Breakfast/Brunch – Page 2

Road Trip – Earthbound Farm Stand (Carmel) and Ginochio’s Kitchen (Bodega Bay)

November 6, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Dog Friendly, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After our wonderful dinner at L’Escargot and a nice night’s sleep we woke ready to head on to our next stop. Of course we needed our caffeine fix and I needed some breakfast, so we headed out east on Carmel Valley Road to a place I had on my “list”; Earthbound Farm Stand.

In addition to being a large farm stand; the shop served coffee, breakfast and lunch, and the garden grounds were lovely as well.

Dogs were not allowed in the market.

But JJ got to hang outside while I went in to get coffee and some breakfast to share.

The Missus got Her latte; I got a very smooth Cold Brew.

And I was shocked that the Croissant Breakfast Sandwich was $16; but it was huge and came with a salad as well.

Of course, this was a “Croissant” in name only as it was doughy, not crisp, etc, etc…..

There was a sizeable omelet with bacon and cheese in the sandwich.

Which was more than enough for “brunch”. Nothing amazing, but quite filling.

And after eating we strolled the charming grounds.

And JJ enjoyed all the smells and sounds……

Earthbound Farm Stand
7250 Carmel Valley Rd.
Carmel, CA 93923

From here it was about a 4 hour drive to our next destination. And JJ got to drive on a famous landmark.

We drove up to Bodega Bay, a place we hadn’t visited before. We were staying at the Bodega Bay Inn, which was right on the corner of Highway 1 and Eastshore Road.

We were staying in one of the units in the back of the parking lot which had its own parking spot.

It was rustic, but quite charming. Good thing it wasn’t raining since the lot was a basically all dirt.

The Inn had a couple of nice amenities which I’ll go into in the future post.

We had arrived early and our room wasn’t quite ready yet; but the nice gentleman at the front desk told us to go ahead and park our car and maybe get some lunch.

We decided to head on down Eastshore Road to the Marina area to grab some lunch. Looking at Google Maps I thought it would be a nice walk and not on crazy Highway 1. However, Eastshore Road doesn’t have true pedestrian walkways.

And the cars were zipping past us…..not a great walk for JJ and us, but we made it to the marina area in one piece.

For lunch I chose Ginochio’s Kitchen since it had outdoor seating.

And of course we had to try the Dungeness Crab Sandwich and some Clam and Scallop Chowder.

That sandwich was not cheap at $28!

The Missus didn’t care for the sandwich much as it had too much mayo-cheese which detracted from the flavor of the crab in Her opinion. We did like the nicely toasted sourdough which was crisp and light.

Was not a fan of the overly gloppy and thick chowder. Really too salty as well.

We like to be able to taste the seafood when having these type of dishes, which wasn’t the case here.

Ginochio’s Kitchen
1410 Bay Flat Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

We did enjoy walking down to the marina at the end of Eastshore Road.

It was quite relaxing and JJ had some fun as well!

Before we took our lives into others hands and walking back up the road. Our timing was perfect as our room was ready when we got back. It was time to relax and have a nice afternoon nap.

Wildland Revisited for Brunch (Carlsbad)

November 2, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Croissants, Dog Friendly

Recently, the Missus was craving that smoked fish platter we had at Wildland in Carlsbad. So, since Wildland has a nice outdoor area and JJ likes the area, we decided to head on up.

We thought we’d take JJ on a walk thru the Village and along Carlsbad Boulevard, first hitting up Sleeping Tiger Coffee; which we sadly found is no longer open. Still, JJ enjoyed the stroll all the way down to Tower 35 and back. We had parked a block away from Wildland, which was getting to be pretty busy when we arrived.

I went in to place my order….if you haven’t read my previous post; Wildland is one of those places where you order at the counter and take a number to your table.

Well, disappointment numba 2….I didn’t see the Smoked Fish Plate on the menu and when I walked up to the counter I as told by the very nice guy working that they no longer offer the Smoked Fish Plate. Bumma! He told me that it was a favorite of his as well, but they just didn’t sell enough of it. So, I quickly had to go to “plan B”….which was readily in sight.

Well, at least I’d have another entry for my “Croissant Files“, right? And at least it was $5…..not one of those over $10 one’s I’ve seen recently! The gentleman also recommended the Breakfast Sandwich ($16).

