Scratch-Belgian waffles, desserts help put South of Lane Cafe on the map — TWN PRINT ONLY; DO NOT PUBLISH

Fresh out of college with a degree in art history, Duke Vonderahe decided to help his mother, who was planning to open a restaurant.

He never left the dining scene.

South of Lane Cafe, a breakfast and lunch spot, was opened in May 2013 in Upper Arlington.

“Personally, I was just out of college,” he said. “I was just 22. My mom started working on (the cafe) because it was her pet project. She needed help.”

The late Catherine Vonderahe and Steve Bendure were partners in the planning; Duke Vonderahe, now 32, has become the sole owner.

“We really wanted to feel like we were part of the neighborhood, like we’ve always been there,” he said.

The Greek yogurt parfait ($6) uses a quality, thick yogurt, a blend of cow and goat milk and house-made granola made with organic, gluten-free oats, pepitas, almonds and shaved organic coconut.

The ingredients are dried in the oven and mixed with brown sugar, toasted with ground cardamom and locally made Milligan’s Maple Syrup. It’s baked once again to toasty.

“That was one of the recipes I wrote years ago when we opened,” said the Miami University graduate.

Of the six signature omelets, the “muse” ($9), has an interesting mix of ingredients: green peas, mint basil, black pepper, feta cheese, and a homemade chutney of almonds, dates and honey seasoned with sumac.

“I just love that it’s different,” Vonderahe said. “And I love people’s reaction when they hear the way it sounds, but they’re always surprised by it.”

South of Lane, at 1987 Guilford Road in Upper Arlington, serves scratch-made chili ($6.50) with ground turkey instead of beef and four beans, topped with cheese and scallions and a side of organic Ohio maize chips.

The chili also is used in several applications, such as the “brickhouse” burrito ($12), which also includes hash browns, cheddar, pepper jack, slices of avocado, and sour cream.

“That’s got a house-made pico de gallo,” Vonderahe said. “That’s really good.”

The restaurant uses Mexican torta rolls to make the “man bun” and “girly bun” sandwiches ($11 each). The former has two fried eggs, bacon and a side of hash browns. The latter offers one fried egg, havarti, Canadian bacon, arugula and spicy mayo with a side of fruit.

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Vonderahe said customers are always in for a sweet surprise, as Beth Yoder, pastry chef, makes scratch-made desserts daily, including mini bundt cakes ($4 each).

“My favorite one is a spiced bundt cake with ginger and cinnamon and a vanilla glaze,” he said.

Another recent special is a zucchini muffin with sweet cream-cheese filling ($3.50).

For the Belgian waffles, South of Lane uses a special flour mixture and adds buttermilk and butter, cooked on big waffle irons.

“It’s like an inch thick,” Vonderahe said of the waffle. “It’s very crispy and crunchy outside and soft and fluffy inside the middle.”

One of the more creative options is the PB3 ($10) – a waffle sandwich with peanut butter, bacon, Nutella and banana.

“Personally, I need a cold glass of milk to get through one,” he said.

The avocado tower ($9) is stacked with cilantro, lime, scallions, tomato, bell pepper, garlic and habanero and gets a side of maize chips.

“It’s not very hot,” he said. “It’s mild. You get a hint of peppery flavor instead of getting any real heat.”

Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

For more information, call 614-586-2233 or go to southoflanecafe.com.

gseman@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekGary

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Behind the Menu: Scratch-Belgian waffles, desserts help put South of Lane Cafe on the map