Blue Bonnet Cafe
High on the pie -- and the meat -- at classic Texas eatery
By Dale Rice
American-Statesman Restaurant Critic
July 15, 2004
When the breakfast plates arrived at the next table, the couple's young grandson held up one of his pancakes and his face completely disappeared behind it.
At a nearby table, two diners dug into slices of coconut cream and lemon pies with meringue piled nearly 6 inches high. As another nearby couple finished dessert, the waitress arrived with three pies, boxed and ready to go.
Is it any wonder there's a line out the door at 11 a.m. on a Saturday at the Blue Bonnet Cafe, one of Texas' classic eateries?
With a welcoming atmosphere and homestyle fare, this Marble Falls legend has something on its extensive menu to satisfy practically any hankerings.
The chicken-fried steak ($6.45 for the small, 4-ounce portion) offered tender meat in a crisp, nongreasy crust topped with good cream gravy. The pot roast ($6.45), a generous portion covered with a tasty brown gravy, simply fell apart in tender shreds.
Sides -- three come with each entree, along with yeast rolls and cornbread -- ranged from buttered carrots and mashed potatoes to corn on the cob and green beans well-cooked with bacon. The homemade soup that day was tamale, thick with chunks of the Mexican masa, beans and corn in a zesty broth.
While there's a high potential to be stuffed by the end of the main plate, you must save room for dessert.
The Blue Bonnet's famed pies ($2.35 per slice) feature mounds of meringue over smooth cream fillings, such as coconut, lemon and chocolate. Don't like meringue? Opt for whipped cream instead, or a slice of pecan pie loaded with a big swirl of soft ice cream.
It's one more reason to stand in line for a classic Texas cafe, something that's getting harder to find in the Lone Star State.
drice@statesman.com; 445-3859
