Chow hounds who dismiss the Cafe Apollo as just another trendy coffee dispensary will be missing out on some tasty fare, considering the array of sandwiches and sweets the place has to offer.
More than a dozen creative sandwiches layer good quality ingredients on several bread choices, primarily croissants, baguettes and puffy baked squares of yeast dough that the cafe calls “pillow bread.
A visit to this bright, lively spot at the edge of the city’s West Loop Gate district, can be enjoyable(not equal)if you don’t go expecting snowy tablecloths, a maitre d’ and waiters. It is basically a self-serve establishment, with carryout a large part of the business. You can dine in, though, thanks to the several tables arranged in an adjacent room that has been artfully decorated with framed works and display shelves. On the day we visited, the shelves sported fresh lemons. Most food arrives on plastic ware, though dine-in customers will get soups in crockery and metal flatware for some dishes.
Cafe Apollo can get busy at lunch; customers line up for the specialty coffees and a sandwich, many of them made-to-order, others wrapped and ready to go. The menu, in fact, urges diners facing time constraints to call in orders ahead of time.
Be forewarned: The team at Cafe Apollo loves mayonnaise. Basil pesto mayonnaise. Garlic herbed mayonnaise. Horseradish mayonnaise. Sun-dried tomato mayonnaise. Occasionally, their passion for mayonnaise overwhelms a sandwich’s fresh, crisp ingredients. The savory spread can ooze from the creations.
Which is what it did on the wild Oregon salmon burger offered as a special. The delicately flavored salmon fillet meets tomato and red onion slices, plus lettuce and tartar sauce on pillow bread ($5.95), yet is almost overwhelmed by the fixings.
The grilled mesquite chicken on the Santa Fe Grill ($5.95) fares much better when it joins pepperjack cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, red onions and sun-dried tomato mayonnaise on pillow bread. So does the grilled lemon pepper chicken, in a sandwich dubbed Capri ($5.95) with mozzarella, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion and basil mayonnaise on pillow bread.
Cafe Apollo’s early-morning to early-evening operating hours make panini, such as the egg, bacon and cheese version we tried ($2.50), a good breakfast or lunch choice.
Other sandwiches on the Cafe Apollo lineup ($4.95 to $5.95) include ham, turkey or beef teamed with assorted cheeses, as well as a tuna salad and a tarragon chicken salad. A vegetarian offering features tomato salsa, onions, mushrooms, peppers, cucumbers and spinach ($5.75). Sandwiches come with carrot sticks and a candy mint.
A variety of items are available to buttress a sandwich order, including soup (by the cup, $1.95; by the bowl with French bread, $3.95). The cup of chili is deliciously hearty, loaded with tomatoes and onions, with the slightest hint of cinnamon. Chips (including Pringles) are available, as is a potato salad ($1.25) brightened with bits of carrots and parsley but surprisingly bland.
Save room for dessert. The apple pie ($1.75) boasts a crisp crust and tart-sweet filling. The poundcakes, coffeecakes, muffins and array of cookies are mouthwatering; the nine-layer cookie and Heath bar crunch cookies sampled deserve applause.
Coffees are a menu highlight here. The varieties range from espresso (single, $1.20; double $1.60) or con panna (with whipped cream; $1.35 and $1.75), on through cappuccinos ($1.55 to $2.85) and “shakeratos” (espresso and milk shaken with ice; $2.15 and $2.90). Hot chocolate is made with Ghirardelli chocolate ($1.65 to $2.15). There is no liquor, but fruit smoothies ($3.75), teas, soft drinks, bottled waters and juices are available.
———-
Cafe Apollo
(2 forks)
800 W. Washington Blvd.
312-850-4124
Hours: 6:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; closed Sat.-Sun.
Wheelchair accessible
Credit cards (with $10 minimum): A, M, V
Noise rating:
Conversation challenged
Ratings key:
4 forks: Don’t miss it
3 forks: One of the best
2 forks: Very good
1 fork: Good
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
