When I first heard about SoBro Cafe, a restaurant that prides itself on having a menu with healthy and natural dishes, I was skeptical. Their name made me pause and contemplate if the restaurant was going to have an obnoxious and annoying environment, but the atmosphere was pleasantly surprising.They had some great food options, but after eating there, I can say that I was not that impressed.
When I first entered the cafe with my friends, we were all greeted by a staff member who had a very welcoming attitude. From the moment I walked in, I enjoyed the rustic vibe and laid-back atmosphere of the restaurant. The works of local artists were hung on the walls around the cafe, and almost all of them were available for purchase.
After I sat down, I noticed that their menu does not have any soft drink options, which I thought was odd at first, but this was because they try to offer more healthy options. My friends and I ordered the bison sliders appetizer, which is a trio of sliders that are served with homemade ketchup, garlic aioli and spicy mustard dipping sauces on small buns. I was initially hesitant to try them because I had not eaten bison before, but my concerns immediately went away after the first bite.
For my entree, I ordered the bayou shrimp, which is a Cajun-seasoned tiger shrimp with a spicy cream sauce over bowtie pasta, along with red pepper and tomatoes. The bayou shrimp was the right amount of spicy with not too much of a kick. I really enjoyed the flavor, and the portion was big enough that I was able to share some of it with my friends.
While my food was great, the cost was not. All of the items on the menu were drastically overpriced. The bison sliders costed $13.99, and that was only for three sliders. My entree cost $18.99, which is a lot for what is basically put into an average-sized bowl. In total, my friends and I paid around $60, before tips, for what was a mediocre and very overpriced experience.
SoBro’s website describes the cafe as a place that sources “natural and local ingredients with a menu that is internationally inspired to bring the best to of the world to you.” But while they may have natural ingredients with an internationally inspired menu, they do not bring “the best of the world” to their visitors and I do not plan on going back any time soon.
