Newhouse: The No. 1 breakfast place is...
Dave Newhouse
COLUMNIST
Posted: 03/16/2009 12:00:00 AM PDT
Updated: 03/16/2009 01:05:39 PM PDT
* Poll: What is Oakland's best restaurant for breakfast?
It was over breakfast at Oakland's Diggery Inn that the "old dog learning new tricks" dialogue
came up. I told my son Chad I was converting from a lunch dog into a breakfast dog.
It wasn't about "woofing" down my food, but being able to type my column without having to stop
for lunch. Chad liked the idea and suggested that I check out a bunch of local diners, then pick
my five favorite breakfast spots.
Six pounds later — hey, you don't eat a stack of hot cakes with lots of syrup for lunch — I've
come up with my list in order, 1 through 5. But first let me explain the criteria.
I've broken it down into two food categories: "truck stop" and "state of the art." There's nothing
wrong with either category, because appetizing, sumptuous food can be found in both.
But state of the art means a more polished presentation — from the menu's diversity, the quality
of food and service, and the restaurant's ambience.
Price isn't an issue because breakfasts are more expensive in general these days — the $3.25
omelette now costs $8.75. But in fairness to all candidates, I tried to order the same food in
each place. Points of separation: The orange juice had to be fresh, the bacon had to be crisp,
the pancakes and waffles couldn't be doughy.
Here's the list:
1. Rick and Ann's, 2922 Domingo Ave., Berkeley
2. Marti's Place, 1905 1/2 Encinal Ave., Alameda
3. Brown
4. Mama's Royal Cafe, 4012 Broadway, Oakland
5. Blackberry Bistro, 4240 Park Blvd. Oakland
Rick and Ann's remains the gourmet breakfast spot locally. The selections are the most
diversified, from the incredible French toast (challah bread dipped in orange-cardamom batter)
to whole grain, cornmeal or buttermilk pancakes to a fruit cup that looks like a painting.
My last two visits there, though, the bacon was overdone. You do get four rashers, and it's a
minimal complaint, really, in a maximum dining experience.
Marti's Place is a gustatory gold mine, though it doesn't look like much from the outside. But
once inside, you must try the Swedish pancakes with ligonberry jam. There's no finer breakfast
delight in the East Bay. The bacon is table-top hard (try the sausage instead), but Marti's Scram
might be the most tummy-filling egg dish around.
Marti's Place is intimate in size, but has an charming ambience with tea pots and cups on
shelves, and framed pictures of local heroes (Jason Kidd, etc.) and old produce companies.
Brown Sugar Kitchen is located in an unusual location, on a parkway, but it's worth the drive.
Once you taste the light, crunchy cornmeal waffle with the apple cider syrup, you won't eat a
waffle any other way again.
The bacon needs less griddle time, but everything else on the limited menu is lights out. And
Brown Sugar looks like a diner, all glass and brass, with every chef in sight. Another nice touch:
The paper napkins are big and thick, different from most diners.
Mama's Royal Cafe is as much an experience as a meal. The quality of food is consistently
good, even the bacon, but Mama's patrons also frequent the place for the funky atmosphere.
There's rickety counter chairs, old brown wooden booths, and the waitresses have so many
tattoos, it must be a condition of employment.
But show up anytime in the next month and you'll see Mama's annual napkin art contest
hanging on the walls. And don't forget to check out the collection of antique radios.
The Blackberry Bistro knows how to cook bacon, but its overall breakfast
presentation is, possibly, the Bay Area's finest. Breakfast is served on a large white
plate and the food is laid out artistically. The eggs have a refined taste, too. The
whole meal tastes, well, classy.
The only drawback: You must get there by noon weekdays, because the bistro serves
only lunch then. My four top choices offer breakfast well into the afternoon, which the
Blackberry folks only do on weekends.
Well, there are my top five, which may not agree with your top five, or even your No. 1 choice.
Everyone's palate has different pleasing points, but I do want to say that three other restaurants
competed hard for that No. 5 ranking.
Crepevine in Oakland is clearly state of the art, and was nudged out by Blackberry Bistro on
presentation, not food. The Rockridge Cafe, just down the block on College Avenue, offers a
wonderful breakfast, but is a glorified truck stop, just like Millie's Kitchen in Lafayette.
Other tasty truck stop fare: Oakland Grill, Lois the Pie Queen, Montclair Egg Shop, Pretty Lady
and the Diggery Inn, all in Oakland; Bette's Ocean View Diner in Berkeley; and Jim's and Ole's
Waffle Shop in Alameda.
I couldn't visit every local diner, but I'm told Mona's Table in Alameda, and Jimmy Bean's and
Meal Ticket in Berkeley are worth trying out.
