THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Café Highlands

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Café Highlands Restaurant Review:

Executive chef Stephen McGuffin once headed The Highland Inn’s former operation, Cafe 640, with Brad Allan as chef de cuisine. Casual American cuisine is the focus. The interior has been lightened up and is a work in progress, as banquettes to be added in some areas will make everything more comfortable and just a notch finer. Otherwise, seating is at wooden tables and chairs that seem very pub appropriate. One wall is painted a deep red salmon color, and archival black-and-white photographs of the building and the neighborhood dot the walls. The all-weather patio will open to the elements when weather warrants it. On a menu that changes frequently, you'll find comfort fare such as oxtail poutine, with melted cheese curds dotting the dish. Chicken has been a signature item here since Cafe 640, always from Georgia's Springer Mountain. A leg and thigh quarter sits atop light home-style flat gnocchi, the whole enhanced by grilled black trumpet mushrooms. For dessert, it's the budino or bust; the intense chocolate pudding with Maldon salt flakes comes under a whipped cream cloud. Guatemalan coffee is from Java Vino down the street. The wine list is less interesting than the beer offerings, which include a number of local craft suds. Check out the whiskeys. Cocktails are classic.