Tag Archives: Breakfast

Sugar and Scribe

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Before we get into this week’s review, I have to tell you how we got here because it’s wild.  I wanted to cover a brunch place this season and I made my choice based on suggestions from readers; The Seventh House in North Park.  We made reservations, got a group together (comprised of mostly first time BW8SD panelists), filmed an entire episode, recorded the podcast, I completed the opening animation of the restaurant.  The turnaround time from production to launch on YouTube is about a month so I was well into production on this episode when a friend dropped into my DM’s with a link from a  Facebook group post about Seventh House.  It didn’t exist anymore.  In fact, it was changing its menu, format and had a new name.  The link included a photo with the new name in giant letters above the doorway where “The Seventh House” once stood, just days before.  We had only been there maybe 2 weeks ago.  I’ve had restaurants close after I’ve had the chance to review them.  I’ve seen places close before I could get to them (I’m sure you were lovely, Hoxton Manor).  But I’ve never seen a place close before my review could even go to press!  So the episode covering my visit to Seventh House will now assume its final resting place on the cutting room floor.  Apologies to my team, who put in some fabulous work on that episode and to Seventh House because the food was really good, even if the place was overdesigned and they had the music so loud I could barely eat with Adele screaming about her breakup in my face at 10am on a Saturday.  So the scramble was on to find a new brunch place and, yes, it had  to be a brunch place. Why, you ask?

Lemme tell ya a few eternal truths about The Gays ™ 

We are every walk of life, existing in every known and unknown space in the universe since the dawn of time but we remained in the shadows until musicals were invented.  We are all actively trying to kill Jennifer Coolidge and we love brunch.  Like, love it.  An iconic Season one episode of The Simpsons titled “Life in The Fast Lane” called brunch “Not quite breakfast, not quite lunch but you get a slice of cantaloupe at the end and you get a good meal”.  Brunch was already pretty common place in 1990 so I’ll refrain from tossing this on top of the already mountainous pile of creepy future predictions The Simpsons got exactly right.   Brunch got it’s start as the British Hunt Breakfast. A meal typically held between 10am-1pm which takes the place of breakfast and lunch.  It rose to popularity in the U.S. during 1930’s and,as with all things in culture, once the queens got hold of it, it elevated to transcendent levels.  Props to the forward thinking person(s?) who believed the first meal of the day could be improved upon and said “Let’s sleep in, eat breakfast late, gossip with our friends and get completely trashed on champagne with a shot of orange juice in it!”.  I’ve been to brunch hundreds of times but I always marvel at how much these servers think I can drink.  Like, do I look depressed?  I mean, I am but I thought I was playing it closer to the vest than that. The Hunt breakfast is still going strong in the gayborhood, the only that’s changed is the food, the drink and what’s being hunted… 

So, what is it about brunch that we love so much?  You can pretty much binge drink at any meal with the right attitude but that could go badly and next thing you know you’ve “Ruined Thanksgiving again”.  It’s festive.  There’s always more to choose from on the menu with both breakfast and lunch-y things.  The sweet people are happy.  The savory people are happy.  The drunk people are under the table before the bread course arrives.  Everyone wins.  

Sugar and Scribe is a full-service restaurant that serves all day brunch in downtown La Jolla and is owned by Food Network Champion chef Maeve Rochford, who was lovely, seated our table and answered my many questions.  While savory items are offered, a prime draw for me was the in-house bakery, which has received accolades from Yelp and San Diego Magazine.  Savory items? Check.  Mimosas?  Check.  Bakery? Double Check.  I was ready and so was my ever-ready brunch bunch.  

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

David-Wonder Woman superfan, musical theatre enthusiast, the narrator’s love interest

Harry-The I.T. guy, equal parts Type A and goofy as all get out, He probably knows how to fix that.

Kelsey-Project manager, Keeper of Christmas, has been known to drop it like it’s hot

Joseph-Music educator, loves just about every food I won’t touch, masterclass Dad joker

Shannan-Medical examiner, pumpkin enthusiast, drives the coolest car you’ve ever seen

We’re here to pretend to eat like adults before diving into the sugar.

