Under the Tuscan sun
Tuscany Cafe has been such a constant on the ever-evolving South Side, that it's easy to forget about completely. But there's a reason why it has hung around so long, and why it's sleek, clean Manhattan-styled lines have become the standard on East Carson Street, rather than an anomaly.
Combining the studious, laidback, laptop-lit faces of a coffeeshop with the raucous, buzzed patrons of a chic Manhattan-styled bar seems to make as much sense as combining skiing and rifle-shooting. But that's an Olympic sport for some reason, so who says the inebriated and caffeinated crowds can't get alongâ¢
It's also a laidback bistro serving stylish, tasty sandwiches and salads. Tuscany is a long, slim room with the coffee bar and wet bar on one side, framed by soft yellow and magenta-colored walls. The other wall is dark, polished wood and mirrors, like an old English pub. The patterned tin roof is striking as well, and the booths are comfortable and plentiful.
While it's still cold outside, you'll need a glass of Spiced Apple Cider ($5.25), served hot with an eye-opener of Captain Morgan spiced rum. Too much whipped cream is slopped top, though. Another "girly drink" caught my eye, much to my wife's amusement. The Mocha Mint ($5.50) combines espresso, semi-sweet chocolate, steamed milk and white Creme de Menthe and whipped cream. The espresso is quite strong, even though it's diluted by so much other junk. The whipped cream makes more sense here, but there's still too much.
I picked the Monopoli ($5.75) sandwich, suspecting that it had all the other sandwiches under its thumb. I was right -- the soft, thick sun-dried tomato bread really sets this apart. Between the slices are more sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, sliced red onions and a tad too much herbed garlic cream cheese. Best of all, because of the soft bread, you don't have to be part coyote to wrench free a bite.
The Mozzarella Fresca ($5.95) is listed under salads, but it's closer to bruschetta. Atop each crunchy herbed crostini, there's a slab of ice-cold fresh mozzarella, a slice of tomato and a big sun-dried tomato, held together by a deft application of pesto. For the lunch special, Quiche and a small salad were $5.50. It's not a creamy, fluffy quiche -- it's more substantial, full of broccoli, which helps hold it together. Tomatoes topped it off.
The coffee here is generally really good, but my favorite brewed concoction is the Fredezza ($3.20 to $3.90) which amounts to something between a strong cup of cappucino and a caramel-flavored milkshake. I didn't get to try...
An Oreo Fredezza sounds like the last thing on earth you'd want to give your child before bed -- Oreos, espresso, vanilla syrup, whipped cream. Quattro Formaggi sounds like a glorified grilled cheese -- cheddar, provolone, feta, parmesan and Roma tomatoes. Additional Information:
Tuscany Cafe
Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Address: 1501 E. Carson St., South Side.
Phone: 412-488-4475.
