“Life is Short, Eat Dessert First!” Words to live by, and possibly a great motto for the Houston based Ruggles Café Bakery. It’s almost impossible to resist your eyes growing wide as you see the confectionary delights presented artfully behind the gleaming glass case. But wait! Ruggles is more than just an award winning dessert bakery. Their collection of soups, salads, sandwiches, and pastas might just be tempting enough to grab a bite of something savory before you sink your teeth into the sweet.
The relaxed and friendly atmosphere begins when you walk through the door and extends out onto their giant covered porch where you can enjoy a family friendly meal. To make kids and parents feel at home, Ruggles invites kids 12 and under to grab a few bottles of brightly colored icing and take them to their tables to decorate a complimentary sugar cookie while they wait for their meal. Good luck convincing the kids that they actually need to wait for their meal before devouring their cookie.
Plenty of healthy kid’s meal options-like turkey roll ups- are available to make you feel better about the cookie indiscretion before the meal. Grownups will enjoy a great variety of freshly prepared entrees-from warm goat cheese salad to southwest chicken pasta.
Chocolate Truffle Cake
If you managed to make it through lunch without leaning over to sniff the dessert counter too many times, you deserve a reward. With so many options it will take all the self control you can muster to not choose one of everything, but two or three can’t hurt, right? If you are in the mood for something fruity-you can’t miss with the light and fluffy Strawberry Bomb. Chocolate lovers will want to go for the Chocolate Truffle Cake with Grand Marnier Mousse. If you are a candy lover, you can choose from Almond Joy Cheesecake or Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie.
If the crowd inside and outside the restaurant on the day of our visit was any indication, this is one of the most popular eateries in Rice Village. With such outstanding food and tempting dessert offerings it’s not hard to see why. They seem to have thought of everything to create a complete meal that you will talk about and remember long after you have gone. Now, if only they could help with decisions at the dessert counter.
That chocolate truffles cake looks absolutely delicious! I would love to try some.
Nope. I couldn't do it. I couldn't have a savory sandwich or salad. I would just have to dive right into dessert. Well maybe a salad and then an assortment of desserts to bring home 😉
I have visions of my kids just eating the icing straight out of the bottles. Either that or they might add a little icing to their Turkey wrap. I'd help supervise, but I'll be well into my Reese's Peanut Butter Pie by that point.
Your post brought back yummy memories – and bad parking memories! I used to work right near there and loved to go for lunch or a treat.
We have started eating dessert first a lot lately. I love so many desserts but never have room and I'm sick of missing out on all the sweets! haha!