Portage Bay Cafe
4130 Roosevelt Way Northeast

This place has been on my list for a long time. My friend, Matthew, works across the street and, always raves about it. He and I have opposite opinions about most foods but, even so, often love the same restaurants so I was hopeful.

My hopes have been trampled, smashed, shredded. But the fact that they can't even keep their sign operational should have been a clue.

I if I was listing restaurants by overall preference, and most favorite was on the top, I can't think of one I would put under this one on the list.

Food:  The menu is really the very definition of pretentious.  Especially when combined with the place's ambiance.

I had Phil's Breakfast.  The bacon was delicious and the toast wasn't bad.  The eggs were watery and the potatoes were tragic.  I prefer my breakfast potatoes to be crisp and these were not close.  These were chucks of potatoes rolled in old vegetable oil and paprika and heated a little.

But the worst offense was butter in foil sitting on top of my eggs.   The bottom of the pat had melted entirely and the top was too cold to spread.

Really, your paper wrapped butter was offensive enough but on my eggs?????

Service:  I had to beg for my second cup of coffee and wait forever.  The check looked like it was not going to get there any time soon so I put my credit card out in hopes of attracting it.  It worked except...  She plopped down the check and muttered without looking at me 'whenever you are ready' and left without taking the card!  So... I waited some more until she finally came back to collect the card.

Yeah, I tipped accordingly.

Everything else:  To recap:  the food was underwhelming, the service sucked.  Anything else?  Oh yeah.  I had to pay for parking before I went in so I did not realize until too late that the place was jammed.  I did score what would have been a comfortable spot at the counter looking out to the street except everyone who walked by me bummed my chair.  It was like sitting on a plane with a bored 5 year old behind you.  And the place smelled funny.  And it was loud.  And the last time my part of the counter appeared to have been wiped down was when one of the Bush's were in the White House.

On the up side, my list of places to try or go back to is now tidier since I can sure take this place off of it!

Denny's
2762 4th Avenue South

There is nothing pretentious or precious about this blog, I promise.  And, for proof, today we bring you Denny's.

This Denny's is less than 2 miles from my house and has been there forever.  For a couple of years it got un-Denny's and was 4th Street Diner.  Then it went back to Denny's.

Today it was as welcoming as ever. Bright and cheery with free wifi!

Food:  The menu is always fun.  My dear departed mother used to raise her nose and declare total disapproval of any restaurant with pictures of the food on the menu.  Personally, I enjoy a nice depiction.

Today I had the Bacon Avocado Burrito.  I usually get the two eggs over easy special but I thought today was a good day for something new.   It was unusually good.  There was some kind of sauce in the burrito that was yummy.  The avocado was perfectly ripe and tasty.

It was just good.

Service:  There are at least two guys who have been working the weekend breakfast shift there since the beginning of time.  They were there when I first ate there, there when it was un-Denny'd and there today.  They are both unfailing chipper and cheery and always always act as if they have been waiting all week just to see my face.  Who can not love that.

Today I got one of those guys as my waiter.  We nearly came to blows over my coffee refills.  He insisted I needed more and I insisted I had had plenty.  It was pretty funny.  I never get the impression that he remembers me particularly, more that the wonderful way he treats me is the way he treats everyone.  And I love that.  Tip love.

Everything else:  This Denny's draws a huge variety of people - some English speaking, some not.  Some clearly able to pay, some not.  Some surrounded by laughing friends, some alone.  Some old, some young.  It's always fascinating and fun.  Today there was a toddler. I hate toddler's in restaurants. But this one was restaurant ready.   The dad was walking this guy quietly around the tables not getting into anyone's way.  It was kind of cute.  But, then, as I was leaving I saw him standing in his booth seat next to the window waving happily to people walking by.  When I got outside, he was waving to a toothless grimy homeless looking guy who was smiling from one end of town to another as he waved back.  It just totally made my day.

Luna Park Cafe
 2918 Southwest Avalon Way

The Luna Park Cafe is one of my favorite places to eat.  It shines for breakfast (but is also fabulous for lunch or dinner).  It's small and popular so it's also crowded but worth the fight for a space.

This morning, my friend, Matthew came with me and we got there later than I usually do so there was a wait.  And I learned something new.  There's a sign up sheet!!  I've actually never had to wait long for a table because I go early or late but now I know that if there is a wait, sign up.  We did and decided that sitting at the counter would work fine and it did.

I forgot to get a photo of the outside but I did get this good one of the inside and, yes, that woman is drinking a chocolate milk shake. We were sitting right next to the ice cream bins and we saw many many milk shakes being created... for breakfast.  Wild.

Food:  One of my favorite breakfasts here is the Pile.  It's a wonderful breakfast in a pile.  Today I had a pile of sliced sausage, green onions, cheddar cheese on the fried potatoes  topped with two fried eggs.  It was delicious.


