Glori Fickling
With a spacious deck fronted by a lacy ficus tree and a refreshing
glance of the Pacific Ocean, Heidelberg Pastry & Bistro has been
attracting a dedicated breakfast and lunch clientele for some 13
thriving years.
This is the popular creation of Ferdinand Littner, an executive
chef who designs the creative menus, pastries, cookies and breads,
and who last year launched Cafe Vienna in South Laguna.
Tangerine walls of the welcoming interior serve as a complementary
canvas for the continuing succession of paintings displayed by local
artists. The arrangement of abstract renderings by well-known
Provanovich glows with a riot of brilliant colors reflecting the
rainbow hues of the cafe's vintage California pottery.
Aside from the white cups containing coffees, lattes and teas,
bright shades of red, yellow, violet, blue color each of the bowls,
plates and saucers that frame delicious dining presentations. In
these come generously heaped arrangements of omelets, salads, soups,
sandwiches artistically designed to pique appetites. Commencing with
breakfast, which is served all day, the menu offers everything from
waffles, potato pancakes, muesli and fruits, to a variety of egg and
omelet presentations and a choice of bagels and croissants
complemented with salmon, veggies, blue cheese and ham. These are
priced from a nominal $1.95 for a bagel with cream cheese or butter
and home made jam to $8.95 for egg-white based omelets lavished with
spinach, cheese, sundried tomato and a slice of ripe avocado. Sides
of roasted potatoes, sausage, grilled cherry tomatoes, breads and an
egg or egg white, are $.95 to $2.50.
The lunch menu offers create-your-own-sandwich selections with a
choice of meats, cheeses, breads and half a dozen hot selections for
$6.25 to $7.95. These range from hot pastrami and turkey melt to
grilled cheese and a veggie burger, each served with a green salad or
hot roasted potatoes. For chilled sandwiches there's roast turkey,
white tuna, pastrami, black forest ham or Swiss, provolone, Monterey
jack and American cheeses filling baguettes, croissants, pumpernickel
and seven-grain breads. These are $5.95, $2 more for a hearty bowl of
soup, a Greek, Caesar or house salad and half a sandwich.
Topping a quartet or hot entrees at $8 to $12 comes wiener
schnitzel, Littner's Vienna version, breaded veal scallopini
accompanied with savory roasted potatoes, lingonberries and mixed
greens. Grilled chicken breast shows up several times, as a main