Sugar and Scribe does not take reservations.  No exceptions.  I was anticipating that our large group would have a Disneyland-level wait ahead of us.  Imagine my surprise when they had us seated in less than 15 minutes.  The look of this place is great.  Really quaint, well thought out and designed.  Far less stuffy upscale and way more countryside bed and breakfast.  The best word I can use is it’s just lovely.  A relaxing contrast to the almost frantic pace of our meal.  The service was surprisingly fast.  I went to use the bathroom before we ordered and when I came back from the bathroom, our food was on the table.  Granted I was in line behind four people I was sure had never used a bathroom before but still impressive.  Our food arrived so quickly, it made more than one person at the table question how much of the food had been made in advance.   

Brunch gonna brunch so I started with a Caramelized Pineapple Mimosa.  It was tasty and disarmingly strong (not that I’m complaining).  Rather than a garnish, the pineapple was integrated throughout the drink but if you’re not a fan of orange juice pulp, this probably isn’t for you.  It was not a problem for me.  Shannan ordered the Cranberry Mimosa.  She loved the beautiful presentation and said it was delicious.  Harry ordered the S&S Bloody (Sabe straight, Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix, Spicy Green Beans, Blue Cheese stuffed Olive and a Celery Stalk).  He enjoyed to good spice level and called it a nice take on a classic Bloody Mary.  I’m just impressed the glass didn’t tip over from the garnish or give me heartburn simply by looking at it. 

For non-alcoholic choices, Shannan loved the Toasted Marshmallow Latte with Vanilla and Coconut.   Aimee got the Butterfly Pea Lemonade (a recent discovery and new favorite of hers).  She said it was delicious and very purple.  All the good things.  She wasn’t kidding.  The color of this drink was so vibrant and beautiful.  Stunning saturation on that pigment.  David had the S&S Hot Chocolate with housemade Marshmallow Whipped Cream and chocolate sauce.  While he loved the whipped cream, he wasn’t getting much chocolate or richness from the hot chocolate.  I tried some and I agree.  Delicious whipped cream but, to me, the hot chocolate tasted like a water base rather than a milk base. Sugar and Scribe serves up Dark Horse Coffee, which Joseph.  The former coffee shop manager said Dark Horse is always a good choice, providing a great depth of flavor without being too carbony.     

My thinking was I’d order something savory and substantial for my meal and then choose the sweets I wanted.  I wasn’t trying to do sugar on top of sugar on top of sugar.  I got the Protein Scramble (Scrambled egg whites, roasted chicken, cremini mushrooms, asparagus, arugula, chives and parmesan) with a side of potatoes and wheat toast.  I won’t say my socks were blown off by this admittedly pedestrian choice but it was well made with a great flavor to the mushrooms and good cuts of asparagus throughout.  I don’t normally put jam on my toast but the mixed berry jam they served alongside it was super tasty.  Shannan ordered the same breakfast and also praised how well the dish was made and the jam, which wasn’t quite as magical on their gluten free bread, but was still a highlight.

The one I wound up with

What I should have ordered is what Aimee had; Bread Pudding French Toast (Cinnamon Bread Pudding, Whiskey Caramel Sauce, Trecale Maple Syrup, Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, Bananas, Candied Pecans and edible petals).  She said the dish was very yummy and especially loved that the toppings were all included on the side so she could build her perfect bite.  She shared it with me and it was pretty outstanding.  I had an immediate case of Brunch Regret.  

The one that got away

Harry got the Lox Plate (Norwegian smoked Salmon, Greens, Capers, Crème Fraiche, Red Onion, Dill cream cheese, Heirloom Tomato, Cucumber on a Big City Everything Bagel).  Another beautiful plating.  He enjoyed the healthy serving of lox and the herbed cream cheese.  Plus the bagel was nicely toasted.  

David had the Naughty Skillet (BBQ Beef, Roasted Potatoes, Irish White Cheddar, Two Eggs and Spicy Sriracha Hollandaise).  He said everything in the dish was done perfectly.  David’s not one to order spicy food but said the heat level of this meal was just right with a generous portion.  He pretty much licked the plate.  High marks indeed.    

