mmm-yoso!!! is a blog. Todays post is written by Cathy; Kirk (and His Missus) are not in town. Probably most of you are starting Thanksgiving early, too.
I should just start out with the title of "gift card meal" because that's how I find out about some places. (Side note: I do not 'regift'). Boudin Bakery began in 1848 in San Francisco. Known for its sourdough, the bread is baked fresh daily. It is now a chain of casual bakery-restaurants with two San Diego County locations serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 
As I mentioned, I first discovered Boudin by using a gift card. The drill is similar to Panera and Corner Bakery Cafe– walk up, order, pay, get your own beverage and find a table. Your food is brought to you. All three of these businesses do *not* encourage tipping. You don't have to clear off your own table. All have free wifi.
You can see the fresh loaves bread behind the cash register. A one pound loaf of sourdough is $4.14. What I found out on our first visit is that we can join the Boudin "loyalty club" which gets you one free loaf of bread a month along with a few other perks.
Here are the past three months of free bread. The middle one is a really great multigrain bread, which you can purchase using the $4.14 discount (I think it ended up being 49 cents). The sourdough is wonderful. So is everything else.
The turkey and bacon scramble ($7.90) is quite large, comes with either fruit or potato and a choice of toast. It's a great meal.
The ham and cheddar breakfast sandwich ($5.90) is also quite large. It's served on sourdough and, as you can see, the cheese is grilled in and melted. None of that slapped on slice of cold cheese here. Quality for a reasonable price. The ham is applewood smoked and really good.
I broke down and ordered the second avocado toast of my life; "The Purist" ($8.25). It's good, very nice with the eggs and side of fruit…but does not compare to the first avocado toast I ever ordered (photos 4th and 5th from the bottom of the post); that one is the standard for me.
The bacon red bell pepper scramble ($7.90) is also wonderful and again, quite large. That multigrain bread is so very good.
Then there is the rest of the menu…which needs more exploring…
The 'Spring Salad' (small, $5.95, large $8.65, add chicken to either size $2.39) was a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. Granny Smith apple slices, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries, feta, spring mix and balsamic. This was a large that we shared. It will be ordered again, maybe as a small…
Half Sandwich and bowl of soup ($9.35) is a good way to get to try more of the menu. The broccoli-cheese soup was hearty, creamy and filled with broccoli. The sandwich I chose was the turkey cranberry (on sliced sourdough; a good, chewy, old fashioned bread). Turkey breast, cranberry sauce, red onion, lettuce, mayonnaise. 
Eager to try the 'famous' clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl ($7.49) (you can see that you get all of the bread) this was an order one day. The clam chowder is pretty close to perfect; not salty, very creamy and filled with clam pieces and bits. The bread bowl and its filler piece was great with butter.
There are 'Seasonal Favorites' on the menu and the "millionaires bacon" was a curiosity that I succumbed to. The 'Millionaires BLT' on toasted sourdough with iceberg, Roma tomatoes and mayonnaise was a perfect accompaniment to the thick cut, brown sugar caramelized bacon that had a black pepper and cayenne rub on the edges…a kick of spice in this wonderful sandwich that needed no other additions.
I'm so grateful to my friends for the initial gift card and am very happy to have (finally) discovered the wonderful flavors of real sourdough.
Go- start your Thanksgiving week!
Boudin SF 5407 Balboa Ave, Ste 400 San Diego 92111 (858)737-6571 Website Open Mon-Sat 8-9, Sun 8-8 
I justjoined the rewards program! Yay for free bread! Will have to try this spot for breakfast soon.
Maybe we will run into you here, cc! You know that one of my first jobs was in a corner (Polish) bakery and that I do appreciate quality baked goods, especially bread. Boudin’s breakfasts are very satisfying.
everything looked tasty!
For a chain, I think the food is surprisingly good, Kat. Probably wouldn’t have stopped here if there wasn’t a gift card and now am so happy we ‘discovered’ Boudin (after passing it all these years).