Snapshot, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: The sunset lights up the windows of Rudiments Café, silhouetting people walking through the door with musical instruments. The small, quirky and artsy café, which is a Bohemian sprout in an asphalt desert, is soon full of patrons. The music drifts out the door and turns heads on the sidewalk outside. People enthusiastically greet friends, tap their feet to the beat, and drink sodas and coffee.

Wait, is this a music review column?

Nope, although I loved Tuesday open-mic night at Rudiments Café, which opened in September 2011.

The music was great. I admired the art-lined walls and the fact that my order was taken by an employee who’s a big, tattooed bundle of cheerfulness. Service was either acceptably leisurely or impressively speedy, but always attentive and genuine.

The food, though, had its ups and down.

Perhaps with a name like Rudiments, it’s not surprising that it embraces such American café staples as omelets, wraps, sandwiches and salads. My favorite was an American classic, the cheese-steak ($6.95, as are all entrees unless otherwise noted). The cheese was forgettable, but the Callicrate steak was juicy and tender. The peppers and onions were freshly grilled, and the house-baked hoagie roll was soft, yet sturdy enough to carry it off. As with most entrees, it’s paired with a side of fruit, cottage cheese, roasted potatoes or chips.Built on quality ingredients, the cheese-steak was emblematic of Rudiments’ mission statement of providing from-scratch, quality food. First-time restaurant owners Brian Davis and Mark Wickline serve only natural Red Bird Chicken and bread from Colorado Bread Company, (except for the hoagies). The veggies and fruits were all unquestionably fresh and ripe.

Still, most of the meats are right from Sysco stock. And that comes through in the Hog Gobbler wrap. Wrapped around a center of tomatoes, avocado and dill aioli, the combination of roasted turkey breast and thick-cut bacon together came off salty and processed.I noticed fledgling signs of creativity in Rudiments’ offerings: the Tuscan Tuna and Bean sandwich, for example. It’s a surprisingly successful combination of ingredients. The texture is good, but I yearned for a strong hit of flavor. Similarly, the Green Machine soup of the day ($2 cup

$3.50 bowl), with freshly pureed spinach, asparagus and leeks, promises a taste like Spring in a bowl. Instead, it’s raw and blunt.

But for every downside, Rudiments pulls out something tasty and on-point. For instance, my mango smoothie ($3.50) was unexpectedly bitter. The Greek Love wrap, which I ordered on the same visit, features an appealing mix of chicken, feta, spinach, red peppers, olives and nicely cooked mushrooms with a tangy house tzatziki sauce.And a three-ingredient omelet that’s stuffed to bursting is straightforward, and right on the money.

You know, I expect hits and misses in a relatively new restaurant. And in spite of a few disappointments, I enjoyed the passion and the spirit, and I look forward to a time when these fledgling restaurant owners up the ante with across-the-board consistency and a little more out-of-the-box thinking. In the meantime, I’ll settle in for a little music and good company.

Rudiments caféRestaurant character: Rudiments Café is a young sprout of independent spirit that hasn’t yet reached its leafy maturity.Rating total: 3.5 out of 5 forksFood: 3 out of 5 forksAmbiance: 3 out of 5 forksService: 4 out of 5 forksAddress: 5863 Palmer Park Blvd.Contact: 434-5999, rudimentscafe.comHours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays (extended closing hours Tuesdays during open-mic night)Entrees: $5.95-$6.95Alcohol: NoCredit cards: YesVegetarian options: At least one option is available in most sections of the menu, but eggs are a good choice. The omelets allow you to select three of nine veggies and four cheeses for $6.95 (25 cents for each additional)Wi-fi: NoWhat’s onlineas of April 20, 2012:• 100 percent of 6 voters “liked it” on Urban Spoon• 1 out of 5 stars based on 1 review on Yelp• Videos online via Food Planet Live: www .youtube.com/user/foodplanetlive• Social media at facebook.comRudimentsCafe and @RudimentsCafe on Twitter• No follow-up violations noted in the most recent inspection by the El Paso County Health Department

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