Artists Cafe Provides Solid Options for a Quick Meal

There was a lot of fanfare when Artists Cafe opened at 1150 S. Wabash.  But after that, we had not heard much about the cafe.  The decor looked nice and modern, but beyond that we didn't know what to expect.

Well we've been there twice and after a mediocre first meal, a recent second meal was an upgrade.  As always it takes some time for restaurants (and businesses) to find their groove, so we will definitely give them the benefit of the doubt.

While we're not 100% sure, it seems like the menu has been slightly revamped too.  

For our second trip, we went for polar opposites -- a Harvest Salad and a Sloppy Joe.  Slightly strange, but whatever.

The Harvest Salad was a huge hit.  We are constantly on the lookout for quick, affordable salad options in the neighborhood and Artists Cafe is definitely on our radar for future healthy meals.

The Harvest Salad ($7.95) consists of spinach, fresh strawberries, dried cranberries, pistachios, goat cheese, citrus vinaigrette.  Very fresh and perfect for spring. We opted for an upgrade and added chicken breast ($2 extra) to the order as it was a dinner meal.  

On the other end of the spectrum was the Sloppy Joe ($8.45) which consists of seasoned ground beef simmered in “Sloppy Sauce”, shredded cheddar cheese and crispy fried onions on an old fashioned egg bun.  Maybe not the most exotic meal on the menu, but it was some solid comfort food.

While it seems like an afterthought, the Sloppy Joe came with what appeared to be homemade "Chicago Style Chips".  Yes, this is typically a standard for a sandwhich, but when we ordered a sandwich on our first visit it came a la carte.  At least you get something to nosh on now besides the sandwich.

There is also some delicious looking gelato which we didn't get a chance to sample, but hopefully will on our next visit.