Whenever the patrons at Merritt Island's Causeway Diner get a hankering for a peanut buttery dessert, they just dial owner Dolores Malafis, who is glad to oblige with freshly baked pies and cakes.
Malafis is very simpatico with peanut butter, baking chocolate peanut butter cream pies and chocolate peanut butter cakes.
"They're homemade, and they taste like it," Malafis said.
Causeway's generous portions of peanut butter pie sell for $3.75, while the cake goes for $4.25, both very reasonable prices for not-so-little slices of heaven.
"We use huge portions," Malafis said. "They're enough for two people."
The cake variety has been nicknamed the Funny Bone Cake by customers, because it reminds them of the Drake's Cakes with the same name.
Causeway regulars also know that around the time of space shuttle liftoff, another treat awaits them in the shape of Malafis' Endeavour Cake. With a flavor that is out of this world, the cake features chocolate and yellow layers with bananas, strawberries, peaches, custard, whipped cream and chocolate fudge, all for $4.95 a slice.
"Endeavour was getting ready to take off when I first made the cake," Malafis said. "We only use fresh fruits and really good quality chocolate."
If one slice of pie or cake is not enough, Malafis will sell you the whole thing, at $16 for pies and $28 for cakes.
Of course, pies aren't the only attraction at Causeway Diner, which specializes in American, Greek and Italian dishes. High on the list of customer favorites is Harry's Chicken, a scampi-style chicken breast served with either rice or pasta and saut?ed onions, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes.
"I like our customers to be happy," Malafis said.
At Causeway Diner, happiness is just a slice of peanut putter pie away.
Know of a chef or restaurant we should feature? E-mail Maria Sonnenberg at toastofthecoast@cfl.rr.com.
