Restaurant Spotlight of the Week

As the clock starts ticking down to the Olympics, it is time to turn to the eclectic edible opportunities that can be found inside the borders of Falls Church.

The Route 7 Cafe, located at the intersection of Broad and West Street, offers foods from around the world in its deli delights.

For those settling down for traditional Greek Gyro, however they pronounce it, will find that the subtle taste of lamb, with the crisp veggies and onions, are wrapped in the traditional Pita, and beg for a medal.

But, while the Olympics are held in only one country every four years, the Cafe takes its patrons on daily taste trips throughout the globe.

The salteña, a Bolivian dish, includes potatoes and beef wrapped in a crusty shell. The smell of the savory sauce and tantalizing fillings emerge after the first bite of the piping hot pastry.

The Cafe doesn’t only serve savory dishes, though. From the Middle East, the Baklava layers honey and nuts between crispy sheets of phyllo. Made on the premises it captures the sweet, exotic flavors of the traditional dessert.

But the Baklava only heads the list of the extensive sweets available.

For those trying to escape the summer heat, the Cafe provides a variety of ice-cold dessert options. Soft serve ice creams are available, along with the breezzzard, which blends soft serve with popular candy choices. Also available are a variety of fruit and coffee smoothie options. These chilly sweets promise a cool oasis for those celebrating the summer achievements of athletes abroad.

They are also well stocked with baked goods. Racks of cookies line the walls and bagels are easily within reach.

More impressive are the variety of cakes that fill the display case. From the cappuccino cake, rich with the Italian coffee flavor, to the Paris Brest Cake, covered in candied nuts.

Finally, heralding from the depths of Germany, the Black Forest Cake offers up true Bavarian decadence for all to enjoy.

For those that prefer down home desserts are the Banana Splits and Root Beer floats, as American as Lady Liberty.

While it provides a plethora of multi-national options, the Cafe stays true to the red, white, and blue. The atmosphere of the store is more reminiscent of a deli in New York rather than an international wing of an airport.

The friendly service and approachable staff serve as suitable guides through a world of food choices.

So celebrate the Olympic spirit of internationalism, grab your flag, whatever their colors, and head for the Cafe, whether it’s to reunite with well known favorites or to take a short trip to another taste. Whichever your pleasure, you’ll find it at the Route 7 Cafe, dine there, or take it with you.