2-Minute Review: Rendezvous

Rendezvous Coffee bills itself as a coffeehouse, and we suppose it is one: They do have excellent java, from the fresh-brewed drip bar to crafted drinks like lattes, mochas and Turkish coffee, of which Rendezvous managers tell us they are the only purveyor in town.

But that’s where the similarity between Rendezvous (320 Park Central West, 417-868-0110) and other downtown coffee shops ends. Other places are totally about the joe, with smaller, sandwich-heavy menus (in MudHouse’s case) or outsourced baked goods (like Coffee Ethic), but little else. Rendezvous is a full-blown restaurant, serving breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by full lunch and dinner offerings.

It’s most comparable, I guess, to Kaldi’s on the south side, though the range of Rendezvous’s menu is superior. Multiple trips have allowed my wife and I to sample a variety of tastes. Tops on my list: The Myron, a chicken pesto panini with artichoke and olives on foccacia bread ($6.99). It was fantastic, even though the name weirded me out a bit (my uncle’s name is Myron). My wife, Nichole, is a fan of the triple cheese melt—basically a super fancy grilled cheese sandwich ($4.99). We both fell in love with Rendezvous’ mango salsa appetizer ($3.99), which has some kick and is destined to become an Art Walk snack staple. Prices are quite reasonable, with almost every item falling between $5 and $9. Desserts are particularly affordable: Huge chocolate no-bake cookies are an absolute steal at 79 cents apiece.

Almost as notable as Rendezvous’ menu is its décor. You won’t recognize the old Randy Bacon space on Park Central West. The balcony remains, but the lighting has been opened up, and there’s some intimate booth space with a view of the street. Hardwood floors, comfortable furniture and a warm color scheme give Rendezvous a Euro-bistro feel, which is only complimented by the competent staff, which wears full-on French–style service regalia, complete with bow ties and jaunty hats.

Overall: We’ll be happy to call Rendezvous a coffee house, but it’s really more. Give it a taste, and you’ll understand.