Make Your Mark 6736 Reynolds Street Point Breeze (412) 365-2117

out of …

Make Your Mark 6736 Reynolds Street Point Breeze (412) 365-2117

out of

Greetings, food enthusiasts. I am here to expand your dining horizons beyond half-price menus, fast food and – gasp – dining hall “cuisine.” I am, in fact, so intent on enhancing your dining repertoire that I am providing explicit directions via bus (put that bus pass to good use) to all my restaurant locations that even the most spatially inhibited person could follow.

This week I visited “Make Your Mark,” a quaint cafe located in the charming Reynolds Street business district in Point Breeze. To get there, take the 67A or 67F outbound (i.e. away from Downtown), jump off at the Reynolds Street intersection and walk about four blocks to your left. The cafe is located on the left-hand side of the street.

Once you arrive, you’ll typically see patrons chatting, munching and typing away (this establishment is kind enough to offer free wireless) through the large windows that face the sidewalk. On sunny days, I would recommend sitting in the picturesque courtyard located in the rear of the building.

The interior is also inviting; “Make Your Mark” encourages its customers to express themselves by providing doodling materials and ample wall space to post your masterpieces. Additionally, professional art is on display and live music fills the cafe on a monthly basis.

The menu offerings change daily and consist of a fine, albeit small, selection of sandwiches, wraps and salads. Meat lovers beware – this cafe serves only vegetarian fare. I would highly recommend the food here for all you veg-heads; the menu items are both tasty and inexpensive.

All sandwiches and wraps are served with a side dish of your choice, with options such as tabouli, field greens with dressing and fresh bean salad. The dishes are prepared fresh daily, and all food is bought at the local Whole Foods market.

For lunch, I decided on the special (changing daily) consisting of a portabella mushroom sandwich and a side of couscous cauliflower. The sandwich was prepared on toasted foccacia bread with a pesto spread on one slice and a sun-dried tomato spread on the other. The mushroom was served grilled and juicy, accompanied with fresh mozzarella cheese. Not as tasty as the sandwich, the side dish was a little bland and I greatly preferred the tabouli option I had gleefully devoured on a previous visit.

No cafe would be complete without an extensive espresso menu and delicious, hand-crafted drinks. I ordered a homemade iced chai latte, which had the perfect combination of spiced and sweet flavors.

Although I was too full for dessert, I did find myself gawking at the dessert display case filled with espresso brownies and homemade creme brulee. Perhaps next time, I’ll skip lunch and go straight for these taunting sweets.

I would recommend visiting “Make Your Mark” if you’re looking for a nice place to eat a decent lunch, a new setting to do some schoolwork or just a great location to get an iced mocha on a sunny day in a charming atmosphere.