Restaurant Review: Cafe & Toast spices things up in Lookout Valley

Cafe & Toast Singapore & Vietnamese Cuisine's red wine pork ribs and rice, left, and green curry chicken and rice. / Staff photo by Chris Zelk
Cafe & Toast Singapore & Vietnamese Cuisine's red wine pork ribs and rice, left, and green curry chicken and rice. / Staff photo by Chris Zelk

One month into the new year, and I've mostly stayed on dietary course in choosing healthier food. With that in mind, I finally got around to checking out Cafe & Toast Singapore & Vietnamese Cuisine in Lookout Valley, which was highly recommended to me a year or so ago.

Both Singapore's and Vietnam's emphasis on fresh vegetables, herbs and spices, while not relying too heavily on dairy or cooking oils, is hard to beat. There are not many places around Chattanooga that serve either food, so finding out about Cafe & Toast was a win.

THE SPACE

Cafe & Toast occupies an end space in one of the shopping centers adjacent to Lookout Valley's Walmart Supercenter. Housed in a relatively new building, the midsize eatery is clean and low-key with New-Agey music in the background. Booths run along each side, with some standalone tables in the middle. It's well-lit and inviting.

THE MENU

An intermingling of multiple cultural influences informs Singaporean food; Malays, Thai, Chinese, Indian and other culinary locales find their way into these dishes. Vietnamese cooking shares many of the same traits, typically seeking a balance between hot and cold, spicy and sweet.

If you go

› Where: Cafe & Toast Singapore and Vietnamese Cuisine, 3536 Cummings Highway, Suite 180› Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday› Prices: $4-$12.90› Alcohol: No› Phone: 423-803-0493› Website: www.cafetoastus.com

Cafe & Toast's offerings live up to its dual-country name with about a half-dozen entrees each from Vietnam and Singapore. Owner Johnny G.N. Chiang Sing's family apparently owned a restaurant of the same name in Singapore in the 1960s, where they specialized in many of the dishes on this menu, such as fried bee hoon ($9.50), shrimp or chicken Phad Thai ($9.50) and garlic prawns ($12.90).

Cafe & Toast has several types of pho, a noodle soup with clear, savory broth ($9.50), and bun - grilled vegetables and dry vermicelli with a choice of grilled toppings that range from $7.50 to $9.50.

There is also an abundance of fruit juices, coffees, teas and smoothies available.

THE FOOD

I was joined on this visit by my cousin, Bassel, who also appreciates international foods. I ordered a hot Singapore tea with milk ($3.50), while Bassel opted for Vietnamese coffee on ice ($2.50). Bassel found the coffee to be somewhat average, but I savored the flavorful, aromatic black tea infused with milk, essentially a chai latte.

Next, we ordered the steamed beef dumplings ($5.50) and fried vegetable spring rolls ($5.50) appetizers. Both were served with sweet & sour sauce and did not disappoint.

The tender beef dumplings had a rich flavor imbued with roasted garlic, which made them really outstanding. The spring rolls had a nice crispy crunch on the outside and the typical but tasty shredded cabbage, bean sprout and carrot filling.

I then ordered the green curry chicken ($12.90). This marvelous concoction of tender, thin-sliced chicken breast in a curry sauce is served over white rice and crisp-tender pieces of bell pepper, tomato, onion, carrot, broccoli and eggplant dusted with fresh parsley. The sweet curry sauce had an acceptable amount of lingering heat but did not overpower the vegetables.

Bassel ordered the red wine pork ribs ($12.90), a plate of small pieces of rib meat, lightly breaded, sauteéd and served over a savory sauce with chunks of onion, bell pepper and some truly delectable fried rice. This dish had good flavor but the ribs could have been a bit more tender.

Of the two entrees, we agreed that the pork ribs weren't bad, but the curry chicken was clearly the winner.

THE SERVICE

Cafe & Toast was nearly empty when we arrived on the heels of the lunch crowd around 2 p.m. The owner served us and, although he was very attentive upon our arrival and when ordering, I waited a while and eventually had to flag him down to get the check when I was ready to leave.

THE VERDICT

This place is excellent on almost every level, with a menu that virtually demands a repeat visit. So I'll be back.

Contact Chris Zelk at czelk@timesfreepress.com.

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