Joseph ordered the Spicy Shashuka Sunrise Skillet (Fire roasted Tomatoes, Onion, Garlic, Red Bell pepper, Fresno Pepper, Cilantro, Yellow Onion, Feta, Harissa Paste, Cumin, Chili Flakes, Two Eggs with Levain on the side).  He called it super delicious.  The poached eggs blended so well with everything in the skillet.  He wouldn’t mind a thicker toast with it than the one that arrived but he loved it.  

Kelsey got the Butter Poached Lobster Benedict (Poached Eggs, Main Lobster, Arugula, Parlsey, White Rosemary Hollandaise, Old Bay and an English Muffin).  She strongly suspected the dish had been prepared in advance as it was cold and overcooked in places.  While Kelsey said the overall flavor was fine, there was no one strong flavor coming through, which is saying something with a Rosemary Hollandaise and Old Bay on the plate.  She also had a lemon curd pancake, which had lemon curd in the batter but not on top, which was giving more lemon-flavored pancake than anything else.   

One of the more anticipated items on the menu was the Scotch Egg (a soft boiled egg surrounded by chicken sausage, deep fried golden brown and served with Red Eye Gravy).  I’m grossed out by any non-scrambled egg so it wasn’t for me but it received high marks from nearly everyone else.  Shannan loved the mild spice of the chicken sausage.  Harry praised the perfectly soft egg and called it a “must order”.  Aimee loved it, calling the fry on it perfect.  GBD (Golden Brown Delicious).  

It saddens me to say, the only real downside for me in this trip was the desserts.  I was puzzled that there’s no dessert offered on the menu.  I was assume an in-house bakery meant we could enjoy something at the table but I’ve realized in the days since that there’s plenty of sweet brunch options offered on the menu that dessert might be overkill to normal people and not sugar fiends like the narrator.  The desserts in the case (and on racks near the entrance) are all prepackaged.  They are beautiful.  Works of art.  If the saying is true that you eat with your eyes first, you’ll be stuffed before you even have a bite.  I ordered the beautiful glittered rainbow sprinkled cake pop and a box of my favorite baked treat of all time; Petit Fours.  I love them because it’s a way you can eat a whole cake without guilt or a tummy ache.  The featured flavor was blackberry with a dog days of Summer decoration.  Adorable.  Again, Instagram-ready.  I’m sorry to say the cake pop’s exterior was rock hard with only a mildly sweet chocolate cake inside.  The real heartache for me was the Petit Fours.  The marzipan was a bit heavy handed with almond extract, which I could get past, if they weren’t so dry.  I understand that pre-packaged baked goods need to have a shelf life and that can be hard to achieve without pumping them full of preservatives, but these had sat on that shelf for a noticeable while.  Kelsey also got a box and had an identical experience.   

Much like some of my exes, very cute but fell apart once I took a fork to it.

Joseph shared one of his Ginger Molasses Cookies with me.  We both had the same shelf-life issue with the cookie.  For me, it went from chewy to stale tasting.  A disappointment.  Aimee and I shared the Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake.  This is another shining example of how beautiful these baked goods are (she’s a stunner!  I took professional photos of it!).  Aimee enjoyed the Peanut Butter Buttercream on top.  For me, the texture was too hardened.  It came off in chunks.  While the shiny gold sprinkles on top made the cake Instagram-ready,  Aimee said it was too much.  While the sprinkles are all edible, they’re super hard and not pleasant to eat.  We both agreed the cake had dried out, which bummed us out. 

Looks 10, Dances 3

So while the bakery sweets were a swing and a miss across the board, the brunch itself was very good and enjoyed by all of us.  We will definitely be going back.  For me, I know where I went wrong.  No more responsible, health-conscious breakfasting for me.  Bring on the Sugar (and Scribe)!

Watch the YouTube episode: http://www.youtube.com/@TheBoyWhoAteSanDiego

Listen to the Podcast episode: https://theboywhoatesandiego.podbean.com/

Big Kitchen (49 of 52)

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I’ve been very fortunate in this challenge to dine at some of San Diego’s premiere upscale restaurants.  Trendy, hip, swanky and (in some cases) just plain too good for the likes of me have all been explored but I’ve also loved going to the smaller, mom & pop-style hidden gems of the city.  I’ve learned that a restaurant experience doesn’t have to be expensive or have a celebrity chef attached to it to be unique.  Enter this week’s restaurant:  Big Kitchen.  As this was a breakfast, most of the usual early morning foods fans were in attendance.

