Dinner at the Authentic Cafe

This cookbook has many excellent guest-worthy recipes that introduce unexpected combinations of flavors and textures that work well together. I've made well over half of the recipes, my favorites being Shrimp Won Tons with Orange-Basil Sauce, Potato-Calamata Cakes on Tomato-Saffron Sauce, Romaine Salad with Pumpkin-Seed Dressing, Sour Cream-Mango Pancakes with Candied Pecans, and Mango-Raspberry Napoleons. While there are a few meatless entrees and many meatless side dishes and salads that can be combined to create a meal; meat, poultry, and fish are the rule. Chapters include Breakfast Dishes, Starters, Soups, Salads, Fish and Seafood, Meat and Poultry, Vegetables and Side Dishes, and Desserts. Although great for guests and special occasions, this is not the book to turn to for a quick dinner. Many of the recipes take long to prepare (as much as a few hours including all of the sauces and side dishes), and the ingredient lists often stretch onto a second page and require a trip to an international grocer. The Authentic Cafe is (was) a restaurant, and thus the recipes produce restaurant food -- excellent taste, beautiful presentation, and high fat/sodium content.

I found this cookbook at a yard sale a couple of years ago. At first, it seemed like a passport to the exotic, but, soon after it became a guaranteed good meal any time I opened it's pages. From smoked chicken/hominy/triple-chile soup to mango-banana upside down cake - these dishes are unexpected and good. I will warn you though, it does have some hard to find ingredients. However, I live in a small town and still was able to find most of them nearby or online. The soups and entrees in this cookbook are sure to please. If this book reprints, and you would like to try something different, give this book a whirl.