 is a sweet and savory addition to the scene.
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THE ROANOKE TIMES