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Anna-Educator, flannel wearer, still mad at us for going to Snooze without her

Calei-Vegan food lover, a Mrs and a Mom, fellow Disneyland fan

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Joe-Theatre and beer enthusiast, podcast co-host, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

Kelsey-Project manager, Advanced level foodie, Has been known to drop it like it’s hot after a few cocktails

Liam-Star Wars fan, Lego enthusiast, the Earl of Sandwich

Lily-World’s Cutest Baby (a Joe & Nicole production)

Nearly everyone in this photograph is from a place where we'd get made fun of for dressing like this in December in San Diego.

Nearly everyone in this photograph is from a place where we’d get made fun of for dressing like this in December in San Diego.

Big Kitchen has some serious history to it.  A San Diego staple for nearly 35 years, I may actually be the last person in this city to not have eaten here.  Many notables have come through and even worked here.  Most famously Whoopi Goldberg who left behind a promising career as a dishwasher at Big Kitchen to settle for becoming an Academy Award winning actress.  The staff, most notably owner Judy, are colorful friendly and so welcoming you really do feel like you’re a guest in someone’s home. Much like in my home, they only accept cash.  It actually makes dining with a large group easier, so it was no problem for me.  Those select few in my group who didn’t bring cash were back in a jiffy (yeah, I said jiffy) after hitting up a nearby ATM.  Jiffy.

Harry ordered the Turkey Omelette with a side of potatoes.  He enjoyed all facets of the dish and the roasted garlic was of particular note.  Calei got the Tofu Rancheros, which was originally brought to her with cheese but was made vegan at her request with absolutely no hassle.  She said the rancheros was super delicious and worth coming back for.  For Liam, she got the kid’s pancake, which he liked.  Amy had the Biscuit with veggie gravy with sauteed veggies,  fruit, Rye toast and fresh squeezed orange juice.  She’s been here several times and this dish is a favorite of hers.  Amy calls it the best veggie gravy she’s ever had with an amazing flavor and herbiness.  The sauteed veggies were a bit oily for her taste but she loves this place.  Anna ordered the Kirk Scramble.  She said it was awesome.  She loved the Blue Cheese, bacon and mushrooms.  Anna also found the potatoes to be top notch.

Kelsey had the Biscuits and gravy.  She found the gravy to be way too lumpy and the sausage was overwhelmed by the Sage and Thyme.  There was no parsley because Paul Simon didn’t make her breakfast.  She said it wasn’t bad but also wasn’t what she wanted.   Joe also had the biscuits and gravy.  He praised how big the food was but wished for more sausage.  Lily enjoyed her pancake.  I could tell she appreciated the fresh ingredients from the look of joy she wore while rubbing pieces of the ripped pancake into her hair, which she did because baby.  I had the spinach and mushroom omelette with bacon and potatoes on the side.  My breakfast also included an iPad-sized piece of coffee cake.  It was delicious but ridiculously large.

LARGE Coffee cake. I left the giant novelty fork in the picture for scale.

LARGE Coffee cake. I left the giant novelty fork in the picture for scale.

My main was course was fluffy and delicious.  While new ground certainly wasn’t broken, it was simple breakfast food done right.  Also, super affordable.

If they had drive thru, this place would be perfect.

If they had drive thru, this place would be perfect.

So in closing I would say Big Kitchen is definitely worth your time.  It’s charming, kitchy, cozy and fun.  Most importantly, good coffee and yummy breakfast food that will fill you up and make you happy in that special way that only breakfast, and occasionally tequila, can.

Further reading

 

Bruxie (33 of 52) (CLOSED)

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I’m back!  I hope you haven’t missed me too much.

For the last month I was in production of a new musical that made it’s world premiere here in San Diego.  I’ve still been going to restaurants every week but have been short on time to properly review them for you all.  Lucky for you, I take good notes and love attention.

