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Sun Shines On Cafe Alfresco

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By KURT LOFT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 3, 2008

DUNEDIN - The intrepid biker can make a solid day out of the Pinellas Trail, and our weekend ambitions often take us from Belleair to Wall Springs Park, one of the area's unheralded gems. The trek means pedaling right through downtown Dunedin, where we stop to stretch the legs and enjoy a quick bite. Even when not cycling, we like the town's fusion of funky shops, galleries, pubs and restaurants.

After a rigorous ride one recent Sunday, we locked up the wheels and strolled over to Cafe Alfresco, always bustling with locals who flock for the surprisingly varied dinner menu or delicious weekend brunches.

Casual and full of morning sun, the restaurant sits on the corner of Main Street and the trail, so it's hard to miss no matter what your method of locomotion. The restaurant offers a wine bar and main dining room, but most people prefer the sun room, where they can dine while watching people walking by - especially during Dunedin's popular art festivals.

The American bistro fare is creative and filling, and a good value for the buck. The brunch menu tends to be the kitchen's strength, and omelets are killers. We love the delicate but tasty Trail Blazer, chock full of onions, peppers, ham, cheddar and jack cheeses, served with home-fried potatoes and whole wheat toast. Crab Cakes Benedict are a luscious extravagance, and traditional clover leaf honey and powdered sugar make the French Toast a la Ritz an irresistible treat. Health nuts might stick with the nicely presented plate of seasonal fruit salad and bran muffin.

For such a casual restaurant, the kitchen cooks up plenty of ambition at dinner. Starters of note are the chunky mini-crab cakes framed in a remoulade sauce, apricot-infused pork egg rolls, or a bowl of Sicilian white bean soup.

Four of us dined on a recent Saturday evening, when five dinner specials augmented the normal menu. The specials included a 6-ounce filet mignon with mushroom-butter sauce; char-grilled pork loin medallions with sun-dried sherry marmalade; sauteed scallops; Grouper Francaise; and lamb chops. The wine special of the night was a bottle of Bogle petite sirah, reasonably priced at $24.

Our Chicken Marsala with mushrooms was ideally cooked and with a hint of sweet wine, although the pan-seared Salmon Dijon with chive cream fraiche was on the dry side. We enjoyed the multiple flavors of our Orange Chicken Stir-Fry, a colorful mix of tender poultry nuggets, Oriental veggies, oranges and ginger.

Cafe Alfresco draws a crowd on Wednesday evenings - official pasta nights. The limited menu includes chicken or eggplant Parmesan over angel hair, a pork-and-beef spaghetti and meatball, and baked penne with three cheeses.

Sandwiches get plenty of attention during the lunch hours, such as the grilled portobello with Swiss and red onion; the lemon pepper tilapia on a kaiser roll; the restaurant's signature 8-ounce Angus with bleu cheese and hot pepper mayo; or the char-grilled tuna burger with wasabi cream sauce.

Service is polite and efficient, and we can't complain about the bill: A couple can enjoy a hearty dinner and wine for $50 or less.

DINING REVIEW

Cafe Alfresco

BOTTOM LINE: Casual bistro in the heart of Dunedin

WHERE: 344 Main St., Dunedin

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: No

CHILDREN'S MENU: Can accommodate

ALCOHOL: Wine and beer

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

PRICE: Entrees range from $9 to $16

CALL: (727) 736-4299

Tribune reviewers eat anonymously. Kurt Loft can be reached at (813) 259-7570 or kloft@tampatrib.com.

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