warm, welcoming, and delicious. tasi café is the fourth eatery from kent and tasi rigsby (their others being rigsby's kitchen, flat iron, and the eleni christina bakery). although it has been in existence for a few years, i have to admit that up until recently i had never stopped in - something that i already regret. so this is my advice, "don't make the same mistake i did, stop in to give it a try as soon as you can!"
tucked away in a quaint spot on pearl alley, a half block east of high st in the short north, tasi café serves a casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner (though the latter has to be early to finish up by their 5pm closing time everyday besides friday and saturday). as soon as you enter, you can't help but be overwhelmed by the open, welcoming layout of the restaurant. with large windows allowing in plenty of natural light and exposed brick lining most of the walls, tasi has one of the more comfortable atmospheres i've ventured into in a while.
after perusing the menu written on a chalkboard over the top of the counter, you place your order and pay at the register. they'll hand you a small placard emblazoned with the profile of one of various breeds of dogs, which they'll later use to locate you in the restaurant and deliver your order. the waiters will serve your food and buss your table, but ice water and coffee are both self-serve (you have to pay for coffee, but it is illy-brand) and are located just left of the counter. although the seats are few and the place is usually crowded, resist the temptation to "save" a table as soon as you walk in. the timing usually works out just right that if you wait in line, place your order, and then grab your drinks, a table should open up by the time you're ready to sit down. saving a table ahead of time can throw off the whole rotation, leaving stranded diners standing without a place to eat.
the heart of the menu lies in their all-day breakfast and brunch offerings, which take the form of normal brunch fare - pancakes, huevos rancheros, biscuits and gravy, etc - but with a slightly more formal and gourmet touch (though not the gourmet price, with most ~$7 each). they add in seasonal items and leave out any processed or unnatural ingredients, opting to freshly make everything on-site. the lunch/dinner menu consists of a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads, and comfort food entrees, such as meatloaf and a particularly good macaroni and cheese. on friday and saturday nights, they also offer a variety of pizzas and mediterranean-influenced salads and entrees, for variety. being that the rigsby's also own a bakery, you would be wise to sample their breads and pastries, baked fresh each day (great croissants, too).
in addition to their food menu, tasi café also offers a small-but-nice wine selection alongside a handful of beers to enjoy while you dine. they also have small retail section where you can purchase a variety of local or gourmet food items (sodas, sauces, oils, etc.) for your own culinary adventures. and finally, the black beans are inside the tortillas for their huevos rancheros.
must-try dish: cinnamon challahfrenchtoast w/bananas