I think it’s getting to the point in modern food, where you can actually classify gimmick as a restaurant category.  Whether it’s a cupcake ATM, a place that serves only side dishes or all the food is served upside down, there’s lots of new places offering a fun slant on traditional food.  Bruxie easily threatens to fall into that category as everything they serve is between two waffles.  Sound amazing?  Sound too good to be true?  I was unsure what to expect but I had my waffle-loving gang at the ready to sit in true judgement.

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Anna-Educator, flannel wearer, still mad at us for going to Snooze without her

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Durwood-Best friend, comedian, San Diego’s go-to young black non-singing actor

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Joey-Future music professor, Sazerac drinker, makes a mean cup of coffee

Kelsey-Project manager, Advanced level foodie, Has been known to drop it like it’s hot after a few cocktails

You had us at waffles.

You had us at waffles.

Located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU to locals and the typographically lazy), Bruxie’s design is much more fast food than stuffy restaurant.  We were lucky to get in during morning hours as the place is usually jumping at night.  The menu offered a number of tasty breakfast, lunch and dessert-type things.  We ordered a pretty wide variety of waffle-hugging chow.

Amy J went the sweet route and ordered the Liege waffle with Nutella and caramelized pearl sugar sandwiched between two waffles.  She said it was very yummy, excellent portion size with a great crunchy texture from the crystalized sugar.  Nutella, is of course amazing, as anyone with taste will tell you.  Amy wishes there were more vegetarian-friendly menu items.  Harry had the Michel Cordon Bleu cold smoked Smoked Salmon Lox & Dill cream cheese waffle sandwich with cucumbers and chives.  He said the salmon and waffle were a really nice pairing.  The cucumber added a refreshing element with great crunch.  The sandwich was also accented nicely with what Harry called a “perfect amount of dill”.  Kelsey ordered the Prosciutto di Parma & Gruyere waffle sandwich with whole grain mustard and chives.  She felt the sandwich could use more acid to cut the overall heaviness.  Kelsey also had a side of “Irish Nachos” (Crispy waffle fries with Bruxie cheese sauce, applewood bacon, sour cream and chives).  She said they were delectable but lacking somewhat in the toppings.

If you had told me salmon on a waffle was good, I would asked "How high are you?!" of course, I asked that about most of the menu items here.

If you had told me salmon on a waffle was good, I would have asked “How high are you?!” of course, I asked that about most of the menu items here.  The stoners alone must pay the rent here.

Chris ordered the same sandwich as Kelsey (Prosciutto di Parma) but added arugula and a fried egg over medium.  While he enjoyed it, he mentioned he would be more apt to return for a breakfast waffle sandwich after trying Durwood’s order.   Anna had the Country Sausage, Egg & Cheddar waffle sandwich.  She also added maple syrup to the sandwich.   She said it was delicious but the real highlight to the sandwich was the very thin layer of mayo.  Amy B ordered the Lemon Cream and Seasonal Berries.  She said it was delicious and very well balanced.  Durwood had the Buttermilk fried Chicken and waffle with chili honey and cider slaw.  He said it was great with flavors that married extremely well and extremely juicy, well seasoned chicken.  He added the syrup, which he said was also good but ultimately unnecessary.

While it escapes me at the moment, I am confident there's a way to spin this as a "healthy breakfast"...

While it escapes me at the moment, I am confident there’s a way to spin this as a “healthy breakfast”…

Joey ordered the Roasted Mushroom and Goat Cheese Waffle Sandwich with fresh basil, arugual & balsamic reduction.  He also added avocado.  He felt it was a bit balsamic heavy but incredibly good.  Joey appreciated the great crunch of the waffle while remaining structurally stable as a sandwich.  Aimee had the Green Eggs and Ham Waffle Sandwich with Tillamook Cheddar, mayo & Arugula Pesto.  She said the pesto was good and really fresh.  the waffle was filling and not too soggy all at a great price.  I, along with Anna, ordered the Country Sausage, egg and Cheddar waffle sandwich.  I was horrified to discover the egg in question was a fried egg and not a scrambled egg, as years of setting my standards no higher than fast food breakfast sandwiches has taught me.   I went back up to the counter to order something else when they very generously offered to scramble the eggs for me.  I was truly shocked by that but they did it and it was really awesome.  A one-two punch of great food and great service.

