It’s not hard to imagine why a place devoted to promoting smart, sustainable living through food — that is, SoMa’s The Root Cafe — would want to serve up breakfast. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day.
And what a meal it is! I mean, it’s like if all the day’s three meals lined up foods to pick teams, playground style, lunch and dinner were just asleep at the wheel and let breakfast get all the best players. Eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, biscuits and gravy — and various combinations thereof in things like omelets, casseroles and skillets. It’s not even fair. Put these things in the hands of a place like The Root, and the game becomes a blowout.
For those at the back, this is a place that took a little while to get going, somewhere in the neighborhood of three years. But since opening up last summer, The Root has made quite a splash by serving up burgers, brats, salads and sandwiches down on South Main at a storied old walk-up shake joint. Using Arkansas-sourced ingredients, they’ve put a very appetizing spin on the idea of building community through darn good food.
Now they’re in the breakfast business, and only a few steps in the door will tell you why. This is a place that very much feels like a cozy country kitchen. Neither seating nor parking is extensive, which may well prove a problem at peak times, but for the fortunate few who get a table either inside or out on the year-round curtained and heated patio, the feeling is very much like sitting around the breakfast table or out on the porch at home. Inside, diners are surrounded by the odd knick knacks or antique furniture and glassware. The coffee mugs and old cloth napkins are just a random, unmatched assortment, and there’s a certain undeniable charm in that.
There’s also a charm in the simplicity of the breakfast menu, which, much like the lunch offerings, doesn’t do a whole lot. Indeed, the grand total of menu options is only eight, but a few twists here and there provide variety and cater to a wide array of tastes.
For instance, the standard bearer of breakfast is the biscuit. It can come with either sausage or smoked ham. The cheese options, both locally made, are Swiss or cheddar. It can be ordered without cheese to save a little cash, or without meat to be vegetarian friendly. Either way, it comes garnished with fruit or jam. The gluten-free crowd can also be pleased with an option served on wheat-free toast.
So this one item can come out about 10 different ways.
Not all the dishes get quite so many permutations, but it’s impossible not to notice that six of the eight items listed are vegetarian by default: the casserole, the omelet, eggs and toast, the “bowla granola,” and house specialties Root parfait and eggs banh mi (topped in garlic mayo, pickled carrots and daikon radishes with jalapeno, cilantro, hoisin and sriracha). One dish, a tofu scrambler, is vegan friendly and another, the granola, can be ordered that way as well.
Granted, it may not be exactly how grandma used to whip things up, but clearly this is an establishment that takes a variety of tastes into account when putting its options together. And that kind of thought is worth some appreciation, even if you’re not among the vegetarian or vegan crowd (and in the interests of full disclosure, it should be noted that this reporter most certainly is not).
Of course, the downside of breakfast is that anything more than a quick bowl of cereal means you might have to wake up early to make time for it. That’s okay, though. Getting the most important meal of the day in is worth it, especially at a place like The Root.
THE DISH: OUR REVIEW
Breakfast casserole ($5.75): I’ll be honest: I was dubious of any breakfast casserole that didn’t include sausage. I mean, that’s just not how things are done, right? Wrong. This egg-heavy mixture, topped with cheese and sitting on a bread-like base was hearty and filling, stuffed with assorted greenery and, I think, mushrooms. I spent some time trying to dissect and identify all the individual parts, but in the end decided it was easier to just kick back and enjoy. You will, too. (sw)
Biscuit and chocolate gravy ($1.50): Though not actually on the menu, an overheard comment from a staff member alerted me to the possibility of chocolate gravy being available. I couldn’t resist such a delightful country staple. The mixture was just right, wonderfully sweet but never too rich. It was a lot like the flavor of cocoa, but with the consistency of a thin gravy. It was excellent for smothering or dipping or both. And a spoonful even made the morning cup of coffee (organic, for the record) a different kind of treat. Hopefully it earns a spot among the regular offerings. (sw)
Biscuit with sausage, egg and cheese ($5.25): This all-local breakfast dish can be served with either sausage or smoked ham and Swiss or cheddar cheese. I opted for sausage and cheddar from Honeysuckle Lane — which I already knew would be amazing cheese. I also asked for the gluten-free bread — made by Little Rock’s Dempsey Bakery — for an extra $1 charge. This large sandwich spilled over the sides of the bread and required a fork and knife to consume. Though the menu said the dish would be served with seasonal fruit, the side of jelly that came instead was the perfect thing to add a little sweet to the salt and spice of the sausage, egg and cheese. (mt)
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RESTAURANT INFO
LOCATION: 1500 S. Main St., Little Rock
PHONE: (501) 414-0423
WEBSITE: therootcafe.com
DINING HOURS: Tuesday-Friday 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
PRICES: $2.25-$5.75 (breakfast)
ALCOHOL: If you’re into that ... for breakfast.
IN A NUTSHELL: The Root Cafe serves breakfast that mom would make, assuming mom has a penchant for locally grown and sustainably raised ingredients. That’s what you’ll find on the breakfast menu here: Biscuits with Arkansas sausage, eggs and cheese, espresso drinks and speciality items like chocolate gravy. Breakfast or brunch, it’s worth a visit.