Review: New jewel of a restaurant opens

Chef-owned Caf/ Julian at the Torres Blancas Golf Club opened in early March and word is out about the fine food, friendly service and stunning setting.

Quickly earning a reputation for his “Chef Exhibition Omelette Buffet Sunday Brunch,” Julian Alarcon now has his own restaurant and can be as innovative as he chooses.

He brings years of golf club restaurant experience to Caf/ Julian and beyond his talk-of-the-town Sunday Brunch serves fine down-home lunches and dinners six days.

Recently enjoying lunch, it was a surprise to see a Southern favorite—fried chicken—as a lunch choice and I jumped on it. Crispy on the outside, tender and tasty on the inside, there were three pieces of chicken plus a hefty helping of fries.

My husband had another fried favorite, fish and chips, and said beyond being perfectly prepared, the tartar sauce hit the spot.

Green Valley has needed a Sunday brunch omelette station restaurant and now there is one. While standing in line to pick out the omelette accompaniments, guests can mull over the surprise brunch specials that vary from Sunday to Sunday.

“I offer a variety of dishes for guests to choose from; I want people to be surprised when they get here,” Alarcon says.

Served with the omelettes are bacon, sausage and potatoes. One recent Sunday featured cheese blintzes and pancakes; French toast, and biscuits and gravy were specials on the coming Sunday.

The pastries change, too. What will it be this Sunday—delectable Danishes and muffins? Raspberry cheesecake? German chocolate cake? As Alarcon said, he likes to surprise his guests.

World comfort-food dinners, as Alarcon calls them, are offered Tuesday through Saturday nights. Choose from pork or chicken Western barbecue, Mexican and Italian dishes as well as seafood for fine dishes at fair prices.

The shrimp scampi—angel hair pasta tossed in white wine, butter, garlic and shallots—sounds divine for dinner soon.

Beyond good food, the service and setting of a restaurant accounts for a lot. Our server, Amy, is perfectly suited to make one’s meal more pleasant. It’s easy to see that she likes people and can describe each menu offering perfectly.

So tempting was her description of Cr�me Churro for dessert that we couldn’t refuse. Two bars of crispy, cinnamon-sugared fried dough are served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a swirl of chef’s choice of sauce. We lucked out with mango—and the dessert was divine.

There’s a full bar and lounge area and the outside seating with a stunning view of the Santa Ritas add to an already perfect setting.

Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, Caf/ Julian serves Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations after 11 a.m. are suggested.

Caf/ Julian is located at Torres Blancas Golf Club at the end of S. Abrego Drive. For reservations: 625-9192.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.