Dallas Day 5: Indian Vegetarian, Provocative Coffee, & Cake

Day 5 of Benjy Portnoy's (SavorMyLife.com) trip to Dallas. Indian vegetarian food at Cosmic Cafe, & Coffee, Conversation and Chocolate Cake at Cafe Brazil.
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Day 5 of Benjy Portnoy's (SavorMyLife.com) trip to Dallas. Indian vegetarian food at Cosmic Cafe, & Coffee, Conversation and Chocolate Cake at Cafe Brazil.

Our last day in Dallas, and it’s another snow day. My gig even got cancelled because of the mess. We decided to stay pretty close to the hotel near downtown, but were met with some terrific surprises so close to home.


Enter Cosmic Café. A semi-Indian, all vegetarian joint that had brightly-colored floor to ceiling murals and imported wall ornaments. It was the type of semi-self serve atmosphere that had a homemade vibe centered around global consciousness. That’s cool and all…we just wanted lunch.

We started each getting a bowl of soup. I finally got my butternut squash bisque omitted from last night’s dinner. Good, but not really what I’m used to; lighter in color and oddly grainy and acidic. Wasn’t bad, but one cup was enough. Kat’s lentil soup was, “the best I’ve ever had in my life.” I tasted it, and I agreed it was pretty dern good.

The rest of lunch was kind of what I expected. My “Mandala Pizza” – an Indian pizza with fresh tomatoes, onions, spinach, zucchini, bell peppers and mozzarella on naan bread – was just that; a bunch of warmed vegetables with a light smattering of melted cheese. Kat’s “Cosmic Stir” was a tofu/veggie stir fry with an odd citrus undertone. Hearty and filling. In a city that seems to generally overlook good vegetarian options, it was a treat to find another place that does actually take care in preparing a diverse menu for our ilk.

We then got back in the car and went on the hunt for a quiet coffee/wi-fi destination. Around the corner we ran across the mighty Café Brazil.
I’d heard of this place before. Open 24/364 (closing its doors only on Thanksgiving), my band has been tempted after many a Dallas gig to stop for a 3 am breakfast. We’ve always turned away at the sight of a line wrapped out the door and around the building. Too bad…this place freaking rocks.

A link in the many locations of the local chain, this particular location on Cedar Springs consists of a few narrow hallways, brick/tiled walls, and small, scattered paintings on the far wall. When you walk in the door, you’re face to face with a wall of self-pump coffee dispensers, with flavors ranging from chocolate fudge to a decaf Holiday Blend. Plus, it’s unlimited, so if you need to pull that all-nighter or just find an excuse to pop the veins out in your eyes, you’re golden. Their menu jumps all over the place, but lands mostly on a breakfast-all-day selection; everything from build-your-own omelettes with rosemary potatoes to Breakfast Relleno Crepes.

After a cup of joe each, we dove in to the Chocolate Lover’s Cake, a $4.99 slice of “rich chocolate cake layered with chocolate icing and drizzled with chocolate ganache.” Mmm. Super rich, super chocolate. And more sugar and caffeine. I’m fun under those conditions for about 25 minutes, and then, it’s crash city.
The whole place is pretty unique – more of an Austin feel than what I know of Dallas. With the coffee, brick and tile finishes, and up-all-night atmosphere, it seems like something you would stumble on at 3 am in New York City. A highlight of the whole experience, though, was our server, Fern. Trading stories of her time living in Rome and selling smuggled cigarettes and tequila shots, showing off her delicately gorgeous Frida Kahlo tattoo, and relating plans to marry her girlfriend back in Austin, she made us feel completely welcome and at home. I bet she retains that cool-as-a-cucumber attitude as the 2 am drunks pound their way in. She seems the type who appreciates a good buzz and a good story.

Before we headed back to the hotel, we symbolically ended the trip with a heaping plate of Cheddar/Monterey Jack/Queso-topped nachos as Madonna and Whitney Houston jams pumped through the tinny, bassless speakers overhead.

Tomorrow we get back in the car. Our destination? The elliptical machine at 24 Hour Fitness in Austin. I think 6 or 7 hours should cover it.
Thanks for reading.