I've been walking past this not-so-well-known-as-its-neighbours cafe-ish place called CA California at Dempsey Hill several times now and have been yearning to give it a try. Especially since they have this huge-as-a-donkey banner swinging high above its entrance proclaiming to have the BDBH (Best Darn Breakfast on the Hill....or something like that).
Funnily enough, we ended up going there for dinner instead one night, when M and I were as usual undecided and un-agreed (I know it's not a word but it catches the meaning!) on where to go. And suddenly DING! I remembered that there was this new place that I had yet to set my paws on.
CA actually shares the same shop front as Ben & Jerry's, so don't be surprised to find yourself overwhelmed by rowdy families and over-hyper ADD kids when you enter on a weekend, mostly on the B&J side of the place (thankfully).
CA takes up maybe a third of the whole restaurant space, and has comfy high booth seats, a bit like old-school American diners but set with a country-side (read: wood instead of vinyl) touch. I like :)
Extensive menu on all things American (think sandwiches, burgers, pastas, pizzas), spoiled for choice.
We decided we needed some veges to detox and a fresh salad sounded like a good idea.
Ordered the California Harvest Salad ($11). Mesclun greens with tomatoes, avocado, peaches and dressed in orange vinaigrette, served with a slice of walnut toast topped with cream cheese. Sounds enticing right?? Exactly. It got me at the word "avocado".
Salad was excellent. Enough said.
M needed some meat and the menu had a special item of BBQ Baby Back Ribs ($26). Suited his fancy and the fries on the side suited mine just nicely too.
We were very pleasantly surprised at the full rack of ribs that was served, with a tangy marinade which was less sweet than, say, Tony Roma's. They even threw in a spoonful of spicy pineapple salsa on the side if you wanted more kick with your meat.
I think the critical test of any baby back ribs dish is whether the meat falls off the bone easily. CA's ribs passed the test with flying colours! The pork itself was succulent and tender and needless to say, M polished off the whole plate without much help.
I was so enthralled by the sandwich page of the menu and settled for one of their chef recommendations -- Smokin' Turkey and Mango ($12). Let me just say - the sandwich was HUGE.
Sliced turkey ham generously heaped onto a homemade tomato focaccia bun and partnered with fresh mango, rocket, tomatoes and honey mustard dressing. I think just looking at the sandwich when it arrived made me salivate....
The sandwich was good, but I thought that the honey mustard was a little too overwhelmingly tangy. Which is strange because I adore that yellow sauce and can eat it with anything usually.
CA also sells their homemade artisan breads for you to take home, which I think I will do the next time. That tomato foccacia bread in the turkey sandwich was yums....
Photos taken with Nikon D5000
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