Eggs are good, bacon smells good in the morning (not so much the next day), wheat toast and pancakes.
Here’s a few places that have started my day out right.
Brennan’s — New Orleans
Frank’s Diner — Spokane
The little dining car nestled in the railroad tracks, shielded by the trestle that attracts bottle throwing teenagers in the summer is part of the railroad heritage of Spokane. The railroad car is a Barney-Smith observation car built in 1906. In 1909 it was remodeled and was used as a Presidential car until 1931.The first dining car I remember going to was Knight’s Diner (which moved form its Division location to Market Street). The grill is small and most of the time filled with hash browns, eggs and bacon. There are no separation of grease in this establishment but you can always count on a very large chicken fried steak, plate of biscuits and sausage gravy, more than two infinitesimal pieces of bacon (the norm in fancy restaurants — these people don’t do fancy) and omelets. Nice thick slices of french toast or whole wheat or sourdough. You get a choice of jams in the handy plastic containers (which are located next to the handy foil wrapped squares of butter). Don’t go here unless you are willing to drink old time thin coffee (as much as you want), cream in aluminum pitchers and where a large glass of juice is more than you would usually get for four people. This place about history and history is about a hardy breakfast (and probably waiting to get a seat at the counter or booth). Recommended for those of us who need a good slap of reality sometimes.
Cafe Bijou — Portland
Bacco — Seattle
Kenny and Zuke’s — Portland
Pastrami at Kenny and Zuke’s Portland
Ken Gordon and Nick Zukin started at a small farmer’s market in Hillsdale, moved to a standing room only lunch spot (Ken’s Place) to their current Deli — Kenny and Zuke’s. Thier passion included finding the right rye bread, their own crafted pickles, bagels and bialies, Challah and of course, pastrami. You can get eggs with pastrami and latkes, bacon and potatoes, lox & onions, Challah french taost, pastrami or corned beef hash or one of their grilled sabrett dogs with eggs, bacon and cheddar — that’s breakfast and we haven’t even got to their biscuits and pastrami gravy! Hungarian mushroom soup or chicken noodle with matzoh balls, chopped salads or Caesar with pastrami or lox; the deli Cobb salad with pastrami, chicken, avocado, egg and blue cheese dressing. They’ve got blintzes and latkes but my main thrust is getting a NY style deli sandwich so I go for the pastrami or corned beef sandwiches with slaw. Sometimes I go crazy and get Ken’s special with pastrami, chopped liver, coleslaw and Russian dressing. They have a lot of double decker specials (salami, turkey & swiz or pastrami, turkey & tongue). I like to stop here for a light 3 egg omelet breakfast on my way to Powell’s book store and a substantial pastrami sandwich on my way back. You get traditional drip deli coffee but if you want to skip it you can go next door and get a stumptown latte after you eat.
Fatty Patty’s — Vancouver, WA
Colonel’s — Sun Valley