Because I love these piles to much, I don't think I've ever had their hash browns before. This morning, Matthew had an omelet and it came with hash browns that looked like they were almost crispy enough.  (I require more cripsy than most in my hash browns.)

Both of us were more than sufficiently filled.  Yum.

Service:  The place was very busy and servers were dashing here and dashing there but we got everything we wanted in good time.  My coffee got topped off nicely and promptly until I finally said no thank you.

Everything Else:  Sunday breakfast provides the best parking opportunity.  The rest of the time, finding parking is often a challenge.  And, as I noted getting a table can be a chore.  In the Summer they nearly double the number of tables with their outside seating.  It's fun and yummy place to eat.

The Dish Cafe
4358 Leary Way Northwest

I have no idea why I never knew about this place.  It's very near a favorite errand section of town (Fred Meyers, Office Max, Trader Joe's, etc.) and it's a breakfast all day place - well breakfast until mid afternoon anyway.  I love those kind of places.

It was cold and rainy this morning and they had a small table under this tent with serve yourself hot coffee.  There was a sign in sheet by the front door.

Happily there were seats at the low counter so I went right in.

Food:  The place has a real diner feel so while eggs benedict is on the menu, I'm not sure I'd try it.  But,  the corned beef hash looked good.



I had two eggs, sausage patty and scone.  The sausage was perfection and the eggs were done perfectly.  The potatoes were also very good.

The scone was rock hard.  Like it had been made and served early last week. Weird.

After I ordered, the guy next to me said they always had great specials.  I didn't ask (he did) so I didn't find out about the special until I was half way through my breakfast... next time.

Service:  The service was great but I was sitting at the counter right under the servers' noses.  It wasn't too hard to see my empty coffee cup, etc.  But, it was kept full.  And except for that whole keeping the specials a secret thing, the service was great.

Everything else:  The place was really loud.  It bothered me when I first sat down but after a while it became just background din.  No biggie.

The variety of the diners was fun.  At the other end of the counter when I first got there was a woman older than I am and a young boy, maybe 12. They were having a lively conversation and enjoying themselves enormously.  When they got up to leave she handed him her coat and instructed him on how to help her on with it.  He was a fast learner and it was just cute to watch.

The Coterie Room
2137 2nd Avenue

This is another off the 100 best breakfast list and the last that made it to my short list of places to try.

It's lovely.  Elegant.  Upscale.  And very nearly too classy for brunch for one.  It's the perfect place to bring someone you want to impress.

Food:  The menu has a title - Duck Egg Brunch.  hmmmm  I had never in my life - that I remember anyway - eaten a duck egg until this morning.  There were several items on the menu that looked interesting but I finally settled on Duck Egg Benedict.

The coffee was a little too precious - but, this is Seattle.  The waitress asked if I wanted anything to drink, I said coffee, please.  In a bit she came back to tell me my coffee had been started.  And then a bit later a nice server brought me my coffee which was clearly Americano espresso but, whatever.  It was good but I would have been happy with ready to go drip.

Duck eggs are huge.  You really only need one.  The dish was absolutely delicious.  Delicate and flavorful.

I've noticed a lot of restaurants lately are not putting salt and pepper on the table.  I'm kind of impressed by that.  I'm ok with taking direction from the chef.

This morning's meal was the perfect example.  I might have reached for the salt and pepper without thinking and it would have been a mistake.

Service:  The service was pretty good.  I did not need or want more coffee which was good cause no one asked me if I did.  I did linger a bit long with an empty plate - especially considering the joint was pretty empty.  But, it was ok.

Everything else:  This was clearly a no children place and that added points right there.  I was their first diner of the morning and I was well into my meal before anyone else showed up.  The staff and the ambiance made that feel fine and welcoming anyway.  The furnishings and fixtures were all lovely.  The music was motown which was a bit weird.  It was the pefect setting for some lively classical selections.  

The Ridgeback Cafe
500 Northwest 65th Street

I found this place also on the list from Metropolitan Magazine.  It's nestled in the middle of one of Seattle's crunchiest neighborhoods so the clientele was a lot of earthy earnest parents with firebreathing toddlers.  This was a bit of a problem but soon the music and the food (and my book) wiped the toddlers from my conscientiousness.

It's a little storefront and I found a parking space quite handily.  I actually would not have minded having to park farther away and then walked around the neighborhood a bit. It's flat and filled with interesting little houses.  Next time I will be doing just that.

Food:  When I say it is a crepe place, I give the exact wrong impression - there is nothing frufru or French about this place.  Better to say they offer a lovely selection of fascinating egg+ dishes wrapped in very thin savory pancakes.

