The sandwiches and sides at Sunny's Café bring sunshine into its spot below street level in downtown Buford.

Sunny Braswell opened the breakfast and lunch eatery four years ago, after her children were grown. She decided to pursue her dream of having a small business and knew, simply put, that she liked to "feed people."

Vino Wong/AJC (ENLARGE)
Chicken salad sandwich with fresh pasta salad is just one of the tasty offerings at Sunny's Café in Buford.
Vino Wong/AJC (ENLARGE)
Pan-fried pot stickers, stuffed with meat and veggies, are a delightful small bite.
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Folks can fill up on Braswell's cold and hot sandwiches, salads and a few Korean specialties, just steps away from shops and art galleries on Buford's Main Street.

Simple salads

Sliced kiwi, grapes and chunks of pineapple and cantaloupe make up a heaping portion of fruit salad. It's sweet and fresh, with Braswell dicing the fruit right after the order is placed. That allows the kiwi, for example, to taste like kiwi, not like the juices of the other fruits, as sometimes happens when it's made ahead of time.

"I don't like it sitting a long time [in] the refrigerator, so I don't do that to my customers," she said.

The pasta salad is fantastic, due to the fresh zucchini, tomatoes and broccoli mixed with a tasty vinaigrette and penne pasta. The potato salad is chunky and creamy, with a tang of relish. Both are offered as sides to sandwiches, along with chips and cole slaw. Another dish that incorporates salad is be-bim-bop, a Korean item with marinated sliced beef, steamed broccoli and cucumbers on a bed of lettuce and sticky rice. It comes with a peanut sauce.

Finger food

The chicken salad has a crunch, thanks to crispy apples and chopped pecans. It fills every inch of the soft wheat bread and is topped with a slice of tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise. The tuna melt is loaded with a simple mixture of fresh tuna and mayo and toasted to perfection. Braswell's recipe isn't cluttered with onions or celery, which allows the tuna to come to the forefront. The only problem was a cheese mix-up; the chicken salad sandwich came with a slice of cheese that was meant for the tuna melt. Small bites include pot stickers, available in six- and 12-piece servings. The triangle-shaped dumplings, filled with a mixture of meat and vegetables, are pan fried just enough to be crispy on the bottom but soak up the accompanying dark sauce.

Fueling up

Sunny's Café has egg and other types of sandwiches for breakfast, plus biscuits and bagels. Among the more interesting choices: the Sunny's Scramble, with eggs, tomato, sweet onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, banana peppers and mozzarella cheese. For an afternoon pick-me-up, Braswell has soft, saucer-sized chocolate chip cookies and brownies with a flaky top. Hot tea and smoothies are also available.

Ahoy, mate

The framed and unframed posters and lighthouse wall mural contribute to the café's nautical motif in the main dining area. The rest of the décor creates an eclectic tearoomlike atmosphere, with potted plants and hanging items such as colorful beads leading to the bathroom. Elvis' velvety voice serenaded us during our Saturday lunchtime visit.

• Reservations: No
• Recommended dishes: tuna salad melt, fruit salad, chicken salad sandwich, pot stickers, pasta salad
• Prices: sandwiches, $4.95-$7.25; salads, $2.75-$6.25; Korean entrées, $6.50-$6.95; breakfast, $1.25-$5.95
• Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard
• Verdict: A casual downtown Buford café with satisfying sandwiches.