Breakfast Anyone?

[Afishnado]

Growing up in L.A., there's this fantastic breakfast (though all meals are served there) called the Pantry, at 9th & Figueroa downtown. The place's been open 24/7 since like the '20s. Your breakfast includes perfectly crunchy exterior semi-soft interior screaming hot homefries and thick grilled sourdough slab-like slices, not to mention the endless coffee.... The bisquits & gravy from scratch.... mmmmm....

I'm seeking such a place on the Eastside or Renton. Any suggestions?

[Sleepy_Dragon]

I've not been there myself, but I've heard plenty of good things about Chace's Pancake Corral at 1606 Bellevue Way SE.

Pat

[SparrowsFall]

If you, like me:

1. Seek only bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns (and their ilk)

2. Are more comfortable of a morning in a dive than a diva's haunt.

3. Are happy with workmanlike, everyday coffee (perhaps having downed a latte or two at home before venturing out)...

I recommend Beth's on Aurora just south of Winona. Shitbox of a building outside, cracked vinyl seats inside, wacky patron-created cartoon art stuck up all over the walls. More tatoos and assorted piercings than you can shake a stick at. Dissolute-looking biker and rock-n-roller types just coming off a hard day's night. Very pleasant and prompt service.

And, the best hash browns in town. (Ask for them crispy; they actually listen.) Over medium gets you over medium. Every time. Four big thick pieces of bacon--gotta ask 'em where they get it.

That's where I go. Somewhat more often than I care to admit.

Steve

[Afishnado]

I'm pretty fond of Beth's Cafe myself, when I'm in the neighborhood. The hash browns are refillable, and the omelets can be shared. It's the place you go to when it's 3 am, for some bizarre reason you're on Aurora, and you need grub.

Another place I forgot about, but it's out of the way for me (I'm in Renton) is Mr. Bill's Restaurant on 130th & Aurora. Portions are HUGE and cheap. The pancakes are good, as are the bisqcuits & gravy. It's a 50's theme though that can get tiring, but the breakfasts are good & they've got a smoking/non-smoking section.

One more place that's out of the way, personally, but is great is the Mecca Cafe on Queen Anne, just below Roy. It's the oldest family-owned restaurant in Seattle (same owners as the 5 Spot) and makes a pretty mean breakfast.

[Fay Jai]

Mecca...Probably true...although I don't relish the idea of smelling like an ashtray for a week...

SOMEONE once said something a few months about Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs...Care to repost...PLEASE

My everlasting thanks....

Fay Jai

[malarkey]

SOMEONE once said something a few months about Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs...Care to repost...PLEASE

You can get CFS and eggs at Larry's in Pioneer Square. And its pretty damn good.

[ScorchedPalate]

SOMEONE once said something a few months about Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs...Care to repost...PLEASE

That was probably me... waxing rhapsodic about the Country Breakfast at St. Clouds: Chicken-fried steak with bacon gravy, served with 2 eggs any style, hashbrowns, and Grandma Hazel's coffee cake.

It's so damned good that I have to limit myself to once a month or I'd weigh 800 pounds.

~A

[Fay Jai]

Scorched...It WAS you...Thank you thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou...

We are celebrating my wifes 30th plus 1 on Saturday night, and I can't think of a better hangover breakfast....Thanks Again

[Sleepy_Dragon]

They are not on the Eastside or Renton, but if you're in the southern part of Seattle, Silver Fork is great. They are on the corner of the Safeway parking lot right before the Darigold plant on Rainer Ave. S.

Their grits are amazing. I can't get my own grits to be as creamy as theirs, surely it can't just be because I'm a Yanqui! Anyway, get the chickenfried steak and a bowl of grits, and marvel at the HALF STICK of butter that floats on top of them!

The place does get smoky, but it's a diner after all. Some amazing baptist church lady hair too if you go on a Sunday.

Pat

[Fay Jai]

Some amazing baptist church lady hair too if you go on a Sunday.

[kiliki]

Vera's in Ballard has a Chicken Fried Steak, 3 egg and hashbrown breakfast.

[Fay Jai]

Scorched Palate --- Oh boy, were you right. Me and a motley crew of fully hungover remnants from the wifes B-day party trooped down to St. Clouds this morning. HOO RA! Aside from the waitress (who strangely kept muttering to herself) and some weird acoustics that made it impossible to hear what my friend across the table was saying, (or was that the hangover? Whatever.) the CFS was as good as billed. The wife's eggs were a little overdone, mine were a little underdone...but th CFS was sublime...The only possible complaint was that there was not enough of it, (however, as I am a total pig, take that with a grain of salt.) My wife does not even like CFS, and she wished she had ordered it. Great bacon (BACON! ) gravy and a slighly salty, slightly spicy crust over good meat...

I am in your debt.

(And I could of sworn that I saw Schielke's twin there...at least if I remember right from the Salumi shots!)

See some of you Thursday, can't wait...

Edited May 2, 2004 by Fay Jai (log)

[Schielke]

This twin you saw...did he look evil?

Eastside breakfast is tough. The Brown Bag cafe in Kirkland and Redmond are pretty good.

Ben

[ScorchedPalate]

Glad to have lured you to a new addiction, Fai Jai.

I, for one, never have the problem of there being too little of the CFS at St. Clouds... I always eat all of it, even when they give me 2 little pieces instead of 1 medium-sized one. And then my poor hash-browns and coffee cake end up unloved (which as Cam can attest *never* happens under ordinary circumstances!).

We were actually there on Sunday morning, too. Were you the big party with 3 kids in the main room? There were a couple of servers working who we didn't recognize, so maybe the mutterer was a sub for someone on vacation. (Let's hope!)

