by Lorraine Cherry

“Let them eat cake!” …or home-made soup? …or a Cuban sandwich?

You often hear a local restaurant referred to as a “Hidden Treasure”; just as often, you discover that it is neither hidden nor is it a particular treasure. But even if you hang out in Spring Branch a lot, you may never have seen World Catering  & Bakery, located across from Walmart at 1073 Silber. And even if you’ve seen it, it’s likely that it never occurred to you that they serve some of the best lunches in the area.

While taking the back route to Ikea one day a few months ago, we happened upon World Catering around lunch time, and were curious about all of the cars in the parking lot. “Can all of these people be here ordering cakes?” I wondered, since that seemed to be their specialty.  When I returned a few weeks later to check it out, I discovered that they have a small but stellar lunch menu, whipped up by a chef with 33+ years experience in the kitchen. On that first visit, my attention was grabbed by a Cuban sandwich (A Cuban sandwich in a European bakery? What’s going on here?) featuring oven-roasted pork, ham, cheese, and pickles grilled together on Panini bread. I couldn’t resist, and I’m glad I didn’t. Hot, gooey, juicy—about 2X too big for me, but I finished it all anyway. The next time out I dragged Dave with me, and we discovered that the BLT and chicken salad were just as good, and that the velvety rich cream of celery soup (the soup of the day) had absolutely nothing in common with the one that comes in the red and white can. They have a lunch special every day. I noticed that today it is jambalaya. Yesterday it was spaghetti and meatballs, another day it was smothered pork chops.   They are also open for breakfast, with breakfast tacos, a breakfast sandwich, bacon & eggs, steel-cut oatmeal, and very good coffee.

With “Bakery” in the title, there are obviously baked goods available, in addition to the excellent breads used in the sandwiches.  They have first-rate baguettes and wonderful cookies. (My favorite is a maple pecan shortbread with a crunchy sugar edge.) Should you be in the market, they are known for their wedding cakes, and have won numerous prizes for their designs. Actually, a cake for any special occasion would be a good bet here. Wouldn’t you love to bite into a chocolate cinnamon torte soaked in Colombian mocha cream? Or a coconut cake with passionfruit filling and whipped meringue? Oh my!

World Catering & Bakery is open Monday – Friday from 7AM - 6PM, and Saturday from 8AM - 4PM. Check out their menu at http://www.worldcateringbakery.com/#!menu/ch8j .