Today was spent with my dearest brother. He picked me up at 11:15 and off we went to a small town twelve miles to the southwest. Smithville is a charming town with rustic buildings and friendly people. Small town Americana at its finest.
Timing it just right, we arrived at the Back Door Cafe just before the lunch crowd filled the dining area. My brother is a frequent guest at this fine cafe and is known by the owner and chef. There is a delightful charm to this cafe and you often forget you are in the company of other guests.
We found a table for two on the side wall of the cafe and began talking about how amazingly delicious the food was. As I said, my brother frequents this restaurant at least once a week.
The cafe is located in a very old building. Most buildings in the downtown area are original buildings from the turn of the century or older. The culinary delight is sandwiched between a cabinetmaking shop on the left and an antique shop on the right. The downtown area has many antique shops to browse through while visiting the town.
The brick interior of the cafe adds another dimension to the rustic environment. You can feel the age of the building and while the staff is busy meeting the every need of the customer, you never feel the hustle and bustle. I found it a most delightful environment.
I ordered water and my brother ordered fresh brewed ice tea. After ordering, we helped ourselves to the salad bar and the cup of pinto beans. It was interesting to serve beans instead of a soup but it worked!
Now one thing to remember when visiting the Back Door Cafe is that the menu changes daily. There is only one staple on the menu and that is the Chicken Fried Steak. The remaining entrees are determined by the most capable owner and chef. This being my second visit to the cafe, I have not yet been even slightly disappointed.
My brother ordered the Baked Cod with cilantro tartar sauce, side of mixed vegetables and seasoned potatoes. He did share a bite with me and oh my gosh, it was amazing.
I ordered the Southwestern Chicken and Pasta, side of mixed vegetables and fresh fruit.
This lunch entree was simply amazing. That's angel hair pasta, chicken in a light sauce that is out of this world, tomatoes, cilantro, black beans and feta cheese. I simply don't have the words to describe how delicious it was.
We savored each bite and when finished, we ordered dessert. As recommended by my brother, two pieces of the chef's Jack Daniels Chocolate Pie came to the table.
Another feast for the taste buds, this pie has light as air handmade whipped cream. Simply delicious!
All this amazing food, four courses and a bill of 12 dollars. You can't ask for a more wonderful lunch.
After our meal, we took a walk around the downtown area, in and out of the antique shops, walking up sidewalks, looking at old buildings and sneaking seeds from interesting looking plants.
Star Biscuit Company, one of the many inhabitants of this building downtown at one time.
In interesting piece of decoration, one of many that beautify the downtown Smithville area.
I loved this old building and the plants residing beside it.
Another old building in historic downtown Smithville. You can see all the different companies that have called this building home.
If you ever get a chance to visit Smithville, Texas, be sure to visit the Back Door Cafe. I promise, you wont be sorry you did.
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