breakfasts in america

Puerto Sagua, 700 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL

I had to go in here, amidst the strange fakeness of Miami Beach this place seemed more real and interesting.

It's here.

Scrambled eggs, some ham, a cafe con leche and some cuban toast. Brilliant.

I especially liked the cafe con leche. Never had coffee like this before. I could see this working in Soho and SoHo.

It'll work because it's got good paraphenalia.

I love the shininess of the counters.

Actually the shininess of everything is good.

And a very reasonable price. And we went back in the evening for a big Cuban meal, a very decent piece of fish. What a splendid place.

 

Zoe's Kitchen, 1105 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA

I'm very excited to bring you the first Breakfasts In America Open Sauce contribution from Jonathan Ardrey. Good job Jonathan. Take it away:

With Harvard University just at the end of the street, Zoe's breakfasts are the perfect cure for a student's cafeteria boredom. You can just see Zoe's white sign in the right corner of the photo and the brick building at the end of Massachusetts Avenue is the beginning of Harvard Yard.

Zoe's friendly sign is the easiest way to find the diner. Even hidden underground, Zoe's is wildly popular.

Breakfast at the retro counter.

Or at a booth. Notice the coat hooks. Every diner should have personalized coat hooks.

Above the colorful floor, tables and walls are posters of vegetables misbehaving.

The menu matches the floor. Color is either a hangover's best friend or worst enemy.

The condiment shot. Splash of blue keeps them from looking washed out.

Zoe's portions are big. You know there's a lot of food when they give you a back up plate. Everything is delicious, especially the hash browns (under the sausages and bacon) and the french toast are as good as they look.

You know you're in New England when there's real maple syrup on the table and lots of it. The coffee's not bad too.

And they manage to keep the price reasonable. Highly recommended.

Thanks Jonathan - anyone else want to do one?

 

 

Johnny B's, 1212 SE Hawthorne, Portland, OR, 97214

Johnny B's is relatively new. Well, past the 7 or 8 years, well, I can remember it not being there. But  I'm glad it arrived. The picture of the B family on the menu let's you know about the friendly family feel as soon as you get in. And they live up to the picture.

Those pancakes. Hmmm. They just sit there daring you to have them first. But then, maybe you should try the eggs first. Or the bacon. it's always hard to know. They''re all delicious. Oh, I'll try them all first.

Nice to see the reds of the condiments accented by the reds of the curtains.

Inside that hatch all kinds of culinary magic happens.

All the chairs have these tennis ball feet. Genius. I think they're very concerned about their floor, because there are lots of signs requesting you don't move the tables.

A bargain. Must go again.

Tom's Restaurant, SE 39th and Division, Portland, OR, 97202

We used to visit Tom's when we lived in Portland. Especially after Arthur had been born, because Tom's is exactly the kind of huge, friendly place where they don't mind a baby making a bit of a mess.  The waitresses would tolerate the bits of waffle on the floor and smilingly pour us some more coffee.

That's where it is then.

It's a huge place. Big restaurant and splendid sports bar attached.

That perfect, and very American combination of bacon, eggs and French toast. Sweetness, saltiness, the whole thing. And look how fluffy those eggs are.

Dark, gorgeous maple syrup; perfectly set-off by the dark leather seating.

Condiments bathing in the glow difused through the windows.

Cups that match the upholstery and the mood. It's a dark brown kind of place, friendly, quiet, a place for dedicated eating before work, or hangover recovery, or trying to find the news in The Oregonian.

A smile on the check. Perfect.

Very reasonable. Get yourself to Tom's. It's marvelous.

Fat Albert's Breakfast Cafe, SE Milwaukie, Portland, OR

Fat Albert's is genius. They're all about breakfast. All breakfast, all the time.

I was going to go for the standard bacon and eggs but then I just couldn't resist the French toast. Even though I'm allergic to bread. Absolutely, completely delicious. Like condensed nectar. A highly efficient pleasure delivery mechanism. If NASA wanted to deliver nectar to another planet they'd do it in French toast form. The old e and b are marvelous too. The bacon's crunchy dark and handsome. The egg lovely and melty.

And then you get to pour this golden heaven over it. It's like motor-oil for your soul. It lubricates your life.

None of that health obsession nonsense here.

The interiors are great. Scuffed and worn with that patina of care. They look after kids here, by doing the crayons and drawing thing, but also by having a floor that you don't worry about dropping a few fries on. Interiors like this let parents relax.

Old Monterey Cafe, Alvarado Street, Monterey, CA

The Old Monterey cafe is nice and discrete. It doesn't leap out at you. You have to walk past a lot of fancy-looking coffee places to find it, but when you find it you feel eggy enthusiasm boiling inside you.

Look at that. Lovely. Those hash browns are glorious. And that bacon's all dark and delicious, you can imagine the shards of carbony pig flaking off in your mouth. Perfect.

Flowing over with foamy pleasure.

Loulou's Griddle In The Middle, Municipal Wharf, Monterey

Loulou's is a fantastic place on the working wharf in Monterey. The wharf along from the touristy one. There were real arguements about fishing and stuff when I was in there. It seems that fishing is hard and the government is no help.

A splendid breakfast. Nice crunchy bacon. You cannot beat an English muffin for soaking up and over medium egg.

Superb themed condiments. If I ever start a cafe themed condiments will be my first concern.

I guess this is the difference between living in California and the English Midlands. Here a working cafe is sunny, bright, funky. It ain't this way in Dudley.

byways cafe, 1212 NW Glisan, Portland, OR

Byways is a magnificent place. A travel-themed 50s-type diner. Always bustly and friendly.

Very nice bacon and eggs. Not too big and cumbersome. Thick cut bacon right on the leading edge of crispy. Fluffy eggs. A token bit of fruit. Splendid.

I love the enthusiasm and joy of the interior. Nice worn bits of vintage diner stuff and a huge collection of traveliana. Flags, pennants, plates, miscellenaia from all over the country. And it's always good to have a good old bar you can belly up to.

Excellent condiment selection. And there on the left - that's a Viewmaster with a huge collection of viewmaster slidey things from everywhere you can think of. Perfect.

These chairs are lovely. But why sit here when you can sit in a splendid capacious booth?