Family fun at Cactus Cafe 54

By Christina Weaver
Special to the Coastal Point

	Special to the Coastal Point • CHRISTINA WEAVER The Todd family enjoys a night out at Cactus Cafe 54 with owner, Manuel Pavon.

Bob Schaller is the reason many people make their way to the restaurant on Route 54 between Fenwick Island and Selbyville every Friday and Saturday evening. Schaller is a guitarist. He doesn’t just strum his acoustic guitar and he doesn’t sing along with his music. When his fingers touch the strings, pure tones and intricate melodies harmonize forth. Described as “a master” by Cactus Café 54 owner, Manuel Pavon, and as the “best guitar player on the Peninsula,” by restaurant patron, Joe Bartell, Schaller has been playing guitar for over 30 years.

A self-described water rat, Schaller left the surf and beach patrol of Ocean City, and then a stint in the Peace Corps, for the bigger surf and the lifestyle of Hawaii. It was there his love of the guitar blossomed and he returned to the mainland long enough to get a degree in performance art at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston. Making a career of both playing and teaching music at the college level, Schaller’s stay along the beautiful beaches of the Pacific appeared as if it was permanent — until he got married and had a son. It was when his son was around 9 that Schaller and his wife decided it was time to return home to Delmarva.

“My son needs his ‘ohana’,” Schaller explained to his Hawaiian friends whose understanding of the word for “extended family” made his need to leave perfectly understandable.

The first place Schaller played when he moved back nine years ago belonged to Manuel Pavon Sr., who owns the original Cactus Café on Route 113. When his son, who was still a teenager when Schaller first met him, opened Cactus Café 54, he asked Schaller to play there and Schaller has been a fixture ever since.

Always appearing perfectly relaxed on his high bar stool at the entrance of the restaurant and in harmony with his environment, Schaller plays a lot of Spanish pieces including such favorites as Girl from Ipanema and the Bossa Nova as well as traditional South American folk tunes. But whatever he plays, his style reflects his love of Jazz that on his album cover (“Stringing You Along II”) he quotes as a “a series of miraculous recoveries.” Somehow Schaller manages to be able to provide both background as well as listening music. And his creative improvisations to the music’s basic tune make even well known pieces sound fresh and different each time he plays.

Bruce Todd has been a regular Friday evening diner at the Cactus Café for several years.

“I used to come specifically to hear Bob,” he explained. “But I’ve grown to know Manuel and his family so well and they make me and my sons so welcome, I wouldn’t know how else to wind down at the end of the week.” One son, Aaron, added, “You can see the stress dissipate from Dad’s shoulders as he listens to Bob’s music.” And Jed, his other son, indicated the closeness of the Todd and Pavon families by noting that he shares the exact birth date with Pavon’s sister, Vanessa, who also works at the restaurant.

It is that kind of family inter-connectedness between the management and staff of the Cactus Café 54 and those who come there to dine and to be entertained that differentiates this restaurant. Although born in Delaware, Pavon grew up in Peru and Mexico and his restaurant cuisine reflects the combination of cultures. With his 1-year-old daughter, Luna, in his arms, he goes from table to table making sure his customers are pleased with the meals they have ordered. Meals that can vary from Bruce Todd’s favorite, blackened tuna with mango butter, to an evening special, pork chop, mashed potatoes and fried okra, to a wide selection of traditional Latin favorites. Of course, margaritas are the drink of choice (both wine and tequila-based) and no meal can end without sampling some flan (Spanish custard) or homemade fried ice cream, as you linger for just 10 more minutes of easy listening.

When not at the restaurant, music still dominates Schaller’s life. His latest venture is composing, arranging and recording original music and sound effects to accompany audio book stories featuring a totally different mood than the restaurant, horror and dark fiction. You can listen to a sound bite of his work at www.borderlandspress.com or call him for information about his playing and recording capabilities at (410) 352-30113.

To get directions or to find out the specials on the menu at the year-round Cactus Café 54, call (302) 436-4492.