Bear Witness

This afternoon I had a late lunch at the new Bear Rock Cafe, located just west of Amherst on Parmer Lane. It's in a little shopping center with a tanning salon and a new coffee house. This is their first Texas location.

The restaurant feels "corporate cozy". There's a fireplace behind a glass screen, couches, booths, and tables, all in a ski lodge type environment. It reminds me of Starbucks; they're usually nice, but they don't have character. The staff was friendly and the decor was inviting, asking you to stick around a while. They even had power outlets at the booths where you can plug in a laptop and enjoy their free WiFi.

I ordered a Sasquash, one of their two vegetarian sandwich selections, along with a side salad. The salad was fresh, with onion, tomato, and bell pepper, while the sandwich was tasty, on sunflower seed bread with grilled squash, onions, and provolone cheese. The size was a little small for a $6 sandwich, but the ingredients did seem to be high quality.

If you want to visit, be sure to go to their website and sign up for the guest club; you'll get easy access to $2-off coupons. I've already sent them email to see if any of their soups are vegetarian. Because it's close to my house, I'll likely return soon, but more as an afternoon hangout to do some work with a big glass of iced tea than as a regular eatery.