I was handed a number placard and my croissant and headed back to the table. The Missus was indeed disappointed…but the croissant looked much better than the over baked looking one on display.

The exterior was nicely laminated and crisp…flaking away nicely.

The interior layered decently; a bit on the wetter side, but most importantly, lacking in butteriness. Decent by San Diego standards…..’nuff said.

As for the Breakfast Sandwich. It looked quite nice.

That egg was perfect; runny yolk, crisp edges. The Pain au Lait; French Milk Bread was toward the brioche end of the scale to us….sweeter and denser than versions we’ve had in France. The fennel sausage was toothsome, though the anise tones were a bit overwhelming….like having licorice for breakfast.

Not a bad breakfast, especially if we’re on a staycation, but nothing worth the drive all the way up to Carlsbad for…..which to us, that Smoked Fish Plate was. Perhaps one day that dish will return to the menu at Wildland.

Wildland
2598 State St.
Carlsbad, CA 92008

Sunday Sandwiches – Gourmet Island Bistro

October 19, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Sandwiches

Well, I haven’t done one of these in a while…..

Recently, I had an appointment in the Ruffin Road area, between the 52 and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. I’m not super familiar with the location, but there was what seemed to be one of those mom-and-pop sandwich shops nearby, and you know how I have a weakness for those places. The name of the shop also caught my attention….Gourmet Island Bistro! Hmmm……could it be?

Doing that Google thing; it seems like the shop opens at like 6am! So, I drove on over and I arrived at just after 9am. There are several stalls reserved for the shop, which is located in a business building.

The nice woman working greeted me as I entered. There seemed to be several to-go orders ready for pick-up at the counter. Like I’ve said, these are the places that keep workers fed.

I took a gander at the menu and focused on the breakfast sandwich offerings.

I decided on the Bistro Pastrami Sandwich ($10.95). I also noticed something interesting with regards to the menu. Much like Sandwich Island sandwich shop, there were Hawaii influenced names….like the “Big Kahuna”, the “Haoli (which I think is actually supposed to be Hau’oli – happy…not Haole, which means….you know) Hero”. But the nice older woman, who seemed to be the owner did not seem like she was from the islands. Anyway, I got some water and had a seat.

And went to pick up my sandwich when ready.

The croissant of course, was nothing to add to my “Croissant Files“, which I expected. Basically Costco-ish massed produced croissants used as a bread replacement. Which did fine in this case as it added a mild sweet butteriness to the sandwich.

Overall, it was a nice breakfast sandwich. The pastrami adding a salty-savory-light smokiness. The egg was nice and runny, with no off flavors. And I could even make out the milkiness of the Swiss Cheese, which was melted adding some nice gooeyness to things.

This was pretty good!

And then it happened. The woman walked on over and dropped off a cookie for me! Such a nice gesture!

Which gave me an opportunity to ask about the name of the shop and some of the sandwiches. I came to find out that much like Sandwich Island Deli; the previous owners were from the Islands!

When this family bought the place; they added soups and hot dishes, thus adding “Bistro” to the name!

A few weeks later, I decided to make a return visit. This time to try one of their lunch sandwiches. While the Island Club called to me, I decided on the Lucky Roast Beef ($12.30)…..I guess I just wanted some horseradish sauce to clear my sinuses on this day! This time I took my order to-go.

I unpacked things at home. The bread’s crust was quite friable, flaky quite easy, the standard issue roll did fine. The Sysco-ish roast beef was decently sliced, it was lean as advertised and a bit chewy. The portion size was fine as well.

There was a combo of Ranch Dressing and Horseradish Sauce…and not enough of the latter for my taste as I wanted more pungency and too much of the former as it just overpowered everything; especially the mild milkiness of the Swiss Cheese.

Still, I can’t complain about the portion to price ratio….I may try the Club Sandwich next time. Very nice folks working here. I’m glad there are still places like this and will try to keep giving them business. To me, they are the heart and soul of our neighborhoods.

Gourmet Island Bistro
5625 Ruffin Rd. # 140
San Diego, CA 92123
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 6am – 2pm
Closed Sat- Sun

Wildflour

October 6, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Dog Friendly, Sandwiches

**** Wildflour has closed

Wildflour, another one of Phillip Esteban’s projects opened in Liberty Station opened at the end of February. I’ll head down to Liberty Station if I’m not hitting up Secret Sister for sourdough and I noticed that the place didn’t look too busy.

