Recent Stories in Restaurant

While we were down in Columbia City the other day visiting the Columbia City Theater, we stopped in for lunch at Geraldine's Counter and had a bowl of three-meat chili ($6.95) that it took some digging to reach the bottom of. After a quick conference, The SunBreak Breakfast Team moved Geraldine's up to the top of our breakfast hit list.

Geraldine's Counter (4872 Rainier Avenue South) is right around the corner from a lot on South Ferdinand Street full of 2-hour parking spots that cost exactly $1. (It's also, I will estimate, a 7-minute walk from the Columbia City light rail station.) That's almost thrill enough, but the ambiance of the place--booths to your right as you walk in, light pouring over tables set next to windows on your left, and just in front, the eponymous counter seating--exceeds expectations.

The place is rated highly by the Surly Gourmand, which makes sense because our lunchtime waiter, if not surly, must have made some crotchety vow of silence. There was never any warning or explanation for the fact that two bowls of chili, a cup of tomato soup, and three-cheese sandwich ($6.50: cheddar, Havarti, gruyère) ) took over half an hour to arrive. (In some circles, half an hour is lunch.)

Everything is better with breakfast, though, and that included our service. I asked the waitress for help deciding between the biscuits and gravy ($9.50) and corned beef hash ($8.75), and she gave it real thought--it's a dilemma!--and said hash. I will have to return for biscuits and gravy to be sure, but they serve up a mighty plate of corned beef hash.... (more)

On the heels of our burger shack survey, the SunBreak Burger Team decided to visit The Counter in Ballard (4609 14th Ave NW), which is, as you know, "the 21st century’s bold answer to the classic burger joint." It turned out to be an oddly taxing experience, not least because two burgers, two fries, a malt and a soda came to over $34.

But first we were confronted by the "Build Your Own Burger" menu, which would make Barry Schwartz scream, "Have you learned nothing from my work?" Essentially, you walk in and are presented with a pop quiz for your stomach. Not only are there 17 million combinations to choose from, but some are "free," and some are priced like extra toppings on your pizza ($0.50 to $1.00 per).

The smallest burger size is one-third of a pound of Angus beef, antibiotic- and hormone-free. ("Weights AFTER cooking," the menu tells you proudly.) That sets you back $8.25 before you've added anything at all. 1/3-lb. ground beef! Does anyone else remember when the quarter-pounder was a large? The result is a burger you have to slice in half just to get your hands around a manageable piece. (Later I felt like a python that swallowed a deep-fried goat that had just sucked down a shake.)... (more)

We visited Cafe Flora (29th & Madison) earlier this year to try out their breakfast menu; this time they invited us down to see the backyard patio and sample options from their cocktail menu (pdf). Click through the gallery for glimpses of vegetarian and vegan takes on cocktail hour.

Cafe Flora opened in 1991, the year I moved to Seattle, though the two events are largely unrelated. I do remember my first meal there, and the thrill that came with eating vegetarian fare that wasn't trying to taste like a meat dish. Everything celebrated precisely what was on your plate.

Now there's a new(ish) owner, Nat Stratton-Clarke, who started five years ago as a buyer, became general manager, and then took over the reins completely when founding owner David Foecke wanted to move on. So while Café Flora lives on, new approaches to menus and décor are being tried out.

To go with the cocktails, there's a Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, from 3-6 p.m., they offer select beers at $2.50, wines at $5, and a daily cocktail at $5. For the ultimate escape from a hectic day, make tracks for the back patio, and try the intensive garden immersion therapy it provides.

Tillamook’s Loaf Love tour is making a stop in Seattle, and the welcome party is at Capitol Hill's Po Dog (1009 East Union Street), purveyors of fine hot doggery and dog-related accoutrement. Here is everything you need to know wrapped up in a tidy cheese package:

For one hour only–5 p.m. to 6 p.m.-on August 5th, 2010, Po Dog restaurant, Capitol Hill location, will offer free Tillamook-themed hot dogs, "The Mac & Tillamook Cheese Dog," in celebration of Tillamook’s Loaf Love Tour, the first ever cheese tour comprised of three refurbished VW buses designed to look like baby loafs of cheese, arriving in Seattle and rolling around until August 16th. In addition to free hot dogs, the Loaf Love Tour will be handing out free cheese samples, coupons, buttons & more to help spread the love of tasty cheese to the people.

