River Nile scaled down but still tasty

The River Nile is back in business on a smaller scale.

It’s not downtown where one might expect but out on Montgomery Highway near Montezuma Avenue, a mile or so away from its previous location, with a downsized building, fewer menu choices and a mostly carry-out business.

But it hasn’t hurt the quality in my opinion.

My wife, Liz, has really missed visiting the bakery case at the Nile so when we heard they had reopened we set out to find their new home. The new location may be smaller, but it still had an attractive and welcoming feel to it both outside and in.

The owner has a real artistic flair and does a great job of designing the interior with hand painted decor, creating an appealing atmosphere in which to relax and enjoy good food.

Employees worked hard taking a steady flow of carry-out orders, but made sure to take time to welcome any apparent new customers. People taking in a quick bite during lunch hour filled all four of the tables inside.

Despite fewer choices on the menu, Nile lovers should not be concerned. They still serve their famous sun-dried tomato bread to go with their signature sandwiches: The Pharaoh, King Tut and The Great Pyramid. I had the Ramses which consists of thinly sliced turkey breast, topped with Swiss cheese and dijon mustard served on a fresh baked croissant. They were happy to customize my order by adding lettuce and tomato.

Liz had the River Nile chef salad which was an enjoyable rendition of a chef salad with a delicious orange poppy seed dressing. We had raspberry sweet tea and Pepsi to drink. They also have a good selection of Nile favorites such as the delicious roasted red pepper soup.

They still offer fresh baked goods daily, including cakes made by the owner who uses her own recipes to create tasty sweets and desserts. There were also Easter cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, lemon drop cake and a variety of other delights. When we visited, the Katie Bell cakes of the day were a peanut butter fudge cake and a coconut cake. I chose a cinnamon roll and Liz had a slice of the coconut cake, both of which were really good. The coconut cake was moist, sweet and gone in less than a minute. My cinnamon roll was just right and washed down with a nice hot cup of coffee.

The place has a really friendly feel to it, and if it wasn’t our lunch hour we would have stayed longer — lingering over coffee and quite possibly another slice of that coconut cake.

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The River Nile on the Go
Location: 2148 Montgomery Highway (next to Pockets Billards, near Montezuma Avenue)
Phone: 699-9111
Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rating: Three stars out of four