I am not above unabashedly plugging a restaurant run by Jett’s nephew. But I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t truly impressed. Cafe Malta on West William Cannon Drive in Austin doesn’t look like much from the outside – a smallish storefront tucked between a beauty salon and a roll-your-own cigarette place in a small strip mall. But walk in the door and you will find a small, clean, tastefully decorated restaurant/bar of understated elegance. Some of the understatement is due to the use of kraft paper for tablecloths – unusual, but it works and is very practical. Kids love it and it is better than napkins for those business lunch sketches.
Jett and I had brunch there last Sunday at noon. We met up with Jett’s nieces, Jessica (co-owner of the restaurant) and Aimee, and Jessica’s two lovely children, Nate and Havia. Jett’s nephews, Nick and Mark, were working tables and didn’t get to socialize much.
I had a Bloody Mary (made with cucumber vodka, I am told) to start and it was superb – spicy and tangy and strong enough to wake me up. I chose the Croque Madame for the entree, mostly because I have never heard of this dish before, but also because I love ham. I wasn’t disappointed. Two perfectly-done “over easy” eggs atop a mound of shaved ham with a cheese/bechamel sauce, toasted on French bread. Delicious! I finished with a good strong cup of black coffee and a tasty bread pudding, with a crusty toasted top and a delectable moat of chunky applesauce. Jett had another dish with the same applesauce and raved about it. Nick shared the secret of the applesauce with us – an apple-based liquor from the Middle East. I can’t remember the name, but that’s my sense of self-preservation at work: if I told you he would have to kill me.
If we had just walked in off the street I would be talking about a “hidden gen” as this restaurant is much more than it first appears. I hope they do well.
But I don’t have any photos. I guess both Jett and I were having so much fun catching up with family that we have not seen for many months and savoring the brunch that we forgot to take pictures. I guess you will just have to go there and take your own.
It will be worth the trip, guaranteed.