We couldn't make this stuff up. Further details: The VW buses are 1966 vintage, and cheese is delicious. You can probably still eat it even if you are lactose intolerant. Tillamook is a cooperative. They're 101 years old. They also make ice cream and butter. But their cheddar is what gets you. You probably don't realize how good you have it, cheddar-wise. You can eat too much cheese, I'm told. Moderation in all things, even the extra sharp.

Last week Octo Sushi opened up in the 12th Avenue space where dearly departed Crave used to be.  Actually, the restaurant is larger than the Linke Building's former occupant, taking up both the front windowed area, as well as the room behind. It's a smart idea (that front section is both tiny and prone to getting hot in the summer), but while the back section is cool (and well-designed with wood paneling), it's also dark and maybe too large for the amount of business the restaurant is getting thus far.

I was there for a Thursday dinner in which the front section was completely empty and the back room only had a few tables with customers during what should be its prime dinner hours (6:30 till 8:30 or so). But as a result, the service was attendant and the food arrived in no time. The kitchen is up front, while the sushi chef is busy cutting in the back. And yet somehow, my order initially arrived with sashimi instead of nigiri, and I overheard another table have a similar issue with a roll. Also for the record, if you bring me the wrong item of food, I will gladly eat that while you prepare the correct one. Just sayin'.... (more)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the grand opening party for the Hard Rock Seattle three months after the fact. Look guys, if you wanna have a party, have a party, but there’s really no reason to term it a "grand opening" event that late. There's also no need to schedule it so that it conflicts with SIFF's opening night, but that is another story.

Regardless, HRC knows how to throw a bash. Four words: open bar all night. Not to mention the huge spread of food, the mass guitar smash featuring local luminaries like Steve Pool and Sir Mix-A-Lot, and high energy performances by Ra Ra Riot and The Thermals.  (Thanks to Jeff for the vid.)

Photo courtesy our Flickr pool's zenobia_joy

In the 1960s and '70s, Seattle earned a reputation as a top-notch burger haven. Burger shacks like Turbulent Turtle and Red Robin served up burgers with a dizzying mix of embellishments, and Dick’s Drive-In and Daly’s cooked up an honest, tasty lunch at prices everyone enjoyed.

Sadly, that first generation of patty pioneers now lies moldering in redeveloped graves. A few years ago, Daly’s closed to make way for an Eastlake development that has been stalled by the economy. It’s now just a vacant lot. Earlier this year, the original Red Robin on Eastlake closed, the last link to a glorious past for what is now, basically, a mall-only restaurant. Only Dick’s remains, still serving the best burgers for the dollar in the city.

Thankfully, Seattle is in the midst of a burger shack renaissance and The SunBreak Lunch Team (not just for breakfast anymore!) has spent the past few weeks scouting out the new players.

iBurger and Shake (8000 Lake City Way N.E.) just opened. Housed in a beautifully restored 1930s-era gas station, it’s a welcome addition to the lunch landscape in Maple Leaf. We ordered the Cheeseburger and the Hawaiian Burger with chicken. A blueberry shake and an order of fries rounded out the meal.

The burgers are 1/3-lb. of 100-percent ground chuck and are delicious. Lettuce, onions, and tomato were crisp and fresh. The chicken was a large portion, well cooked but not dry. The shake was fresh blueberries mixed into soft-serve ice cream. The fries were crinkle-cut and disappointing. Prices were reasonable, with burgers in the $4 to $7 range. The two of us ate a good meal for $16.... (more)

Dick's on Broadway, 1 p.m. today, and as I walk away with my cheeseburger I notice a girl in a "Garfield Class of 2012" T-shirt. "Make sure you get Jessica a chocolate shake," she shouts to her friend.