And yes, the acoustics (not to mention the ventilation) leave a lot to be desired. I think it says a lot for the place that it manages to feel cozy despite its design flaws.

~Anita

[MsRamsey]

We also had poached eggs on our benedicts at St. Cloud's that were very overdone, even though husband specifically requested "very soft" (and I heard it relayed to the cook). So, they definitely need to fix that. But it was quite tasty and they use high-quality ingredients.

[Fay Jai]

Ahhh...Scorched...So Funny... Nothing EVER goes unloved on my plate, lol

The CFS was soooo good that I was just sad that there was not more of it.

We were not the big party with the kids, we were the big party of (VERY) hung over looking people. Yeah...the mutterer...older looking lady then the rest of the servers and had red hair...Anyway...Schielke...Um, he was waring a U-Til-A-Kilt, does that count?

Hopefully we'll see ya'll there!

[ScorchedPalate]

Anyway...Schielke...Um, he was waring a U-Til-A-Kilt, does that count?

Hopefully we'll see ya'll there!

Based on that description, I can almost guarantee that the eGulleteer in question was Cameron (SeaCrotty, aka Mr. Scorched). He and Schielke were both implicated in some Salumi lunch photos a while back (which I, for one, would rather forget about...) so perhaps that was the confusion. One easy way to keep them straight is that Ben has hair, Cam has none.

Now, to bring this back on topic:

Nobody's mentioned Cyndy's House of Pancakes on Aurora (at 105th), which I think of as a kinder, gentler version of Beth's. Same food genre, but substitute 'hon' ladies for Beth's punk waitresses... and no 12-egg omelettes, grunge jukebox, or falling-apart booths, of course. The menu oh-so-kindly offers to put Tillamook cheddar or sausage gravy on your potatoes for a buck.... mmmm!

The specialty of the house is a 'dutch baby' pancake, but not really having much of a sweet tooth, I can't vouch for it. Amazingly for a restaurant of its weight class, they rotate the menu quarterly. (I don't want to raise expecations here... there's nothing seasonal about it, other than that truly heart-clogging entrees seem more abundant in wintertime.)

If you go, I dare you to make the octagenerian cashier smile. Pay by credit card, and she'll copy the tip amount onto your copy of the receipt... apparently there's a lot of expense account fraud coming from that neighborhood.

~Anita

edited for a truly stupid typo

Edited May 5, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[ScorchedPalate]

...Mecca Cafe on Queen Anne, just below Roy...(same owners as the 5 Spot)...

5 Spot (along with Atlas, Jitterbug, Endolyne Joe's, and Coastal Kitchen) is owned by the Chow Foods group.

I once won a bet against a buddy who insisted that the 5 Spot and Hi-Spot Cafe in Madrona were owned by the same chef... come to think of it, he still owes me brunch for that.

~A

Edited May 5, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[ScorchedPalate]

We also had poached eggs on our benedicts at St. Cloud's that were very overdone, even though husband specifically requested "very soft" (and I heard it relayed to the cook).

Egg-doneness is a huge weakness there. Cam routinely orders his scrambles "very soft" and they come out well-done. I think the cook either lacks the talent to do this on a hot griddle (much harder than in a pan) or just has a phobia against 'undercooked' eggs.

[Schielke]

I need to learn how to cross my legs proper-like before I start wearing kilts!

[Fay Jai]

Actually...I was curious about the Hi-Spot...I know that it has been around forever...How is it for breakfast? (and, 5 spot....pretty damned good CFS on their Texas menu...)

[Afishnado]

I was under the impression that the 5 Spot was owned by the same family that owns the Mecca on Queen Anne? I don't know about the 5 Spot for breakfast, but it's tasty for lunch, and Zeke's Pizza's next door if you're still hungry!

[Afishnado]

You know, one restaurant that completely slipped my agile mind is Coastal Kitchen, on Capitol Hill. They've got a revolving menu so it keeps it interesting, but I can safely vouch for the smoked salmon, caper & cream cheese omelet.

Another restaurant a friend of mine just opened is Crave, on 12th. It's in a small, funky space & the help can be a little sketchy, but the stuffed french toast is wonderful.

[ScorchedPalate]

I was under the impression that the 5 Spot was owned by the same family that owns the Mecca on Queen Anne? I don't know about the 5 Spot for breakfast, but it's tasty for lunch.

I had a discussion recently over email with the managing director of Chow Foods regarding my 5Spot/HiSpot bet. We even covered topics like "Did you ever own other places? Has there been a chef that's worked at both?" And there's no mention of Mecca on the Chow web site (see link above).

If you like lunch at 5 Spot (which I find rather blah), then you'll love their breakfast. Dinner is inconsistent -- sometimes it's divine, sometimes it's embarassing.

I, too, like Costal Kitchen. It's not the strongest member of the Chow family, but it's close to home.

If you want more eG opinions on Crave, check out this thread.

Fai Jai: I haven't eaten at HiSpot, but our Madrona friends tell us that the wait-times and prices far exceed its homespun results.

~Anita

[bbqer]

You know, one restaurant that completely slipped my agile mind is Coastal Kitchen, on Capitol Hill. They've got a revolving menu so it keeps it interesting, but I can safely vouch for the smoked salmon, caper & cream cheese omelet.

We often meet friends at the Coastal Kitchen and love their breakfasts. Their spicy hash browns have a nice kick and their thick cut bacon is superb. Also delicious is their housemade coffee cake, a different one every week, usually served warm and substitutable (for fifty cents more) for toast. Oh, and they serve pure maple syrup, too (yum!).