Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Culinary Review of Ganson's Bakery and Cafe

Culinary Review of Ganson's Bakery and Cafe

Walking into Ganson’s Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe, I was greeted by a perky, casually dressed waitress who could’ve been my babysitter were I significantly younger. There is an immediate family friendly tone at Ganson’s will faux wood-paneled walls and large windows; it’s homey. Ganson’s look like your childhood best friend’s basement decorated by their beer dad who relished old movie posters and useless knick-knacks. With “vintage” relics clearly bought from the Macy’s home and garden section such as various Wizard of Oz posters and “antique” prints of the Three Stooges. In fact, Ganson’s looks like a renovated home, with a back door that stood near where I was seated. To tie in the old timey feel, Ganson’s played music that sounded as if it should have been coming from a gramophone throughout the duration of my meal. Ganson’s boasts fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, and local brews on tap. They also brag about their uncommon method of baking food creme brulee style (such as their french toast- yum!) But most of all they tout their homemade mac n’ cheese, so despite breakfast and lunch being served all day,  mac n’ cheese and a house salad with italian dressing was my clear choice to order. Although, the Ganson’s menu is definitely created with meat lovers in mind. As a vegetarian I had limited options, but there was a wide array of sandwiches available for the friend who accompanied me to dinner. Our food came out almost immediately and we were served generous portions (both of us left with enough food for another meal).  My salad consisted of crunchy crisp green vegetables and a dressing that was light yet sweet. My mac n’ cheese came out in a bowl full of tender noodles and was topped with crispy breadcrumbs. The noodles were sufficiently drenched in cheese, but the cheese was watery (think CSL mac n’ cheese). My mac n’ cheese was overall bland and flavorless, and I’m white and saying that. My friend’s sandwich was heavy and bready, but moist. After being disappointed by my mac n’ cheese, I was looking forward to the baked goods Ganson’s is so well-known for. There was a sizeable section of gluten free dessert options available, but I was ready to dive into the deep end of dessert. There were a handful of bakery items left by the time I ordered, it seems that Ganson’s bakes their desserts in the morning, and whatever is left at the end of the day is left and then reheated for customers. I ordered a “death by chocolate” brownie and what they call a “Snickers sticky”. Both, again, were generously sized, which was perfect for my sweet tooth. The Snickers sticky is, essentially, a melted snickers bar. It comes in a square with a peanut butter crust base, a layer of melty chocolate, and a layer of softened peanut butter. The sticky didn’t appear very fresh and the crust was a tad dry, but peanut butter and chocolate will always be a winning combination. The crust would’ve been better had it been flaky like a croissant instead of hard like a shortbread. The death by chocolate brownie was more enjoyable than the snickers sticky, it was rich and moist- just the right amount of decadence. I was happy with the dark and complex flavors of the brownie. I had a pleasant experience at Ganson’s, although I was unhappy with my meal, my dessert was delicious. Overall, Ganson’s is the place to go if you’re craving a family friendly spot for comfort food, but if you’re not in the mood for a dense (and potentially flavorless) meal, skip out. Ganson’s is located on 3055 38th st in Rock Island and is closed on Mondays, but open Tuesday through Friday from 8:00am -8:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00am-4:00pm.
 

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Culinary Review of Ganson's Bakery and Cafe