One of the lovely things about living in the town where you grew up is watching rituals repeat themselves. Eons ago, like the girl I saw today, I was a sophomore at Garfield. And like her, I experienced the thrill of driving off-campus for the first time for lunch. Where did we go? To Dick's, of course.

My friend Dan, now a intellectual property attorney in New York City, had just turned 16 and gotten a Dodge Spirit from his parents. We crammed into the mid-sized sedan with little regard for our seatbelt-to-passenger ratio, and took off from Garfield on the journey to Dick's, hip-hop blasting out the windows. Two small miles on the map, one giant leap for our manhood.

And I remembered my Dad telling me about hanging out at Dick's on Wallingford, where he grew up. "Ricardo's Club 19," they called it, in a sly homage to the 19-cent burgers which were the chain's original selling point. Hanging out in the parking lot with his friends, singing doo-wop and lauding Elgin Baylor's latest performance (or so I imagine), getting that same thrill of a social life away from school and parents.... (more)

Members of the South Warsaw Street Social Club arrived at the Swedish Cultural Center a few minutes early for the official beginning of the Friday Happy Hour. We were a little excited about the prospect of Swedish meatballs, and it was also our first trip inside the august doors of the Center, which sits at 1920 Dexter Avenue, above Lake Union.

Inside it's airy and spacious, bathed in light and kept warm with blond wood floors. Furniture is also blond, and so are most of the guests. Upstairs, a bar awaits and an outside walkway with amazing views. We weren't members, but I ask you, is it humanly possible to skip over a Happy Hour described thusly? 

Every Friday. Swedish Kafé & Happy Hour! Smörgås sandwiches, Swedish meatballs, and homemade Swedish pastries. Sandwiches by Svedala Bakery. Kafé from 12 noon on. Semlor from now till Easter. Evening food by Swedish chef Ann-Margret varies weekly. Food starts at 6 p.m. Always a fantastic view. 5-10:30 p.m.

Cultural clubs usually allow you one free sample visit (we're finding), and this was the case at the Swedish Cultural Center as well. Walking in for a drink proved no trouble at all, in fact--it was when we tried to get in on the Swedish meatballs that a volunteer became more concerned that we weren't members. As their site alerts you, though, this is easily remedied:... (more)

Tuesday, May 4, is National Teacher Appreciation Day, and Chipotle Mexican restaurants realize you didn't get 'em anything (no, that gift basket of Aplets & Cotlets for the holidays doesn't still count). Happily, they can stop in at a Chipotle for Buy One, Get One for Teacher. Any faculty or staff member (with school ID!) who buys a burrito, burrito bowl, salad or order of tacos, will receive a second order for free. Offer is good from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. I guess lunch is already plenty busy.

On Wednesday, TASTE at SAM "celebrates its third anniversary with a day of special offerings." Special, eh? But they don't say what, very cagy down there. A local-food sourcer (I'm told  89 percent of all ingredients come from local, organic sources), TASTE has kept more than $2 million in the local economy over the last three years. To make a reservation, call 206-903-5291 (NB: they close at 8 p.m. for a private event on Wednesday, and to mark the anniversary, SAM admission is just $3.)

The SunBreak Breakfast Team had heard tales of restaurant on Lower Queen Anne that was offering weekday breakfasts for $6. Étonnant! The only catch was the hours, 9 to 11 a.m. Committed to our readers as we are, could we spare an hour of the actual weekday for breakfast reportage?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I told Roger. $6 is a great deal, Roger admitted.

So last Friday morning we sat down at Toulouse Petit (introduced to you by Cornichon and rated four to five stars by everyone else). The restaurant was already three-quarters full when we arrived, at 9:15 a.m. It's named for rue Toulouse in New Orleans, and a great deal of attention went into the interior's faux-Big Easy decrepitude--the walls are scabbed with "crumbling" plaster. Ersatz culture isn't that appealing to me, but we weren't there to eat the walls.