The next breakfast poll, OK?
Dave Newhouse
COLUMNIST
Posted: 03/16/2009 12:00:00 AM PDT
Updated: 03/16/2009 01:05:39 PM PDT
* Poll: What is Oakland's best restaurant for breakfast?
It was over breakfast at Oakland's Diggery Inn that the "old dog learning new tricks" dialogue
came up. I told my son Chad I was converting from a lunch dog into a breakfast dog.
It wasn't about "woofing" down my food, but being able to type my column without having to stop
for lunch. Chad liked the idea and suggested that I check out a bunch of local diners, then pick
my five favorite breakfast spots.
Six pounds later — hey, you don't eat a stack of hot cakes with lots of syrup for lunch — I've
come up with my list in order, 1 through 5. But first let me explain the criteria.
I've broken it down into two food categories: "truck stop" and "state of the art." There's nothing
wrong with either category, because appetizing, sumptuous food can be found in both.
But state of the art means a more polished presentation — from the menu's diversity, the quality
of food and service, and the restaurant's ambience.
Price isn't an issue because breakfasts are more expensive in general these days — the $3.25
omelette now costs $8.75. But in fairness to all candidates, I tried to order the same food in
each place. Points of separation: The orange juice had to be fresh, the bacon had to be crisp,
the pancakes and waffles couldn't be doughy.
Here's the list:
1. Rick and Ann's, 2922 Domingo Ave., Berkeley
2. Marti's Place, 1905 1/2 Encinal Ave., Alameda
3. Brown
4. Mama's Royal Cafe, 4012 Broadway, Oakland
5. Blackberry Bistro, 4240 Park Blvd. Oakland
Rick and Ann's remains the gourmet breakfast spot locally. The selections are the most
diversified, from the incredible French toast (challah bread dipped in orange-cardamom batter)
to whole grain, cornmeal or buttermilk pancakes to a fruit cup that looks like a painting.
My last two visits there, though, the bacon was overdone. You do get four rashers, and it's a
minimal complaint, really, in a maximum dining experience.
Marti's Place is a gustatory gold mine, though it doesn't look like much from the outside. But
once inside, you must try the Swedish pancakes with ligonberry jam. There's no finer breakfast
delight in the East Bay. The bacon is table-top hard (try the sausage instead), but Marti's Scram
might be the most tummy-filling egg dish around.
Marti's Place is intimate in size, but has an charming ambience with tea pots and cups on
shelves, and framed pictures of local heroes (Jason Kidd, etc.) and old produce companies.
Brown Sugar Kitchen is located in an unusual location, on a parkway, but it's worth the drive.
Once you taste the light, crunchy cornmeal waffle with the apple cider syrup, you won't eat a
waffle any other way again.
The bacon needs less griddle time, but everything else on the limited menu is lights out. And
Brown Sugar looks like a diner, all glass and brass, with every chef in sight. Another nice touch:
The paper napkins are big and thick, different from most diners.
Mama's Royal Cafe is as much an experience as a meal. The quality of food is consistently
good, even the bacon, but Mama's patrons also frequent the place for the funky atmosphere.
There's rickety counter chairs, old brown wooden booths, and the waitresses have so many
tattoos, it must be a condition of employment.
But show up anytime in the next month and you'll see Mama's annual napkin art contest
hanging on the walls. And don't forget to check out the collection of antique radios.
The Blackberry Bistro knows how to cook bacon, but its overall breakfast
presentation is, possibly, the Bay Area's finest. Breakfast is served on a large white
plate and the food is laid out artistically. The eggs have a refined taste, too. The
whole meal tastes, well, classy.
The only drawback: You must get there by noon weekdays, because the bistro serves
only lunch then. My four top choices offer breakfast well into the afternoon, which the
Blackberry folks only do on weekends.
Well, there are my top five, which may not agree with your top five, or even your No. 1 choice.
Everyone's palate has different pleasing points, but I do want to say that three other restaurants
competed hard for that No. 5 ranking.
Crepevine in Oakland is clearly state of the art, and was nudged out by Blackberry Bistro on
presentation, not food. The Rockridge Cafe, just down the block on College Avenue, offers a
wonderful breakfast, but is a glorified truck stop, just like Millie's Kitchen in Lafayette.
Other tasty truck stop fare: Oakland Grill, Lois the Pie Queen, Montclair Egg Shop, Pretty Lady
and the Diggery Inn, all in Oakland; Bette's Ocean View Diner in Berkeley; and Jim's and Ole's
Waffle Shop in Alameda.
I couldn't visit every local diner, but I'm told Mona's Table in Alameda, and Jimmy Bean's and
Meal Ticket in Berkeley are worth trying out.
The next breakfast poll, OK?
