Blue Star Cafeteria

Blue Star Cafeteria is north on Burnet right past 45th. It caught my eye the other week while I was driving by, but I had never heard of it. When some buddies and myself went last Tuesday, we all left really liking the spot.
For starters we ordered the Shrimp Cocktail with Pea Salad, and some Coconut & Cornflake Chicken Tenderloins. Both of these appetizers were great. The shrimp were huge (but not 'Jumbo'), and the pea salad that accompanied the shrimp was fresh and pretty good. Also, a side of "zesty" cocktail sauce came with the shrimp that was excellent. It was how I like my cocktail sauce, with a good amount of horseradish, but there was also a sort of tangy-ness that I couldn't put my finger on what it was - but it for sure added a little something extra to the order.

The chicken tenderloins were definitely my favorite. They were delicious. The exterior was crunchy and crusted with Cornflakes and shredded coconut and flash-fried. The chicken was still tender and juicy, and really tasted great! They came with a mango chutney dipping sauce that I had never had before. It was similar to an Asian sweet chili sauce, but sweeter due to the chunks of mango. It complemented the chicken well and really helped bring out the flavor of the crunchy coconut, making this dish feel light and a like the perfect appetizer if your looking for a tropical "island feeling" in the summer.

Their menu is not extra-large, but they have many options and different venues to go down. Pizzas, almost a dozen different salads (ranging from your classic wedge to a strawberry or Asian chicken salad), pasta bowls, and entrees. Some entrees that caught my eye was their Maple Chicken Fried Quail or their Cafeteria Meatloaf. I ended up going with the Honey Glazed Grilled Pork Chop per the waiter's recommendation - and I was glad I had! I do like pork chops, but they usually aren't the first thing I'd order, especially with such a diverse and tasty-looking menu. The pork was SO tender, and prepared perfectly. It was marinated in honey, red wine, and apple cider vinegar. It was sweet, but the apple cider vinegar was definitely present, but not overpowering. Instead, it  contrasted the sweetness of the honey with a the sharpness of the vinegar. It comes with grilled green beans and macaroni & cheese, but I switched out the mac & cheese for some steamed broccoli.
Unfortunately we were too full to even touch the desert menu, but there were blackberry and peach cobblers along with an assortment of pies on display at the entrance that looked amazing. On Wednesdays they have half-priced wine from 7-10pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays serve a brunch menu from 10am-3pm that looks delicious!

Blue Star Cafeteria Menu (Dinner)