My appetite was satisfied and childish food phobias were catered to. Perfection.

My appetite was satisfied and my childish food phobias were catered to. Perfection!

Dessert was also a big selling point for coming to Bruxie.  They serve frozen Custard, which Amy B was VERY EXCITED about.  I’m not talking Christmas morning excited, I’m talking we found a matching donor excited.  You see, as a native of Wisconsin, Amy was very familiar with this frozen treat.   I looked to her for the final official seal of approval and she gave a big thumbs up.  It had the taste and texture she remembers and loves.  She cannot wait to come back.  Several of us ordered the frozen custard and everyone enjoyed it.  I personally didn’t feel like it was far in taste and texture from soft serve ice cream.  But seeing as I love soft serve ice cream, this was hardly a bad thing.

What some call "dessert after breakfast", I call "research". For you, I do this.

What some call “dessert after breakfast”, I call “research”. For you, I do this.

Overall, I was super impressed with Bruxie.  Several people in our group had been to the Orange County location and enjoyed it.  I can see why.  It merges my love of waffles and things jammed between them.  Go.  You’ll thank me.

Further reading: http://bruxie.com/

To see all the pictures from this meal, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram!

Swami’s (32 of 52) (CLOSED)

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Breakfast.

Just saying the word makes me smile.  It’s a gift to have breakfast.  Don’t believe anyone who tells you otherwise.  I love that other people love breakfast and then they open restaurants that serve it.  It’s a circle of love.  Not in the filthy way.  Or maybe it is for you, I have no idea what goes on at your house in the early hours of the morning.

Swami’s is one of the newest restaurants in the growing San Diego neighborhood of North Park.  It’s big, open early, has lots of natural light and a dog friendly patio.  These are all good things.  While I didn’t show up with a pack of hungry dogs it was good news for… Well, let’s just say my friends are also enthusiastic about breakfast:

Alex-Northridge student, EDM fan, Boy with camera

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Anna-Canadian goddess, theatre dresser and puppet builder.

Daniel-Metal lover.  Can tell you everything you want to know about great beer.  and he will.

Christy-Rocky Horror performer, Cat lover, We’ve all seen her boobs

Lea-Northridge student, Star Wars fan, Alex’s better half

Jason-Rocky Horror performer, 75th level-coffee snob, token minority

A lot of squinting night owls.

A lot of squinting night owls.

One of the first things we noticed about Swami’s menu was also one of the coolest; there’s lotsa stuff on it.  I’m a big fan of stuff.  I also enjoy items and things.  A wide variety of juices and smoothies meant we had lots to try.  There’s also a ridiculous array of coffees to choose from.  Even more good news.  It’s not a sit down restaurant.  You order your food and drink at the counter and they bring it to you, which is kinda perfect for a place that operates when most working people don’t have time to sit down for a full breakfast on a weekday.  Those people probably go into their jobs later than 8am every day.  I hate those people.

Jason ordered the Eggs Benedict with bacon and avocado.  The eggs were in line with what he was expecting with a good poach.  The avocado and bacon option was a great addition to his dish.  The potatoes were a bit cold for his taste.  Jason works for a major coffee place (I won’t name it, but I must take this opportunity to stress that it is ABSOLUTELY NOT the place seen behind us in the photo.  Like, at all.  He would kill me for even implying such.)  As Jason comes with a lot of coffee knowledge I was curious to get his input.  He loved the choices but felt dark roast was underrepresented.  He tried 4 different coffees and dubbed the Organic French Roast the best.  It wasn’t burnt and was pleasantly astringent on the finish.  Daniel had the Lobster Benedict.  He described it as nothing short of Nirvana.  He really loved it.  The lobster was perfectly cooked and the dish wasn’t too salty.  He would absolutely come back for it.

swami lobster

If you think I didn’t spend a minute excavating a forkful of egg-less lobster from this plate, then you my friend have never experienced the endless frustration of eating with me.

