As Madame La Bouffe and I were heading out of Austin after visiting our cousins, we both got seriously peckish, and trooped rather listlessly around S. Congress St. to find a good restaurant that served brunch or late breakfast. All the lunch-y places didn't open until 11:30 or so, and the coffee shops we passed just had, of course, coffee and pastries and such truck, which we thought wouldn't stick to our ribs very long since we had a hard day of driving to Oklahoma ahead of us. We walked some more and came across a spot called the Snack Bar. Of course, given the title, I thought that the "snacks" wouldn't keep us full. They would be just snacks, after all. But then I saw a menu, and forgot my we-would-be-hungry-in-an-hour-if-we-ate-here mantra. It certainly looked pretty hearty to me, and the breakfast looked delicious. Madame La Bouffe insisted that, "We need get the food to go, because it takes all day to get to Tulsa, and the sooner we get on the road the better." I was cool with that. As long as I got to get something off that yummy menu.
As we waited for my food (I had picked the Spiced French Toast), Madame La Bouffe and I sat on high stools and looked at our surroundings. The place had a very open feel to it, both mentally and physically, and there were lots of bright colors all over, making you feel very welcome. The staff member who waited on me was very nice and let me take long moments to look at the menu. He didn't just pop up like some restaurant staff do, shove a styrofoam box at me, and grunt, "Here's your food." He was very polite about it and handed it to me with a smile.
After we were comfortably cruising down the highway, I opened the box, seized my fork, cut a big triangle off a corner of a piece of the French toast, and crammed it hungrily into my mouth. The toast, being sourdough, was very puffy, fluffy, and light; not at all the dense, floppy squares you sometimes get at some not-so-good brunch spot. It was very nicely flavored with cinnamon and other spices and was very crisp and golden on the outside. Drizzled with a good glug of maple syrup, it was pure bliss. It was also served with a few pieces of fresh fruit (plump purple grapes, toothsome pineapple, and super juicy orange segments), which added a fresh, delicious touch.
So if you happen to be in Austin on S. Congress and you're feeling hungry, go to The Snack Bar, and I'm sure you'll be as happy as I. The French Toast was great and you can choose your own bread. Besides sourdough, there is banana bread, multi-grain, cranberry-rasin wheat, or sweet sorghum to choose from as well, so if you don't care for sourdough, you can have a choice of other delicious breads. It also has good coffee and lunch, so if you come at noon and not at 11 like I did, you don't have to eat breakfast food if you don't want to. The Snack Bar has my eternal approval, and if you want some really memorable French Toast, I recommend you stop by.