JJ enjoys walks along the Esplanade and I thought if I got here early enough, I could grab some breakfast with J and then take him for a stroll along the park. So, we headed on over. The hosts stand is on the patio which makes things really great. I often feel bad taking JJ into a restaurant when it’s just the two of us.

There’s an small indoor section with a bakery/deli area for takeout and some seating.

Though the patio is nice and stretches along Decatur Road.

We checked in and choose a table along the end of the patio. We do this to be mindful of folks who don’t like being in the company of pooches.

There was small and pretty limited menu for breakfast.

The two folks waiting on us were wonderful! They treated JJ so nice….like he was a VIP (Very Important Pooch)!

I thought my Americano was pretty good; fairly strong, but smooth.

Of course seeing Beef Tartare on the menu….well, I just had to try the Ribeye Tartare ($15).

The bread, a Country Levain was excellent…wonderful, more airy than I’m used to with Levain, but really good. A mild sourdough like flavor, it was quite satisfying.

The Beef Tartare was quite over-the-top; the Chemoula Aioli; basically a herb mayo, was fine, but there was just too much of it. The rib eye was nicely chopped, but too chewy for my taste.

The Bearnaise sauce was much too thick and gloppy, thicker than the aioli! It was also too sour for my taste. And like the aioli, there was just too much of it. This was like a mayo on mayo open face sandwich. Quite over-the-top!

Still, the service was so nice, that I decided to bring JJ over for an early lunch; arriving just at 11am.

And we sat on the patio; basically in the same location. The young lady working was quite nice, though not as friendly with JJ as on the previous visit. Still, he had no complaints, having a nice area to settle in the shade.

Having already had my caffeine fix for the day; I just settled on Half a Sandwich and some chips.

I really enjoyed the chips…though at $4 a small bag!!!!

Loved the texture and wonderful salty-sour flavor. I think I’ve seen this at Target, so…..

I had heard some nice things about the Mortadella Sandwich (Half – $10) so I ordered that. I cracked up when it arrived. Man, was it a carb load!

Again, the bread, a nice toasty focaccia was my favorite part of the dish, though there was just too much of it. I had really developed a taste for Mortadella while visiting Emilia-Romagna, gaining a fondness for the oinkiness of the salumi. The entire bread to filling ratio was skewed and the mild Stracciatella, of which there was a small amount really didn’t contribute to the sandwich.

I do think that Mortadella already is fairly mild in flavor and given the amount of carbs…well, it was nullified. I vote for “More – Mortadella” please!

I liked the relaxed and friendly service as did JJ, but having a meal where a bag of chips was highlight…… Though if you do need a “carb load”….

Wildflour
2690 Historic Decatur Suite 103
San Diego, CA 92106
Current Hours:
Wed – Fri 8am – 2pm
Sat – Sun 8am – 4pm
Closed Mon – Tues

At least J got to cruise around Liberty Station…..

Lunch with JJ – Nómade Tapas and Records

August 18, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Dog Friendly, European Restaurants

Recently, the Missus had an appointment in North Park and we decided to take JJ along…he really enjoys the area and then grab an early lunch. Of course Bica immediately came to mind, but the place was packed. As we headed west on Adams, I recalled a place named Nómade had opened close to An's and Et Voila replacing what I believe was once as sushi bar?

Nomade 01

The place was listed as dog friendly so we headed on in. It was empty at 1030 on this morning.

Nomade 02

The two women working were very nice and one of them even took photos of JJ! We were seated and handed menus. They brought JJ some water.

IMG_0832a

Nómade calls itself a Tapas Bar, which I believe it becomes during the evening. It seems more of a coffee – cafe kind of place with a small menu for lunch.

Nomade 03

I thought the Missus would go with the Tortilla Espanola, but She decided on the Huevos Rotos ($16) instead. I got the Mollete Toast ($14) and added eggs which was an additional $6….well, twenty bucks for and open faced sandwich.

Nomade 04 Nomade 05 The food did take a while with the Huevos Rotos arriving first.

The sunny side up eggs were nicely done with crisp edges. The Jamon Serrano was sliced too thick making the fatty edges really tough to eat.