We were there for breakfast. I don't believe all the items on the breakfast menu are $6--plates that go for $15 normally may not be. But in general, options in the $9-$12 range are, and the dilemma you then face is how to choose from between them all. Roger decided on the Biscuits and Spicy Creole Sausage Gravy (with two eggs over easy), and I could not resist the "Big Easy" Andouille Scramble.... (more)

When there is something newsworthy going on in the busy world of bars and restaurants on Capitol Hill, you can always count on CHS's seadevi to have the scoop.  But when I saw yesterday that there is finally something going into the space formerly occupied by Crave--pause for a second here to shed a single tear and pour out a little liquor for Robin Leventhal and Co.--I finally thought I'd beaten seadevi at her own game.

And then I checked CHS and found that she had already mentioned on Monday that Octo Sushi is coming to 12th Ave. You win again, seadevi! *shaking fist*

If you haven't been in recently, or have been waiting for someone to offer you their chocolate dessert named El Diablo, you're in luck. Throughout April, Tango has a full slate of special events in celebration of turning ten years old. The party begins April 1, with free El Diablos, and continues $5 pairings of El Diablos and specialty tequilas, live tango, extended happy hours, and participation in the meal deals of Seattle Restaurant Week.

To get out the word on Tango turning ten, Travis Rosenthal had a swarm of food writers down to the corner of Boren and Pike this week to preview the cause for celebration. Rosenthal's owned Tango since 2006--he originally arrived in Seattle to help open Pacific Place's Il Fornaio, and was general manager at the U Village's popular Piatti, until making the leap to Tango's Latin American and Spanish small plates.

Rosenthal and his executive chef Michael Bruno were confident enough in their offerings that they opened the whole menu for review (see the photo gallery above). Missteps were few and far between, and I began asking myself more and more stridently why it had taken me ten years to darken their door. To read the reviews, everyone else clued in long ago. The candlelit ambiance draws everyone from canoodling couples and Paramount showgoers, to carafe-quaffing tables of ya-ya sisterhoods.

This being St. Patrick's Day, it seemed appropriate to consume some sort of corned beef, even if--avoiding the Irish pubs as we are tonight--my girlfriend and I are not going to get our yearly dose of corned beef and cabbage.

Instead, we finally took the time to walk down to Market House Corned Beef at Minor and Howell, which we'd driven past about a million times but never stopped at.

Big mistake.

Open for over 60 years, the lunch menu is simple--about five sandwiches, $7.95 each. Take an order form, fill it out, and leave it on the counter top for them to grab while you sit back and watch mounds of corned beef and onions get seared on the stove. (A note: for a cold corned beef sandwich, you don't have to wait, just go to the register.)

We decided to experiment and share, and ordered what was billed as "Seattle's best reuben" (yes, it is) and a brisket sandwich. Both are worth it, though I'd choose the reuben any day. Served with potato salad, a pickle, and, today, a St. Paddy's Day cookie.

Chinook's cioppino is delicious and will rob you of your dignity.

Just to make the drive over a little more exciting, once we're in the car we decide not to map the route using our iPhones and just wing it by memory and luck. We've only lived in Seattle for seven years, which means I've only ever had to go to Magnolia twice: once for our first visit to Chinook's, and once a few years earlier to attend the filming of a hardcore porno.

We take Highway 99 north to the south end of the Aurora Bridge, where we turn off at the sign for the Queen Anne U-Turn, which nevertheless leaves us headed vaguely northwest rather than south. From there, we follow the signs toward Seattle Pacific University until we hit a street called Nickerson that jogs a memory of some sort, and leads us to the MC Escher-designed Ballard Bridge, where—in a rare instance of public art taking precedence over urban efficiency—motorists get to enjoy taking two lefts through an intersection in the sky in order to go straight on the same road. And then you're pretty much at Fishermen's Terminal.

Congratulating ourselves on getting less lost than the last time, when we actually did use Google Maps on an iPhone to get there, we wait for a moment at the front until our waiter comes to seat us. A baby-faced man whose name I later learn is Oliver, he sort of squints at me as he leads us to our table and then asks, "Have I served you before?"