Alex’s desire to to try the Corned Beef Hash was dashed as they were out of it, so he instead ordered the Breakfast California.  He wasn’t crazy about the spinach tortilla but found salvation in their red salsa.  It was well portioned and he was very full.  The potatoes got another less than stellar review.  Lea had the Huevos Rancheros and Apple Hop Juice.  While felt the addition of ginger in her juice left the apple taste kinda lost, she enjoyed her meal.  She loved the sauce and the great spicy element.  In the future, she wishes they’d go easy on the beans and chips but she was overall happy.

Anna ordered the whole grain Pancake, a Grapefruit smoothie and the Organic Mexican Blend Coffee.  She absolutely loved her smoothie.  She also gave high marks to the coffee bar and felt her multi-grain pancake was flavorful enough that it didn’t need syrup.  To me, that’s about the craziest thing I’ve ever heard but I was just gonna roll with it as I backed away slowly from Anna and made my way back to my normal people breakfast.   Canadians.  Love y’all.  Amy J had the Waffles Benedict (minus the bacon) and potatoes with a Swami’s Surprise Smoothie.  She enjoyed the smoothie.  She also approved of the Hollandaise sauce.  She was uncertain at first but felt the dish worked great with the waffles.  The eggs were slightly overcooked to her liking (she explained that they weren’t runny and should be)  She enjoyed the potatoes (way to turn it around in the 7th inning, spuds!)  The asparagus was overcooked and stringy, which is kind of crime but made up very little of an otherwise good dish.

Big food good. Sorry, I'm simply not that poetic before sunrise.

Big food good. Sorry, I’m simply not that poetic before sunrise.

Amy B ordered the Pineapple Upsidedown Pancakes with a Sea Horse (Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit) Juice.  Amy lives very close to Swami’s so this was a return visit for her.  She described her meal as “Serviceable but not amazing”.  Christy had the Belgian Waffle.  She was not thrilled with it and felt it was a bit too crispy but was in love with the fantastic bacon.  Her side of eggs were good but a little heavy on the onion.  She felt what she did have was good enough for another visit in the future to try other things on the menu.  I had the California Burrito with a fruit cup and Kona Coffee.  I enjoyed the coffee but that assessment doesn’t mean much coming from me as I’m a firm believer that coffee is like pornography: quality be damned, it’s there to do a job.  The burrito was pretty standard but you gotta remember I love breakfast burritos, so I had zero complaints.  The fruit cup was a cup with fruit in it.  Yummy.

Swamis burrito

Nutritional good and evil on one plate with salsa representing moral ambiguity (as usual)

Overall I would rank Swami’s not as a destination breakfast but certainly a good place that I would make a point of hitting up whenever I happened to be in the area around the most important meal of the day.

Further reading: http://www.swamiscafesd.com/

To see all the pictures from this meal, be sure to follow The Boy who at e San Diego on Instagram! 

 

Snooze (2 of 52)

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My very first breakfast for this challenge was also a bit of a personal victory for yours truly.  I have tried at least 4 times to dine at Snooze and my hopes were dashed every single time as the wait has been so long, I would surely die from starvation.  This place is popular.  Really popular.  Like, puts out on the first date popular.  The key, I’ve discovered, is to go early and on a Monday.  Snooze is located in the heart of Hillcrest, San Diego’s legendary Gayborhood.  As most young gay men are still staggering home from last night’s exploits, shaking off the long island ice tea haze and planning to catch a disco nap before hitting the gym for 8 hours, the morning streets of Hillcrest are left to lost heterosexuals and middle aged gays who harshly judge the younger, prettier versions of themselves waltzing by.  A PERFECT time for Snooze.  We got in with absolutely no wait.

It’s style is cool retro-meets-industrial-chic.  The staff is nice, the attitude is sassy and random screams can often be heard from the kitchen, volume levels ranging from a rowdy crowd watching a football game in Paraguay to one of the staff being ritualistically set on fire.  If it’s the former, his or her sacrifice is well worth it because sweet lord Jesus this place is off the chain.  A treat for me and my lucky dining companions:

Abby-Swim instructor, Disneyland buddy, Stresses about making food for my other food-savvy friends

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Amy-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Anna-Canadian goddess, theatre dresser and puppet builder.