The tallow fries were limp, dry, and in need of salt.

The Mollete Toast was better.

Nomade 00 Nomade 07 Though the eggs were overcooked; the yolks dry.

"FOY" Peter might appreciate this open faced toast as it used soyrizo, which had a mild smoky-paprika-ish flavor, along with a smear of black beans. I think a more flavor forward cheese would have done better than the very mild Monterey Jack Cheese used.

The slice of sourdough was nice and crusty; though it was mild in terms of yeasty-sourdough tones I enjoy.

Not a bad open face toast….but not sure it's worth twenty bucks. The Missus was on point when She told me "you can make this at home for less than five bucks". Which kind of sums things up Nomade 08

An nice neighborhood place with friendly staff; though it doesn't seem to be worth going out of your way for. They did treat JJ nice and he even got his photo taken.

Nómade Tapas and Records
3027 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA 92116

And it seems like they're going to have new hours starting today.

Nomade New Hours

Valle de Guadalupe – La Cocina de Doña Esthela

August 13, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Breakfast/Brunch, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Travel

After having such a wonderful time in Valle de Guadalupe we were headed home. Ivan, who was our driver from San Diego to Puerto Nuevo, then our first day in Valle, was of course exactly on time to pick us up for the trip "home".

But there was one last stop. Aimee had instructed us not to have breakfast at Contemplación Hotel Boutique as she had a "must stop" for breakfast planned for us. It would be La Cocina de Doña Esthela. Which I had heard of since the one and only Anthony Bourdain raved about the Borrego Tatemada. And heck, I didn't know the place is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. And a month after our visit, I saw that Gorden Ramsey had visited to learn how to make tortillas as well.

Ivan parked and we walked over. I expected a super long line, but since this was early in the week we actually had no wait!

Though the interior was packed.

And yes, that's a smoked filled dining room……oh, the fragrances filling the air…..and if you thought "Korean BBQ shirt" was potent…..

There were really only two items we were targeting here…..

Of course we started with some Cafe de Olla…..not overly sweet.

And I got a small order of the Borrego Tatemada, which came with consomme, beans, and those huge tortillas.

Was not a fan of the runny, mushy beans; but that consomme…so full of rich, "lamb-y" goodness, nicely spiced, smoky, hints of spices like oregano…perfectly salted; probably my favorite consomme to date!

The meat; which really looked like machaca was surprisingly tender and like the consomme so full of flavor! A dip in the soup, some onions for pungency, a squeeze of lime to add acidity and cut the richness, and man; it was such a wonderful morning!

And as good as the borrego was; the Elote Pancakes were "a-maiz-ing"! Sorry, I couldn't help it!

I'm not a fan of hotcakes; but this is an exception. Forget the butter, we didn't need that. These were fluffy and moist, with a slight grittiness of corn. But the flavor; my goodness, the natural sweetness of the corn, a mild butteriness, we really enjoyed this.

I would say that Doña Esthela did live up to the hype.

La Cocina de Doña Esthela
Ranchos San Marcos, El Porvenir
San Marcos, B.C., Mexico

The Missus even bought some chocolate from this stand outside Doña Esthela

FullSizeRender

We truly enjoyed our time in Valle. Much of the credit goes to Ivan, Isaac, and Aimee Cruz. I highly recommend using the services of Valle Guadalupe Baja Tours. It ain't cheap for two people, but with both Ivan and Isaac being so punctual, knowledgeable, and flexible, plus being able to customize things, we had a great time. And no, Aimee has no idea I have a blog. I'm not sure she's remember who I am. Because I'm just a regular guy who makes really bad dad jokes and likes to eat and explore.

I'm not sure why we took so long to visit Valle…….

Valle de Guadalupe – Breakfast at Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel), Vinos Las Nubes, and Lunch at Decantos Vinicola

August 8, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Breakfast/Brunch, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

We slept well after our dinner at Fauna. The rises early in Valle in June and it's great to wake up to this view in the morning.

It was wonderful to make some coffee and sit out on the lanai and take everything in…..

IMG_9558a

So relaxing. Breakfast was included in our stay and the restaurant at Contemplación Hotel (which I briefly covered in this post) named Salvia Blanca. The restaurant doesn't open until 830, so we had time to wander along the various paths and do some additional exploring.