Oliver was, in fact, the man who served us the previous time, and although I'm suspecting this is some sort of gimmick, I compliment Oliver on his memory. Laughing and shaking his head in a self-deprecating manner, he demurs: "Well, you did remember me, too."... (more)

Proletariat Pizza - Half Cinco, Half Margharita

They say the pizza in New York City is so good because of the quality of the municipal water used to make the pizza dough. Well, if that is true, then White Center must have some of the best water in the state. I say this because Proletariat Pizza is some of the best I have ever had in my life. Though to be fair, I should point out that I have never been to New York. But based on online reviews, I'm not alone in thinking this way. The pizzas are consistently delicious. I have been back five times now, and not once did I finish eating and think, "It was better last time."

The pizzas are all 18-inch thin crust pies. You can order a 1/2-size of any pizza if a full one is too much. As far as toppings go, you can build your own with most of the traditional fare along with some surprising extras, like Mama Lil's peppers and Spam. However, the signature pies are all pretty good too. Personally I have tried The Favorite (Italian sausage, fresh chopped garlic, Mama Lil's peppers), The Real Hawaiian (pineapple and Spam), Margherita (basil, fresh tomato and fresh mozzarella), and the Cinco. The Cinco is my hands-down favorite, consisting of fontina, provolone, asiago, gorgonzola, and mozzarella cheeses. The full menu can be found on their website.... (more)

Ballard's Original Pancake House is part of a nation-spanning, pancake-purveying chain, but you wouldn't know it from the old-school neon sign out front at 80th & 15th Avenue NW. Yelpers are giving it a respectable 3.5 stars, and Urban Spoon likes it 88 percent.

The first impression you get is that they're expecting company: part of the entryway is a large walled-in porch for hordes to take shelter from the weather in before being admitted to the restaurant proper. Our waiter Juliann said the weekends get a little crazy.

Inside is an expanse of tables made of blond wood ("summer camp ambiance" says Ballard Bites), seating Ballardites with sizable appetites who don't demand much from interior design. You can get pancakes, yes, but there's also waffles and crepes for those with a wandering eye. If you want to break all the rules, there's corned beef hash and more. But--and here is where the sizable appetite part comes in--the corned beef hash comes with pancakes. Just when you think you're out! They drag you back in.

The SunBreak Breakfast Team was three this day (Ballard resident Troy J. Morris sat in), and we ordered the Links & Eggs, Corned Beef Hash, and Buttermilk Pancakes (six). The pancakes came solo, but the Links & Eggs and Corned Beef came with a choice of two sides (we went with 3 pancakes and fruit). That, plus two coffees constantly refilled and a Diet Coke, came to $36, plus tip. The Corned Beef Hash was the most expensive option ordered, at $10.95, I believe.... (more)

Yesterday was National Pancake Day according to IHOP, who were offering free pancakes. The crowds of pancake dilettantes meant that was out as a breakfast option. The SunBreak Breakfast Team are not amateurs, however. Our list is deep, and on it is the University Village Burgermaster.

Yelper Ryan sets the Burgermaster breakfast table for you: "It was a whole different scene. Old people sat, reading the newspaper, and the menu was expansive. The Burgermaster I usually go to in Bellevue is a Drive-In only, but this place is an actual restaurant."

I got the short stack, eggs over easy, and bacon; Roger got the short stack, scrambled eggs, and sausage. Both $6.99 (see menu in photo gallery). The serve-yourself Boyd's coffee was...mildly coffee-flavored. We joined a row of mostly men of a certain age, all with the morning paper spread out, at the tables next to the window.

Two retirees shuffled in. One sat down, one kept heading for the order counter, then turned. "You're not gonna eat?" he called to his friend. "You don't eat nothin'. A muffin, what's that?" He paused. "You want somethin'? Well, I'll get ya somethin'."

Burgermaster's pancakes are "fluffy," the high-rising style, and don't come around here trying to peddle your multigrain. My over-easy eggs were cooked just right, but it was hard to discern if actual eggs were involved with Roger's yellow scramble. In compensation, his two greasy brown sausage links had it all over my two dry, chewy slices of bacon. The heat lamp extracts a costly due.

