JACOB KONST/Arizona Daily Wildcat Brian Ritchie, a local Tucsonan, reads a book at CafŽ Blu on East University Boulevard.

Blu CafŽ
972 E. University Blvd.
792-8585

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Tatami blinds at Blu CafŽ, even if drawn completely, could not prevent the room from being bright, airy and uplifting. A few pieces of large, colorful artwork by local artists hang on alternating blue and red walls, sparse enough that they don't detract from the Kandinsky poster, trendy Todd Oldham clock or the mosaic-framed mirror. The fact that only one or two other people were in the cafŽ throughout my entire lunch added to the minimalist vibe.

Blu CafŽ, located upstairs on the southwest corner of North Park Avenue and East University Boulevard, may lack the clutter so many restaurants feel is necessary, but provides ample meal choices for food and non-alcoholic beverage at a reasonable price. The trendy cafŽ, a real find amidst company like the Big Fat Greek Restaurant and a cellular phone store, tempts the passerby to come in, take a load off, maybe grab a magazine and relax at a table or on the comfy hot pink couch.

The Asian-inspired menu offers as many pages of teas ÷ make it a bubble tea! ÷ as it does entrees. I tried the Jasmine Green Milk Tea ($2.75), explained as "martini-shaken non-dairy milk tea, served cold." I asked for pudding bubbles, but was informed they were out, so switched to pearls ÷ dark tapioca balls. The tea was cool, refreshing and admittedly extra fun to drink since the cafŽ served it in a large goblet with a huge yellow straw, big enough to let the pearls ÷ which take some flavor acquisition ÷ through with each sip. Other drinks, besides the traditional Coke products, include Cream drinks, in flavors like honeydew, peanut and avocado. Included in the assortment are Red teas, Green teas, "Icy Sand" fruities, "Polar" milkies, blended ice drinks like passionfruit or mango, and blended ice drinks like green tea latte or coconut.

For lunch, I tried the "golden bites" ÷ spiced chicken nuggets ($2.50) that arrived with a fair timeliness, and tasted delicious. Breaded, fried, topped with scallions and seasoned with a red spice having a notable bite, I was by and large happy with my selection. I could tell the meat was dark, which seemed unusual for chicken nuggets.

I also tried both the Blu Chop and the Curry Panko Chicken. I had planned on a crepe, opting for a salty one (BBQ chicken and cheese) in lieu of the cinnamon sugar, banana and nutella or strawberry and cream crepes. They sounded just as good, but the kitchen was clear out of crepes ÷ which made my dessert decision easier, anyway. The Blu Chop ($4.50), a breaded and fried pork cutlet with a mild tangy and sweet onion gravy, came with a side of white rice and was lightly garnished with a couple thin pieces of seaweed. Some cabbage, onion, scallions and carrots were thrown into the sauce mix. It was tasty, but came in second behind the Curry Panko Chicken.

The Curry Panko Chicken ($5), also breaded and fried ÷ a recurring theme on Blu CafŽ's menu ÷ came with potatoes, onions and scallions as well as a generous portion of rice cooked to perfection, having just the right amount of stickiness. The gentle curry flavor had an evocative appeal, and oddly seemed to fit the Zen-like vibe. Usually I prefer the more robust curry flavors, but at Blu CafŽ, a just touch of curry seemed perfect. Other entrŽe items include the beef inferno ($4.50), a mildly spiced beef-stew in coconut milk, a shrimp tempura ($5.50) and a veggie tempura ($4.50), a vegan dish.

With sweet crepes out of the question, I didn't hesitate to choose the honey banana dessert instead of the other non-crepe option ÷ dreamy toasts ($2), described as "texas toasts" with either coconut or green tea-flavored spread. Shortly after I finished my main course, a small woven basket with a big handle arrived. Inside were at least nine small pieces of honey glazed banana tempura sprinkled with sesame seeds. The only word to describe the dish is "heavenly."

And so when lunch ended, I stepped out of the Blu and back into reality. People outside drank fountain sodas in styrofoam cups instead of bubble teas in glass goblets. They chowed on Chipotle's ridiculously massive burritos as opposed to gentle curry served on square ceramic china. That's life out of the Blu, I suppose.