We loved all the little art installations along the pathways.

Which led us to Salvia Blanca.

The restaurant was fairly large with a lovely outdoor dining area.

Things start later in Valle…..we were the only folks having breakfast in the restaurant on this day.

Not being too hungry, the Missus and I split sunny side up eggs, bacon, and beans…..

Which (of course) came with tortillas.

This was a fine breakfast. I had made dinner reservations at Salvia Blanca since I (correctly) thought we'd be having a busy day and would just like to relax for dinner. So you'll be reading more about the place then.

Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel)
Calle Merlot Parcela 325 Ejido El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

After breakfast, the Missus and I decided to explore more of the hotel grounds before our scheduled pick-up time.

IMG_9584a

We started noticing a lot of dog themed art along the way…..like this statue of Kuzco.

We would later see several really well behaved pooches around the offices and Salvia Blanca. We were told when we checked out that they consider these dogs to be "staff members"! How cool is that! Sadly, I did forget to ask about Kuzco. I guess that just gives us reason to return, right?

There's even a lovely little chapel on the grounds.

We returned to our villa to freshen up before our driver arrived….and like clockwork, fifteen minutes before our designated pick up time, he was ready and waiting for us.

Our driver today was Isaac, who was very outgoing and fun. And also very flexible as we'd end up making two detours in the afternoon which was lovely.

Our first stop was Las Nubes Bodegas y Viñedos, which had a beautiful setting on a hillside with a lovely view.

We sat on the lovely patio.

Admiring the view and petting the two lovely pooches…..

While doing our tasting….it doesn't get much better than that, right?

If I recall, the Missus enjoyed the Rose here….

For me, it was all about the view and the pooches….

Las Nubes Bodegas y Viñedos
Callejón Emiliano Zapata, El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

Our next stop was just a short distance away. Decantos Vinicola also had a pleasant view. We did our tasting on the porch area.

Then were escorted into the restaurant for lunch.

We just wanted something refreshing and light, so we got the Tiradito.

Which was interesting as it included Shiitake Mushrooms! Which gave it a more earthy-savory flavor; tempering down the acidity of the dish. I don't recall what the fish was; but it was fresh and fairly meaty. Of course it came with Tostadas.

We also got a half dozen Oysters.

These were also interesting as it was topped with a melon compote, which added a fruity-refreshing aspect to the briny meatiness of the oysters. Quite an interesting combination to say the least.

After lunch, we were met by a very friendly young lady who took us on a tour of the wine making facilities. The pathway was artistically set-up….you just follow the barrels.

For some reason, the underground cellar reminded me of our Champagne Tour in…of course Champagne!

And soon enough, we were off to our last two stops…..

Decantos Vinicola
Rancho San Miguel Fraccion A, S/N
El Porvenir, B.C., Mexico

Which were just done spur of the moment and would actually be the highlight of our day!

Stay Tuned!

Road Trip – Tiger Bar & Cafe (June Lake) and it’s back to Erick Schat’s Bakkerÿ (Bishop) and Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery (Lone Pine)

July 26, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

I thought I'd best finish up this series on our stay in June Lake so here goes…..

After the Missus did Her morning paddleboarding while I got breakfast at Silver Lake Resort Cafe and then hiking the Reversed Peak Loop Trail, we headed back to June Lake to freshen up. We waned to grab a quick lunch and just relax. Right across the street from our accommodations is the Tiger Bar & Cafe, one of the few places opened daily from nine to nine.

The place serves everything from breakfasts, to "Mexican" dishes, to burgers, to salads……you get the picture. We decided to just get a simple sandwich and you know the Missus….She loves Her bacon; so we got a BLT on sourdough, with chips as our side to go and walked on down to Gull Lake, returning to pick up our lunch.

Once we picked up our order; we simply strolled across the street, to our accommodations, and split our sandwich in the comfort of our room.

This was pretty much a by-the-book BLT. The chips were a bit thicker than we prefer.

The bread was a bit under-toasted, but the bacon was nice and crisped, the tomatoes decently ripe.

Would I go out of my way for this sandwich…..well, no. But since it was right across the street…..

On my way out, I noticed the "specials" menu.

I noticed a couple of items that we interesting. Plus, the Missus and I just wanted to relax before leaving the next morning. So, after our afternoon nap, we decided to head on over for an early dinner.