At $6.95, this breakfast runs a little high given the quality, but you are paying for the University Village ambiance, don't forget. And without irony, men of a certain age need all the diner-style breakfast spots they can get.

Today about wraps up our sunny spell. Tomorrow afternoon we return to more conventional Pacific Northwest weather fare. Cliff Mass says, "On Tuesday a weather system will approach with a chance of showers later in the day. Then we switch into a cloudier, wetter pattern...but not too extreme." So if you have an "errand" to run, better get to it. And bring your camera.

An expedition to West Seattle for a Lincoln Park getaway led me, on the way back, through the hallowed burger shack doors of Zippy's Giant Burgers. The hallowing has come early, since Zippy's was just born in spring of 2008, but there was no question from day one that the burger shack was a winner. At the moment, they've won over 93 percent of Urban Spoon visitors, and they're a solid four stars on Yelp.

The owners claim to be vegetarians, personally, which might strike you as odd. But then you probably don't charbroil over 85 pounds of hamburger a day. I can see how that might quell your appetite.

My group ordered the Zip Burger ($4.25), Zip Royale ($6.50), and the Zip with bacon and cheese ($5.50). Zippy's is a with-all-the-toppings kind of place: secret sauce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, iceberg lettuce; but the burger is where they do themselves proud. They grind the chuck fresh each day--no frozen patties allowed. And as the pictures indicate, they taste deeply, smokily of the grill where they were forged.

The interior is tiny, and there's very limited parking in front. Regulars advise ordering by phone (206-763-7347) and getting your order to go at busy times. The guy at the counter was friendly and helpful. Payment is cash-only, but there's a small ATM that--sit down, you won't believe it--charges $0.25 per transaction. (That's right, a quarter. Not $2.50. A quarter! I almost want to go back just for the ATM. It also politely asks if you'd like to check your balance before you withdraw, to prevent overdraft.)... (more)

Seattle's first Hard Rock Cafe, located at 116 Pike Street, is open for business today, as of 11 a.m. Josh and Audrey went on a tour yesterday (see full photo gallery); after the fact, they discussed the tech-heavy new digs, the tons of memorabilia, and the unironically awesome rooftop deck.

The third floor is home to a magnificent roof deck with views of the market and sound and populated with weatherized couches and firepits. This is the feature most likely to make you a Hard Rock Cafe regular.

Josh: Let me begin by saying that before I saw that this place was under construction, I was not entirely aware that the Hard Rock Cafe was still in business, let alone opening new stores. Score one for the themed casual chain dining economy; times aren't as tough as I'd assumed.

Audrey: According to the Hard Rock's Wikipedia page, these are the other cities getting a new Cafe this year: Costa Maya, Los Angeles (Hollywood Blvd), and Krakow. To which I say: Seattle: Slightly More Culturally Advanced Than Krakow. Even Ho Chi Minh City got their Hard Rock last year!

Josh: We had no idea what we were missing! But I wonder if the EMP was strong-arming them out of the city for all of these years?

Audrey: A knife fight between the two awaits for sure. How did the EMP not get custody of Jimi Hendrix's green hat? Which brings us to a very important topic: memorabilia, though everyone at the Hard Rock likes to refer to it as "memo."

Josh: That's what it's all about: the stories. It is also the part of the HRC experience that is kind of baffling. It's as if someone realized one day that the biggest flaw in most museum experiences is the absence of a Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger on hand. Or, that what most restaurants were lacking were sufficient distractions from the usual dining experience. This is where the revamped HRC really shines. They know that obsessive music fans can be a little introverted.

Audrey : The Hard Rock Cafe seems to be the best place to go if you don't wish to interact with your dining companions (in other words, families on vacation).

Josh: TRUE. So they answer this by setting up those booths with the family/friends/social contact avoidance devices.

Audrey: Why talk as a family if Bobby can be voting on which video should be shown throughout the restaurant, while Mom takes a handheld survey on her dining experience thus far, and Dad is on his phone having a voicemail tour of the objects around him?

