A welcome return for a Vineville classic

If you’ve been confused about where Molly’s is or whether it exists any more, wonder no longer. After opening a new place with a different name on Vineville, leaving the original location on Cherry Street, and selling the Vineville location, which was moved to downtown, Molly’s has bounced back yet again with its old name in the former Red Rooster location on Vineville. In fact, the menu and recipes seem to be closer to the Red Rooster’s than to the downtown Molly’s Cafe’s.

Betty and her son are superb hosts. As soon as we walked in the door, we were welcomed like we already knew each other. The menu is simple, with a few cold salads in the refrigerated case to the left of the ordering counter and a large chalkboard menu to the right.

Chicken salad is the focus, with several versions available, including a fruity one, a nutty one and a spicy buffalo one. We had the classic version with a bag of chips on the side and a sweet tea. We also had a pimento cheese on croissant with a fruit salad side, a slice of spinach and feta quiche with a broccoli and bacon salad, and a tuna salad sandwich with cucumber salad. The quiche was the standout, fluffy and savory with a tender, flaky crust. The mayonaisse-based salads and pimento cheese were just okay, causing us to wonder if perhaps a better mayo was all that was needed to step it up.

Everything was beautifully and simply plated and only around $8 per person. We splurged and got both desserts on offer, which came on charmingly chipped china. The chocolate cookie-type dessert was fudgy and came with a fresh strawberry on top, but the key lime tartlet stole the show. In a four-inch diameter graham cracker crust, the key lime and condensed milk filling was perfectly tangy and just sweet enough to finish off the meal.

Molly’s Cafe would be the perfect place to bring your Northern relatives when they come visit during the holiday season. It’s charmingly local and serves Southern foods you won’t find north of the Mason-Dixon.

This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 10:41 AM with the headline "A welcome return for a Vineville classic."