I ordered 'The Ridgeback' and it was really outstanding.  My waitress said it was her favorite and I could sure see why.  It was a lovely combination of textures and flavors.  The potatoes that came with it were also very excellent.  It was hard to pick from the delicious sounding menu items.  They all looked good to me!

Service:  When I walked in the door, I was hit with a chalk board sign that said 'Wait to be seated'.  I waited.  I stood there practically in the middle of the dining room and began to feel like a field scarecrow.    The kitchen is exposed so everyone in the joint - staff and diners were able to see me just standing there.  I waited and waited and waited for far too long.

Finally this guy came over and jabbed a menu in my face and said, nearly rudely, 'counter or table?' I asked for a table and as he turned away from me he grunted 'well, pick one that is small'.  All they really had was small tables so I picked one.

Not a great welcome but after that the service was perfect.  My coffee was kept hot and my check came the very minute I wondered to myself  how long I would have to wait for it.

Everything else:  The toddlers were a bit of an issue, especially at first.  But then I noticed the music.  They were playing 60's AM radio tunes.  One hit wonders and standards. It was amazing and great fun to listen, too.  I found myself keeping the beat and silently (I hope) singing along.  Paul and Paula, Lipstick on Your Collar, All I have to do is Dream... it was amazing and so enjoyable!

I probably won't run back at the first opportunity, but this place is definitely on the short list of where to go for a good breakfast today.

emmer & rye
1825 Queen Anne Ave. N. 

emmer & rye is a new place to me.  I found it in the list of 100 breakfast places in Seattle Magazine.  And it turns out to be a great find.


It's in an old house (old in the western U.S. definition of old) in a neighborhood that has as many interesting restaurants as it does not have available parking.  You really have to live there to score a parking spot even early on Sunday morning (or maybe Sunday's as bad as any day because there are also a lot of churches in the area).


But, the Smart Car and creativity solved the parking issue and it was so worth it.


The joint was nearly empty when I got there.  (Oh and they also open at 9 which is fabulous.  So many places don't open until 10.)  But, they were getting a crowd when I left.  They have lots of tables in lots of rooms and I heard the waiter say there were more upstairs.

Food:  The menu is very different and yet has enough familiarity to prevent it from being scary.  I had the  farro fries with poached eggs, wild mushrooms and hollandaise.  It was beautiful, interesting, and delicious.


The farro was cut into planks and fried - crispy and delicious on the outside and soft on the inside.  They were used to build a little tower and inside the tower was a delicious pile of various mushrooms.  The tower was topped with poached eggs.  The eggs were almost too poached but not quite.  The whole thing was covered in hollandaise which was light and delicate and fabulous.

 I don't generally think photos of half eaten meals are particularly attractive but I make an exception here to show the inside of the 'tower' where the mushrooms were hidden.  Creative and so yummy.

Service:  One guy greeted me when I came in, seated me, served me, checked on me, kept my coffee topped.  This was ok while there were only two tables occupied but once the place started filling up, my guy got a little too busy to remember me.  He did the best he could and it was not horrible.  He just needed an assistant.  Finally, a different staff person brought me my check.

General:  As a single diner (and, I expect also because I am a not young woman) I often get the worst table in the house.  I'm usually ok with it and if not, ask for a different table or leave.  Today,  however, I was given, literally, the best table in the house. My seat was in the bay window overlooking the street. It made the entire experience - which was pretty terrific to start with - even more terrificer.


I will absolutely go back again.  And soon.

Patty's Eggnest
1000 NE Northgate Way

I had an errand to run near Northgate Mall and the only place I've ever found for breakfast near there is Patty's Eggnest.  So Patty's it was.

It's a nice family friendly place - and I generally don't consider a family friendly place nice.  Today the small children were quiet which was nice.

Food:  I ordered off the senior menu...  And added an egg.  French toast, bacon, eggs and coffee.

It was good.  The french toast could have been toastier.  And I'm not sure what that giant load of butter was for.

The coffee was great as usual.

The Service:  I had the same waitress as last time and she remembered me (no powered sugar on the french toast - none, please - and she forgot last time and my plate was covered in powered sugar - ugh).  She didn't forget this time but she did bring the guy at the next table the wrong potatoes.  But, somehow she has the most gracious way of handling her mistakes that you really are fine about it. I was and he was today. Funny.  And lucrative for her.

In General:  It's always been packed with a line when I've been there.  Today my timing was perfect.  I waited less than 5 minutes and the minute I got a table, the foyer got a crowd of folks waiting.  Whew.  Even with the crowds, it would be a little nicer if it weren't so crowded.  They have the maximum number of chairs and tables possible and it feels a little sardinish.

But, it's a nice place and oh so handy.

Total Bill with tip: $15.00