Galaxy Café

 
People are always asking me where the cool breakfast places are in Austin. You know, someplace where the mood is casual, the Austin vibe is authentic, where lingering is OK, and where the breakfast is substantial and good. We don’t have very many of these spots in the River City but I’m pleased to tell you about one: Galaxy Cafe at Brodie and Slaughter in South Austin.

Galaxy is the work of Chris Courtney and Kelly Chappell, two alumni of Shady Grove, a charter member of the Mike Young School of Restaurant excellence. They’ve taken and parlayed their front and back of the store experiences into a winning and genuinely accommodating dining environment.

Breakfast begins at 7:30 AM at Galaxy and there are some items you really need to consider. Start with a cup of the Galaxy Bistro Coffee which uses blend of organic Guatemalan beans along with 3-4 chocolate covered expresso beans. The result is an almost perfectly mellow cup of coffee. The Galaxy Strawberry Bread is moist and has a great texture. Equally tasty is the ciabatta toast. Really neat flavor and always very fresh. Galaxy has revived the lost art of quiche making. The Spinach Feta quiche is smooth and with just the rigfht balance of Popeye’s favorite vegetable. The Leek and Canadian Bacon quiche is another excellent choice with terrific taste components.

The Breakfast Wraps are a delight. I’m particularly fond of the wrap with scrambled eggs, smoked Gouda cheese, breakfast sausage, onions, red peppers, and mushrooms. For $4.95, this is, unlike the recent presidential debates, a blend of style and substance that’s worth your time and attention. The more traditional American breakfast is also quite good with scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage. And allow me to hold forth for a moment on their home fries, or “skillet potatoes”. Blended with red and green peppers and onions, these taters are almost obligatory. Gotta try ’em. And the French Toast is an art form unto itself. They use fresh baked French bread, strawberries, bananas, powdered sugar and syrup and the result is magical. The density of the bread is the key to this dish. It’s a little heavier than most French Toasts I’ve tasted, and I really like it.

If you’re craving fiber, their Homemade Oatmeal offers up health benefits and taste at the same time. Add a little brown sugar and some raisins and knock yourself out!

But the good vittles at Galaxy are not limited to breakfast fare. The lunch and dinner items are also worthy of your consideration. The Galaxy Club Wrap with smoked turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, roma tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, Dijon mustard and mayo is a blast. The Hot Veggie Wrap featuring zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, carrots, cheddar cheese, black beans, and roma tomatoes along with a Chipotle may is equally good. You must also try the Fried Fish Sandwich. The key here is the hand breaded white fish that’s deep fried and served with lettuce, red onion, tomato, and a knock out tartar sauce. The Chipotle Pork Chops, done with an Apricot glaze, are also tender and and seasoned with care and skill. Served on a bed of steamed vegetables, and again, very reasonably priced at $8.95, it’s hard not to like this dish.

Galaxy Cafe is one of those places that just defines the uniqueness of the Austin experience. Good taste abounds: in the architecture and on the menu. So head out to Brodie and Slaughter this weekend and jumpstart your day. You will thank me for this recommendation.