O'Leander Cafe - Leander

O'Leander Cafe - Leander

Written by Deb Arnold Friday, 07 April 2006

Family mixes Italian heritage with skill and comfort

The O’Leander Cafe, owned and operated by Loretta and Dave Warner, provides a place for the perfect breakfast, a delightful lunch, or a savory evening meal.

Growing up in a large Italian family in Owego, a small rural community in upstate New York, Loretta Olivieri Warner is no stranger to the business of running a restaurant. Her father owned a restaurant in their community where her brothers cooked, and she and her sisters waited tables.

The family is still important at O’Leander Cafe. C. J., Loretta’s son, was a former sous chef at the Driskill Hotel working under the guidance of the family’s cousin, David Bull, the nationally-acclaimed executive chef at the downtown Austin restaurant. Tyson Teuton, who Loretta says is like a son, is a graduate chef from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Austin. Both C.J. and Tyson bring their own special touches to the kitchen. Loretta’s brother, Paul, helped establish the restaurant and her other two sons work in the restaurant.

Our meal began with the bruschetta, ($4.99) a blend of diced Roma tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic with toasted baguettes. We all had a taste of the French onion soup, ($1.99) as well as the ham and potato chowder. ($1.99) The chowder was like absolute velvet—hearty yet delicate—perfection! We all loved it.

Our daughter ordered the Olivieri’s special. ($8.99) This family recipe of Italian-seasoned ground beef with sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms was such a hit. The side of Italian baked potatoes was a perfect compliment—crispy on the outside and moist inside. For any future diners, this dish is a must.

My husband ordered the chicken fried steak served with country gravy. ($8.99) As the menu indicated, the steak was prepared after ordering. A side of skins-on mashed potatoes and well-seasoned green beans rounded off a really down home meal.

My salad ($6.99) of spring mix, pepperoncini peppers, olives, and onions was a great compliment to the lasagna with well-seasoned meat sauce. ($9.99) It was easy to see why it is one of the diners’ favorite entrees.

The dessert menu had a variety of choices such as cheesecake, chocolate cake, fruit cobblers, cream pies, and carrot cake. (all $3.99) We chose a delicate coconut cream pie, topped with dollops of whipped cream and gently toasted coconut throughout. We also shared a blueberry crunch with a sugar cookie crust layered with plump, sweet blueberries topped with creamy vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a fresh blueberry sauce. Both were to die for!

Don’t let another meal slip by without heading to this gem of a restaurant. It may be your first time to stop in but it definitely will not be your last.

The Story of the Building

• Established as an early land grant settlement around 1845, Bagdad was relocated to its present-day Leander location primarily because of the railroad.
• Renamed in honor of Leander “Catfish” Brown, a railroad official, the business community and population slowly began to grow.
• The old post office was moved to the relocated area and with this growth a new post office was built.
• The old postal building housed different businesses over the years—the last of which was a feed store.
• Now with a burgeoning population in the Leander area, it is most befitting that this very spot now houses a place for folks to stop in for a home cooked meal.

HOURS

• Tues - Thurs 10:30 am – 8:00 pm
• Friday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
• Saturday 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Sunday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Closed Mondays

O'Leander Cafe, 105 Willis, Leander, TX 78641, 259-3388