Food dude hits a Yuma classic: Brownie's Cafe

Driven by Brownie's Cafe numerous times and nearly every time the parking lot was more than half full.

At first I thought not all of that could be for the mocha-colored building with dark-brown trim that sits at 1145 S. 4th Ave. Some of it has to be for the furniture store to the north.

Last Thursday, I finally decided to stop in for lunch and see what all the traffic was about. It didn't take long to figure out why people talk so highly of the "old school" eatery.

How old school? They still bring a glass of water to the table as you look over the menu.

The food, service and prices are hard to beat. Some places may have two out of three, but Brownie's has all three covered - "Good Food Served Right" is their mantra.

Homemade, all-American fare is what they do best, and it's earned the establishment several Best of Yuma honors.

You won't find truffle sauce or the latest food craze on the menu. I think if you did, people would probably start picketing or wondering if the owner had been abducted by Bobby Flay.

The decor is casual and took me back to my grandma's diner - same faux plants and all adorning the walls. Brownie's is full of old pictures of Yuma, candy machines and a lunch counter complete with a pie display case. From a seating standpoint, the place is bigger than it looks.

For lunch, I had a glass of iced tea (fresh brewed) and finally settled on a patty melt with French fries. I debated on going with the barbecue short ribs, one of the day's specials.

Patty melts are basically a hamburger patty served on rye bread with cheese (American usually) and onions (usually grilled). Seems like a softball for a short-order cook, but it's not.

I've had plenty of greasy, soggy, under- and overcooked, onionless patty melt disasters.

This one was spot on. The rye was put on the grill and browned perfectly. The 1/3-pound patty of Angus beef chuck was moist and juicy. The two slices of American cheese were given some time to melt on the patty.

The most important part of the sandwich, the onions, a good amount, were diced and caramelized.

And finally, and most importantly, the finished product was not assembled on the plate, it was done in layers, each allowed to meld with the next. The finished product was a hot sandwich, with a great mix of textures - crunchy and creamy - as well as flavors - rye, quality beef, saltiness from the cheese and the sweetness from the onions.

It came with a nice helping of thick-cut fries - crispy and golden outside with a light and fluffy interior. Total for my meal and drink, including $2 tip, was $11.76.

People probably think of all-American food as being greasy thanks to places turning out poorly prepared food.

Brownie's is a shining example of how it can and should be done - "Good Food Served Right."

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BROWNIE'S CAFE

Address: 1145 S. 4th Ave., Yuma

Phone: 783-7911; take-out available

Meals served: All-American - breakfast (all day), lunch and dinner.

Payment accepted: Cash and credit cards.

Atmosphere: Casual

Hours: Summer: Sun.-Tues. 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wed.-Sat. 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. After Sept. 1: 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.

Prices: Dinners $7.95-11.95; Chicken Platter Specials $6.95-9.95; Steak Bonanza $9.95-11.95; Daily Specials (one to three per day) $6.95-9.95; Sandwiches and Burgers $5.95-7.95; Breakfast (Specials, 3-egg omelets, pancakes, waffles, etc.) $4.95-7.95.

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FOOD DUDE TAKES SUGGESTIONS

Have some place for me to eat and review? Brian Williams can be reached at bwilliams@yumasun.com or 539-6864. Or leave a comment in this review at www.YumaSun.com.