Josh: The family that avoids together stays together. Those screens are perfect for the surly teen who doesn't yet have an iPhone/iPad/iPod but still wants to see pictures of "memo" on display in Fiji, where he would have preferred the family take its annual vacay.... (more)

Seattle's first Hard Rock Cafe, located at 116 Pike Street, is open for business today, as of 11 a.m. Josh and Audrey went on a tour yesterday, and here are the photographic results. Here, they chat about what it all means for Seattle.

In honor of screaming chicken day--and the offer of a free Denny's Grand Slam until 2 p.m.--we skipped the potential clustercluck at Seattle's one Denny's and headed to IHOP #612, the venerable 24-hour establishment (950 E Madison) now, the sign informed us, under new management.

The SunBreak breakfast team--RvO and MvB--came equipped with a Seattle Times to flip through and a reasonable appetite to satisfy. We hadn't experienced the old management, but new management was running a tight ship, to our eyes. Tables were clean and fully stocked, and our waiter Victoria stuck to us like maple syrup on a waffle. Granted, only two other tables were seated.

"I'm disappointed with the feeble sports coverage in a major U.S. metro area," announced Roger, brandishing the Times, to which Victoria responded, "You and me both." Placated, Roger ordered a Two by Two by Two (eggs, pancakes, bacon/sausage). I got the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'n' Fruity (essentially the Two by, but with two bacon and two sausage, and fruit on the pancakes).

Both were under $10, but I should note that "all you can eat" pancake offerings start at $4.99.

The market had climbed back to the sunny side of 10,000. Our pot of coffee was bottomless. The eggs were over easy. The pancakes, fluffy. The whipped cream on top of the cinnamon apple compote towered Everest-like. It seemed unlikely that much of it was, by any stretch of the imagination, healthy. I only wished I had ordered a side of toast to mop up the eggs.

Over the weekend I stopped in at the Varsity for District 13: Ultimatum, which gave me the chance to eat at Ruby's, closed for renovation the last time I visited the Ave. Just across the street from the Post Office, Ruby's used to look like a dorm basement that had fallen on bad times, but after being turned on to the rice bowls, I learned to ignore the sketchiness (which makes me just like 78 percent of visitors, I guess).

A few months after renovation, I almost didn't dare walk in. Why would such an upscale-seeming spot be serving my delicious rice bowls? A full bar gleamed. The lights were low. I was seated (another first!) and ordered a Manny's while I perused the menu. The tables, happily, were still mismatched.

There was a red coconut curry rice bowl (with pineapple) that caught my eye at first, but eventually I settled on the yellow curry dahl. "We're out of spinach," the bartender/waiter told me. I fixed him with the van Baker stink-eye. "I guess we could use some of the fresh spinach for the salads," he said, displaying a sterling brand of adaptability. Ah, problem solved. In a few minutes, a bowl as big as my head, piled high with curried rice, potatoes, and spinach was plunked down. You can choose your carne (or tofu) and the price varies accordingly. My chicken version came to $9. Lamb I seem to recall being $11? There's also salmon, in between, price-wise.

Ah, breakfast. It sits right at the heart of mealtime ironies: widely considered essential for a healthy day and almost universally skipped by everyone beyond the age of ten.

The gap between importance and neglect is probably due to a traditionally narrow range of breakfast options. Let’s face it, not much has changed in the morning meal in the centuries since someone discovered that an egg can be scrambled, fried, boiled and beaten, and bacon and sausage come from our friend the pig.

So it came as a pleasant surprise when our friends at vegetarian-oriented Café Flora invited us in to try out their new breakfast menu, now being served every day during the week, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with their always popular brunch still going strong during the weekend.

The restaurant has been serving weekday breakfast since the beginning of the new year, and MvB and I, who sampled the Flora breakfast menu this morning, were told that business is steadily growing.

The coffee, from Stumptown, was the perfect eye opener. Michael remarked that it was hard to tell it was drip. The compact breakfast menu features seven items, four egg scrambles, a breakfast quesadilla, biscuits and gravy, and an old-world-style porridge served with dried fruit and almonds. The menu also includes a fruit parfait, a cinnamon roll, and a fresh pastry.... (more)