The dynamic duo that owns Sweet Tooth Bake Shop and Bistro met while studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas and went into business together last spring, reworking the former Garden Cottage Tea Room inside Golightly's Antiques and creating a pristine little French Bistro to showcase their talent.
Amanda Garrison loves the place because the Tea Room was where she found her first job in the business and fell in love with baking. The red brick building sits serenely on the west side of busy Davis Boulevard on your way to Southlake. Upon entering Golightly's, you notice a cohesive charm, full of decorative items mixed with shabby chic finds and rooms to explore in every direction.
If you follow your sweet tooth toward the back, you will land in a snug little lunch spot with mismatched tables and chairs and items that seem to have been curated from a Paris flea market. The black and white theme is set off by a bold robin's egg blue paint on the walls. Fresh floral arrangements on each table paired nicely with soft accordion music in the background.
The revolving seasonal menu has a definite feminine touch. Although we all know that real men actually do eat quiche (it's a proven fact). There are also several sandwiches for the confident few fellas who come to dine here. The Turkey Panini has smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes and is finished with spinach and an avocado mayonnaise. The Club Sandwich has bolder flavors of peppered bacon, sharp cheddar, red onion and a pesto mayonnaise.
The salads looked tempting as well. A classic Spinach combines fresh strawberries, Applewood smoked bacon, mushrooms, candied pecans and a white balsamic vinaigrette. There was also a BLT Salad, with everything but the bread, and a Field Green Salad, which I loved.
Now back to the quiche. This version is unlike any I have ever tasted.
Hard to imagine I know - quiche, blah, blah, blah. But trust me on this, because I don't rave about many things. It was not the typical dense, overly cheesy variety that you are used to. This one was more like a soufflé that melts in your mouth. It is what I imagine a cloud might taste like if it were savory and came with a delicate piecrust lining. The friend who joined me agreed saying, "It was perfectly satisfying."
I ordered the Sampler ($10.95), which arrived on a white square plate broken up neatly into four quadrants. The quiche was great and worth the trip all on its own. But there was also a scoop of homemade chicken salad, with its smooth, almost pureed consistency and red grape halves, the field green salad I mentioned earlier, and a cup of tomato bisque soup. The soup was rich but not due to cream, just a wonderful acidic tomato flavor. It was garnished with a spoon of fresh basil pesto and a crouton. The salad was simple with cherub tomatoes, pickled red onion and a goat cheese crostini on top. The Champagne-Citrus Vinaigrette was light and didn't overpower the ingredients.
There is a glass case in the dining room displaying the daily dessert choices. I have to admit that as the room began to fill up, I started feeling a little predatorial about the one I had my eye on, so we were not ashamed to pre-order our dessert. In this case, the early bird did get the worm. Our server was happy to oblige. She was channeling Audrey Hepburn's quirky elegance, (not Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's, more like Princess Ann in Roman Holiday), with her sleek bangs and black ankle pants.
There is a banana caramel tart that pays homage to one of the favorite pies from the former Garden Tea Room. The cupcakes are delicious and range in flavors from the expected like Red Velvet, with a cream cheese icing to die for, to the very imaginative like the flavor du jour - Margarita. This one sports a fluorescent green color that gives way to a mouthwatering citrus punch. The flavor is so authentic that I am surprised they don't offer them with salt on the rim. Cupcakes run $1.25 for minis and $2.75 for standard sizes. Call ahead to place your bakery orders for the holidays. I also tried a creamy cheesecake draped in silken ganache. The sheen on the chocolate was just tantalizing.
So, from Fort Worth, Texas magazine, we'd like to say cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Mobley. Here's hoping married life is just as sweet!
