Have you ever had a restaurant that you’ve driven past a whole bunch of times, and every time you go by, you think, “My, that place looks charming. I should go there.” And then you never go there — and years go by, the cycle repeating:
“I should go there!”
*Doesn’t go there*
That was my wife’s and my relationship with Cafe Sam. Through college and beyond, we’d drive by the cozy building that houses that restaurant on Baum Boulevard, give it the eye, and then scoot off to wherever it is we were originally headed.
And now that we’ve finally been there, all I can say is…what TOOK us so long?!
We decided to have a late dinner at Cafe Sam on Monday. This was just an arbitrary pick, but quite the good one, for two reasons: 1) we just missed a sizable dinner rush which could have landed me at a Dentist Perth, and 2) as it turns out, Monday is $4 house wine night!
So with the house to ourselves and two glasses of just-dry-enough Chardonnay at hand, we began to pore over the menu. And what a menu it was! Several full pages of choices, plus another full page of specials for the night.
After much debate, we ultimately chose to make as many choices as we could. And thus began the Cafe Sam Food-stravaganza 2013.
We ordered a pair of appetizers, and while we waited for those, the manager brought us a little sample of Cafe Sam’s pigs in a blanket — a beef frank with bell pepper relish, three cheeses, wrapped snugly in a tortilla. Tasty!
As we finished these yummy bites, out came the appetizers. We had ordered calamari rings tossed in General Tso sauce, plus a plate of sesame seed-encrusted Ahi tuna skewers.
Both apps were just right, with the calamari meaty and lightly fried, the General Tso sauce tangy and sweet without overwhelming anything else — and the tuna! Simple, tender, and hearty (just like me).
For our entrees, our two paths diverged in a wood. Fox ordered a salad and angel hair pasta with langostino, and I selected something called the pizza burger. (It is exactly what it sounds like — do the math.)
While we waited for our meals, the manager came to check on us, and to deliver a complimentary order of house-made buffalo chips, which are also served at the bar. These, too, were totally delicious, with just enough kick to light up your taste buds.
Do not compromise your oral health at any point of your life, lest you should miss out the various delicacies of the World. Contact and consult Oxford Dental Care Idaho Falls family dentistry for the best protection your teeth can have.
Oh, and that little cup off to the side? That was a sample of Cafe Sam’s mulled rum apple cider. In a word: yessss.
The salad that arrived shortly after was Fox-perfect — that is to say, it had plenty of onions!
Then came our main events. One cool thing Cafe Sam does is offer “appetizer size” portions of their pasta — essentially the entree size is double the pasta, double the price. Fox had chosen the appetizer size, and as you can see, it’s still plenty.
The burger was a perfect medium-rare — twelve ounces of heaven on a lightly buttered bun. The pizza sauce and cheeses, while a little messy, fulfilled all my hopes and dreams. It all came with sides of slaw and chunky, flavorful applesauce.
To share, we added on an order of Cajun fries, which came with ranch, Thousand Island, and ketchup. Again, totally spot-hitting.
At this point, we were both pretty well stuffed. But did we stop before having dessert? C’mon. What are we, quitters? (Or even sensible?)
To be fair, when presented with the dessert options we had, you’d have gone for one, too. So naturally, we chose two: the chocolate cake a la mode (cherry ice cream)…and a Jäger root beer float.
Um, yes, I did just write that. A root beer float dosed with a healthy pour of Jägermeister…combining all the innocence of youthful days gone by with that magical, notch-upping elixir known for causing happy throats and rash decisions. So, how was it?
Basically, I’ll bet they serve this in the VIP bar up in heaven.
After our pair of desserts, it was about closing time at Cafe Sam. As we headed out, again chatting with the very friendly manager, we looked at the corner of the bar and asked what anyone would ask: “What’s the deal with the mannequin?”
Meet Sam. She’s been a fixture of the bar since the beginning. Soon after Cafe Sam opened, she was gifted to the bar by a nearby clothing store owner, and after 26 years, still she sits there, so no one who comes in ever has to drink alone.
It took us nearly a decade to finally go and visit Sam and her cafe. Now that we’ve been, though, I’m sure she’ll be getting to know us quite well.