JACOB KONST/Arizona Daily Wildcat B-Line, located at 621 N. Fourth Ave. has a wide variety of items on their menu from vegetarian dishes to pasta, and Cajun-spiced catfish.

The B-Line
621 N. 4th Ave.
882-7575 - (Call for takeout)
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

Industrially chic B-Line offers an uptown alternative on bohemian, dive-driven 4th Ave.

The eatery gives patrons a breath of fresh air, even indoors, with open windows, modernist wooden table tops, frosted metal accents and cut flowers arranged around the restaurant. Feeling immediately revitalized from the smooth and sophisticated ambiance ÷ which doesn't give off a pretentious vibe ÷ I began to pick through the large chalkboard menu hanging on the wall by the cashier.

The menu offers some range of choices, but not enough to feel overwhelmed. I skipped over the six burritos ($5.25 - 7.95), though they sounded interesting. Their burritos have combinations like pan-seared, Cajun-spiced catfish with achiote rice and the Fetajack Burro with pinto beans, achiote rice, feta and jack cheese, mesclun greens, tomatoes and sour cream. For an extra $1.50, any burro can come enchilada style, covered with a red or green chile sauce and cheese.

Instead I opted for a quesadilla with sautŽed veggies. The quesadilla ($5.65 plain or $7.65 with choice of chicken, steak or veggies) came in quarters on a large plate. The crispy tortilla edges complimented the gooey cheesy center.

To get some real greens, I tried the spinach salad ($5.95). Though the pan-seared salmon salad ($9.75) tempted me, the sliced pear, sweet and spicy pecans and bleu cheese crumbles of the spinach salad sounded too tasty to pass up. The salad, definitely large enough for lunch or a light dinner, was light and satisfying ÷ but probably could have been improved by adding something else (roasted red peppers maybe?) to it.

B-Line also has a few pasta dishes and sandwiches. The Italian sausage and peppers sandwich ($7.50) came with two thick pieces of sourdough bread drenched in tomato sauce, roasted red peppers and pieces of hot Italian sausage that, as the menu concedes, aren't that hot. The sandwich, too large to fit in my mouth as is, was more like an open-face sandwich. It was tasty and full of flavor, though I wouldn't go as far as calling the sausage, pepper and sauce combo savory. The sandwich came with a side of fresh herb penne rigate, a pasta seasoned with oil and herbs. The pasta was bland but the excess of sauce from the sandwich helped solve that problem.

Vegetarians can choose from a couple different burritos, penne with red sauce ($7.25) or farfalle pesto ($7.50) for the pasta choices, or the tortilla soup, complete with lime, tomatoes, avocado, tortillas and cheese ($3.75 for a cup, $5.25 for a bowl). B-Line also offers breakfast daily ÷ except Mondays, when the cafŽ is closed ÷ featuring menu items like breakfast burritos, pancakes and bagels with lox and cream cheese.

If after breakfast, lunch or dinner you're craving something sweet, have no fear, because B-Line has plenty to choose from in the dessert department. Diners can choose from desserts showcased in a spinning glass case. Yesterday there were maple mousse, hummingbird cake (made like a carrot cake but with pineapple instead) and other treats. I tried a chocolate cake layered with whipped cream and fresh berries. The cake looked gorgeous, probably having seven layers. The chocolate was bittersweet and the berries tasted fresh, so it wasn't as decadent as I thought it would be, though still silenced the cries of my sweet tooth.

Another draw of B-Line is their full espresso bar and beer and wine menu. B-Line sells bottles and glasses of wine and has day-long beer specials ($2.50 pints for select beers. There's also a standing happy hour Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., when they offer $2 pints from one of their 11 beers on tap.

The open nature of the cafŽ provides the perfect locale for people-watching, especially if you have a cappuccino, glass of wine or pint of beer to nurse. B-Line is the type of place to dine solo if you're in the mood to read the paper ÷ they sell The New York Times ÷ or eye the Fourth Ave. passer-bys. Despite a few setbacks in the menu and prices that could potentially add up to more than the average college student's budget, B-Line is worth a try for anyone looking for a little city style amidst the cowboys and hippies.