Corpus Christi Caller Times Restaurant Review Desserts will make you sweet on Hannah's

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Friday, July 14, 2000

Desserts will make you sweet on Hannah's
Downtown eatery has 'substantial' fare with flair, java concoctions and a mean cream pie

A slice of peace and quiet in the workday - along with a mean banana cream pie - can be found inside Hannah's Coffeehouse and Eatery in the middle of downtown.
   Located on the first floor of the American Bank Plaza since November, Hannah's offers a relaxing breakfast or lunch along with some of this town's best coffee selections. About a dozen simple wooden tables fill this cafe, with a few outside on the sidewalk for an up-close view of the business district. A variety of whimsical salt-and-pepper shakers, such as miniature slot machines, sit on each table, along with small potted plants.
   'Substantial salads'
   This eatery has a definite feminine feel, with Better Homes and Gardens in the magazine rack and Georgia O'Keefe posters on the walls of muted purple, orange and yellow. Classical music plays quietly in the background.
   This is the perfect spot for a light lunch such as a spinach salad or cup of gazpacho. Or stop in before work for a quick bowl of porridge, yogurt or a scone (if you're lucky, catch them on a day when ginger scones are available. They're simply divine.)
   But if you're looking for a more substantial meal, Hannah's offers daily hot lunches and its own "substantial salads" that will satisfy your hunger. The changing menu is updated weekly.
   The daily hot lunches include creations such as shrimp fettuccini with pesto cream sauce, chicken with cranberry mustard sauce and garlic herb pork chops. We recently sampled the chili cornbread bake and loved the slightly sweet cornbread stuffed with rich chili and smooth, melted cheese.
   The zesty chicken salad, that day's "substantial salad," also was good, with chunks of white meat mixed with red and green peppers and red onion. The cream of celery soup also won our approval, although it could have been a bit warmer. Still, this soup was among some of the creamiest we've tasted with a mild flavor.
   Diners also can build their own sandwiches, selecting from a variety of breads (sourdough, wheat, multigrain, rye, pita or croissant), meats (ham, turkey, pastrami, roast beef), cheese (cream cheese, cheddar, Swiss, havarti, pepper jack, provolone) and extras that include veggies and various sauces.
   Coffee and dessert
   Lunch delivery is available with a $10 minimum order, and Hannah's also does catering.
   Hannah's also offers more than 15 coffees and teas, including espresso, cappuccino and latte. For something a tad different, try the white velvet mocha (a mix of espresso, white chocolate and steamed milk topped with whipped cream) or the borgia (espresso, chocolate, orange, vanilla, steamed milk and whipped cream.) Both are rich and delicious and can serve as a dessert in themselves.
   Even so, don't overlook the dessert case, where that mean banana pie recently caught our eye. Creamy banana filling in a flaky crust, topped with whipped cream and fresh bananas gave us that relaxing - and filling - break for which we were looking.

   Hannah's Coffeehouse and Eatery
   711 N. Carancahua
   879-0926
   Hours: 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
   Entrees: $5.25-$6.75
   Checks: Yes
   Credit cards: All major
   Alcohol: No
   Wheelchair accessible
   Food: **
   Service: **
   Atmosphere: ** 1/2

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