Daniel-Metal lover.  Can tell you everything you want to know about great beer.  and he will.

Durwood-Best friend, comedian, San Diego’s go-to young black non-singing actor

Larissa-Writer, crafter, has a cat named Brak

Eight people. One booth. A friend's elbow in your chest for the whole meal helps you digest your food better.

Eight people. One booth. A friend’s elbow in your chest for the whole meal helps you digest your food better.

Snooze is said to have some amazing coffee.   Anna seconded this and insisted we all read the back story.  The back story is printed on their table menu and is roughly 17 paragraphs long, so I didn’t read it, but it looks legit enough.  For the meal, I ordered the OMG! French Toast.  Fresh brioche stuffed with mascarpone and topped with vanilla creme, salted caramel, agave soaked strawberries and toasted coconut.  It was every bit as amazing as it sounds.  Soft, sweet and rich.  Think dessert for breakfast.  Amazing.

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If I didn’t already have type 2 Diabetes, this would seal the deal.

The rest of the table was split between sweet and savory fare.  Aimee ordered the blueberry danish pancakes with a side of chicken sausage.  Snooze makes their own sausage it is amazing.  juicy with great spice.  Aimee enjoyed the controlled sweetness of her dish and liked the whole almonds included with her pancakes.

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Finish this plate so Violet Beauregarde’s death will not have been in vain.

Durwood ordered the Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes.  I tried these and it basically tasted like the cake of it’s namesake, which I had no problem with given the great fan of dessert that I am.  Durwood called it a good marriage of sweet flavors without overkill.

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While I stood drooling over his plate of Hawaiian inspired delight, Durwood reminded me that “Aloha” also means “Goodbye…”

Dan ordered the “Sandwich I am” AKA the “Thing I’m going to order from now on”, Udi’s soft pretzel roll filled with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and a sausage patty, served with a side of smoked cheddar hollandaise & house hash browns. He chose to switch out his hash browns for Snooze’s special pancake of the day, chocolate pancakes with white chocolate chips and a peanut butter cream, which was chocolately goodness on a plate.  Dan said the sandwich was fantastic with a nice toast on the pretzel roll.  It was well balanced with the spicy sausage but the real stand out was the smoked cheddar hollandaise, which Dan volunteered to drink from a thermos.   That’s some serious saucy love, right there.

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Egg McMuffin, you ain’t shit…

Anna ordered the Ham Benedict III and also chose to switch her hash browns with the lauded pancake of he day, the sugar coma from which she delighted in.  While she felt the poach was a bit runny and under done, the ham was great, thus sealing her overall approval of the dish.

Abby had The “Lower East Sider”, lox style salmon, accoutrements including Snooze’s house-made herbed goat cheese spread, eggplant and tomato tapanade, firmly poached egg, dressed greens and rustic bread.  She loved the tapanade and raved about the side of homemade granola (which Aimee theorized would be even more amazing on top of Durwood’s pancakes.  THIS IS WHY I EAT WITH THESE PEOPLE!)

Amy’s breakfast was Tofu scramble with carmelized onions, spinach and basil.  She also chose rye toast and opted to keep her hash browns, which are apparently legendary.  I would’ve tried them but I had eaten so much of my french toast at that point, I could only communicate through a series of shaky hand gestures and incoherent grunts.  Amy said the dish was delicious with the real high point being the addition of the onions, which added a great flavor.

The only sour note of the meal was Larissa’s dish; She also ordered the tofu scramble but hers seemed to lack the right amount of seasoning, thus resulting in a not so awesome experience.  Larissa had eaten at Snooze before with great success so she was willing to chalk this up to an isolated incident.

My overall report on Snooze: A home run.  I completely understand why folks are willing to stand on a blazing hot sidewalk for hours to get in.  The food is delicious, it’s cheap ($127 for a party of 8 people.  8!) and the menu is varied enough to peak curiosity & encourage repeat visits.

and I plan to do just that.

Further reading: http://www.snoozeeatery.com/