Family-friendly Eden Café features international cuisine

MAGNOLIA, Texas -- Eden Café, located on Egypt Lane in Magnolia, celebrated 10 years of business last October. From the restaurant staff to favorite menu items, Owner Ulises Larramendi said many aspects of the restaurant has stood the test of time.

"A lot of my staff has been here for up to 10 years," he said. "The menu has evolved in many ways, and in many ways it hasn't. We've had chicken Marsala since day one as our No. 1 seller."

Larramendi said he and his wife, Maria, have branded Eden Café as a family-friendly international cafe since opening the restaurant in 2006.

"Most families will choose us," he said. "Besides the chain restaurants and the sports bars and the Mexican restaurants, that's really all that's around me, so I don't really have any competition for what we do or how we treat our guests."

In addition to quality service, the eatery prides itself on serving freshly prepared food, Larramendi said.

"We clean and cut and snip a lot to ensure that we're offering a lot of freshness, which was the whole idea behind the name at the beginning-Eden, garden, freshness," he said.

While chicken Marsala is the most requested dish, the restaurant also offers daily soups, signature salads, entrees and Cuban-inspired dishes, such as The Cuban-a sandwich featuring roasted pulled pork and honey ham-and Ropa Vieja-a Cuban pot roast-that keep customers returning, Larramendi said.

Although Larramendi said he may pursue a mixed-drink license to expand the beverage selection beyond wines and make minor modifications to the dining room, both he and his customers value consistency-and therefore no big changes are in order.

Larramendi said the majority of his clientele has visited the restaurant regularly throughout the years.

"We can see life unfold through the last 10 years in the restaurant," Larramendi said. "It's been a great ride. This area has grown a lot, and we have grown with it."

Eden Café

33418 Egypt Lane,

Ste. 16, Magnolia

832-934-2800

www.edencafe.net

Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-10 p.m., closed Sundays