Revel Bar/Golden Leaf Cafe

Golden Leaf Cafe in Menomonie is the location of a small milestone in the process of my family life. It is the place where, in mid-2016, my then-fiancée/now-wife and I met with the pastor who would ultimately officiate the wedding. This was a location on her suggestion; it made since for my wife, being the lifelong coffee lover whom she is. Perhaps because we live a ways from Menomonie, I had not been back since that day, but that finally changed this spring. “Dessert Valley, Wisconsin” had come a-calling. The revel bar came, um, a-ordering:

I actually had never heard of a revel bar prior to seeing it on display on the counter; the person on the other side noted it when I asked what she would recommend from their baked goods. In case you had not heard of a revel bar: these are two oatmeal bars with a layer of fudge betwixt them. The Golden Leaf Cafe version would be my debut experience.

Man, why hadn’t I ever had a revel bar in my life? The oatmeal bar was perfectly chewy. The fudge provided the binding, but was not overwhelming; it added the proper balance of chocolate-to-oatmeal. Plus, they serve a lot of revel bar in one wrapping — I pondered saving some for later, but, naturally my wife had to try some, and we saved a wedge for our daughter.

Besides their other baked goods, Golden Leaf Cafe has dessert lattes (and, of course, their coffee and tea selection, plus plenty for regular meals). I’ve now gone there for two unprecedented experiences: arranging my wedding, and trying a new bar. OK, one obviously carries infinitely more significance. But, it does make you wonder what cool new happening will occur when you decide to go there.