My son and I went for a late morning walk, and the neon illuminated coffee mug in the window of Saucers Deli caught our eyes. We decided to stop in and see what this little cafe has to offer. I immediately liked the fun interior of the restaurant: the casual blue and yellow checked floors, the beaded shade lamps on the tables, the original art hanging on the walls. A Georgia O'Keefe-like, up close portrait of a giant orange made a special impression on me. Chalkboards displayed the day's specials.
The Saucers menu is basically what you'd expect from a deli: sandwiches, salads, fountain sodas, soup. Of course, the food has a distinct Southern flair: red beans and sausage over rice, chicken pot pie, sinful desserts to die for....
My son pressed his nose to the glass case that displayed cakes and cookies. The man behind the counter served up a generous slab of bread pudding slathered in praline sauce for us to enjoy. We took two plastic forks and our snack to a small table outside the deli on the sidewalk. Even in February, the Mississippi morning was warm and humid---though pleasant.
Not quite as moist as my grandmother's bread pudding, the dessert (plenty big enough for two) was none-the-less finger licking yummy with a hint of cinnamon in each bite.
As the noon hour approached, we noticed a crowd of people flocking to the deli: men in pressed white shirts and women in shiny high heels. A lot of the patrons ordered food to go, obviously getting meals to eat back in their offices. This seems to me to be the greatest testament to the value and quality of the food at any eatery: repeat customers....
As for us, we finished our dessert and contemplated whether or not we should be gluttons and get another slice to go....