2908 Fruth, 480-9562
Mon-Fri 8am-midnight;
Sat & Sun, 9am-midnight
Too close to campus and the bustle of the drag for most families to buy,
several of the grand old houses just east of Guadalupe around 30th Street have
for years languished in stately disrepair. Ripe, in other words, for the
establishment of small cafes. Enter Cafe Ro.
The cafe’s charm begins its effect as you approach it from the street. A
pretty sign announcing your destination hangs from an antique street lamp in
plain view; a staircase leads up a lawn flanked on either side by gardens
brimming with flowers and fragrant herbs. A partially shaded porch wraps around
the front and side of the house — there are also tables in the ample but
unshaded side lawn. The relaxed, picturesque atmosphere extends into the
interior, which features four distinct rooms and a motley assortment of comfy
furniture. The effect is a bit like sipping coffee at the home of an eccentric
great aunt.
The coffee and food at Cafe Ro are good, if somewhat inconsistent. The
house-blend drip coffee delivers the mild acidity of fresh-roasted Central
American beans; on one visit it was brewed too thin, but on another it was
full-bodied and satisfying. The espresso however, lacks the complexity and body
of a great brew. As for the food, the Sheik ($4.95) is a mistake: tabbouleh, a
wheat-based salad, does not work well stuffed into a whole-wheat pita, and the
handful of sprouts accompanying it only makes matters worse. Also of little
help was the tiny and too-bitter dish of baba ghanouj (eggplant spread) on the
side. However, the Pasta Pesto Salad ($2.75 a la carte), bowtie noodles dressed
in basil pesto and then spruced up with additional basil leaves, whole pine
nuts, and red pepper strips, provided just the kind of light lunch one craves
in a cafe. Also of note are the desserts, particularly the fruit tart, its
sweet custard topped with strawberries and blueberries. — Tom
Philpott
This article appears in July 12 • 1996 and July 12 • 1996 (Cover).