  |
                        |
Chill Out Cafe
Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor: 729 Burdette. 504-872-9628. Map. WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY WHAT'S GOOD BACKSTORY DINING ROOM ESSENTIAL DISHES FOR BEST RESULTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Casual.
AE DS MC V
Two disparate restaurants in one. Chill Out Cafe is a standard American breakfast diner in the early part of its schedule, but evolves into a Thai bistro later. The name and the premises seem more about the diner stuff, but in fact it's the Thai food that's more worth coming for. The owners and staff are cheerful and welcoming.
Breakfast is served all day. The only thing Asian about it is the presence of crab stick in the seafood omelettes. It's cute, and I can see how someone in the neighborhood (which includes the nearby universities) could adopt Chill Out as a regular morning hangout. The Thai food--which shares the menu with some items from China and Vietnam--is more interesting, but doesn't depart from the basics of the cuisines involved.
Paul and Bo Chen opened the Chill Out Cafe in 2008.
It's a small but attractive restaurant in a converted cottage with a wrap-around porch with a few more tables. Many windows give a bright outlook--just what you want in the morning. The staff is eager to please but slowed down a little by minor language issues.
Breakfast
Omelettes: crawfish, onions, bell pepper, tomato, shrimp, crabstick, ham, mushrooms, cheddar cheese
Steak & eggs
Bacon, sausage or ham, eggs, toast, grits
Croissant sandwich, eggs, cheese, choice of ham, bacon or sausage
Waffles: strawberry, pecan, coconut, plain
Pancakes: strawberry, plain
Fruit plate: honeydew, strawberry, apple, pineapple, cantaloupe
Chicken tenders, French fries
Soups
Gumbo, sausage and chicken
Tom yum goong (Thai spicy & sour soup, tomato, basil, mushrooms, lemongrass)
»Tom yum goong with scallops, shrimp, squid, mussels, or with chicken
»Chicken artichoke soup
Wonton soup with vegetables
Salads
»Thai seafood salad: shrimp, squid, mussels, onions, cilantro, spicy lime sauce
»Thai beef salad
House salad (lettuce, cherry tomato, cucumber, onion) with BBQ salmon, chicken, or shrimp
»Seaweed Salad
Squid Salad
Starters
Edamame
BBQ Ribs
»Shrimp toast
Fried calamari
Soft-shell crab
»Thai fried spring roll (pork, carrot, green bean noodle, wood ear mushroom)
Fresh spring roll, tofu, carrot, cilantro, cucumber, spring mix, green beans, noodles
»Fresh spring roll, chicken, pork or shrimp
»Shumai (steamed chicken-shrimp dumpling)
Shrimp wrapped with bacon
Entrees
»Rice with salmon, oyster sauce
»Spicy fried rice, bamboo shoots, bell pepper, onion, basil
Spicy fried rice, scallops, crawfish, squid, shrimp
Spicy fried rice, chicken or beef
Thai fried rice, chicken, beef, shrimp, onion, egg
»Chicken Roti: vegetables, chicken, sweet chili sauce
Pecan Chicken
Shrimp with garlic sauce, steamed broccoli
Crispy tilapia, shrimp, basil
»Beef with oyster sauce
Thai spicy basil stir-fry, onion, bell pepper, bamboo shoot
Above with scallop, crawfish, squid, shrimp
»Above with chicken or beef
»Thai ginger stir-fry, onion, bell pepper, bamboo shoots, with choice of seafood or chicken or beef
Thai red curry, with choice of seafood, chicken or beef
Noodles stir fried with choice of vegetables, seafood (scallop, shrimp, crawfish, squid) or chicken or beef
Lo mein with cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, onion
»Pad Thai: Bean sprout, onion, carrot, rice noodle and peanut
Pad Woon Sen: Green beans, noodle, egg, cabbage, onion, bell pepper
Pad See Ewe: Wide flat rice noodle, broccoli, carrot, onion
»Pad Kee Mao: Wide flat rice noodle, spicy basil, bamboo shoot, vegetable
Yaki Udon: Japanese wide noodle, cabbage, egg
Curry noodle
Dessert
»Thai sticky rice, coconut sauce, mango
Cheesecake tempura
»Banana spring roll, ice cream, banana, cream cheese, coconut
Best bets: soups, noodles, and soups with noodles. Dumplings and similar dim-sum dishes are a house specialty. If you have a favorite Thai dish that's not on the menu, explain it and they'll probably cook it for you.
The Thai dishes always register as having been cooked and stirred a little too much, taking some of the freshness away. They're a little too shy about the use of hot peppers.
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
- Sidewalk tables
- Open Sunday lunch
- Open Monday lunch and dinner
- Open all afternoon
- Quick, good meal
- Easy, nearby parking
- No reservations