It was 4pm and there were a few customers already in the place….most of them having a "happy hour" it seems.

The Missus had a glass of wine, I had a light and refreshing Mammoth Brewing Pilsner.

And we ordered from the specials grease board menu, all items were priced at $9.95. Our Server was very nice and friendly.

First to arrive were the pork rib tips.

This was actually pretty good. Not a huge fan of the overly sweet, mass-produced BBQ sauce; but the rib tips were fairly tender, with nice cartiledgeous chewiness. A decent amount of smokiness with a mild rub. It was better than we had expected.

Next to arrive were the fried pickles. Man, the portion size was pretty large.

Crisp outside, with a sour-tangy-saltiness, this was a nice version.

The Fried Brussel Sprouts on the other hand was our least favorite.

The batter didn't hold up well and was quite salty. The actual brussel sprouts were mushy and had a weird texture.

Still, two out of three ain't bad. Again, I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but being across the street…..

Tiger Bar & Cafe
2620 CA-158
June Lake, CA 93529

Of course, after all of that fried food, we needed to take a walk and headed back down to Gull Lake to watch the day turn into night.

The next morning we headed out early and made a stop in Bishop at Erick Schat's.

This time we got the Sheepherder Bread and of course more cookies for the Missus.

That bread is great…..this will be a regular stop for us from now on.

Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ
763 N Main St.
Bishop, CA 93514

About an hour south of Bishop is Lone Pine and it seemed like a good idea to make a brunch stop before the five hour plus drive home. We decided on revisiting Alabama Hills Cafe. We stopped an easily found parking and unlike our previous visit, things were rather mellow in the restaurant.

The Missus got the bacon and egg breakfast, which came with a rather dense biscuit, and breakfast potatoes….and of course bacon.

While the potatoes had a generous amount of bell peppers and onions, it was bit on the greasy side. No complaints about the bacon as She also ended up poaching some of mine.

Having thought that the BLT I had for lunch here was decent; I got the Breakfast BLT.

Other than the bread being a bit under toasted….and the interesting portion of grapes….I guess they wanted to make sure I had some fruit with breakfast; I enjoyed this sandwich. Even though the eggs could have been a bit more runny; there were no off flavors, the nice smoky saltiness of the bacon (before the Missus stole it), acidity of the tomato, this was a decent sandwich. I'd have it again.

Typical diner-ish fare; pretty much what we expected.

Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery
111 West Post St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

And then we were headed home……intent on getting some Asian food for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Home Sweet Home (Escondido) (again)

July 24, 2025 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Once again, Cathy is writing about what she eats. Kirk is busy with research so he can write interesting things about his food adventures.

The Mister and I have enjoyed many meals at Home Sweet Home Cafe with my most recent posting in 2022. Recently, my brother and I visited for breakfast.

This nondescript diner in the midst of an industrial park took over from another diner in 2010. The simple breakfast-lunch menu is served all open hours and you are always made to feel like home when you are here. So friendly. Just watch where you park on weekdays; the other open businesses are strict.

There is something to see wherever you look; on the walls, tabletops, windows.

My brother asks to go out to 'local' places, defining such as 'having mismatched coffee cups'. I need to photograph those next time.

Biscuits and gravy (half order) with one large sausage, two eggs and home fries ($13). The potatoes are nicely crisped with onion and bell pepper. The breakfast sausage is an excellent quality and pieces mixed in with the peppery white gravy poured over the fresh made, crisp crusted fluffy biscuit just make it a perfect dish. Of course the orange yolked poached eggs are quite nice.

Hot Cake Special (two) with one large sausage link and two (scrambled eggs) ($13.50) is pretty much what my brother always wants for breakfast.

A side of deep-fried bacon ($7). He asked for 'very crisp' bacon and our delightful waitress suggested deep fried. Of Course! This was really good.

Consistency, quality. A great place. Home.

Home Sweet Home Cafe website 662 Enterprise Street, Escondido 92029 (760) 743-2233 Open Mon-Fri 5 AM-2 PM, Sat 5AM-1 PM Sun 7AM-1 PM

Original Pancake House (again)

July 21, 2025 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy while Kirk is having a lovely time with His Missus and JJ during a quick getaway.

My first post about The Original Pancake House was in 2009, then in 2013, again in 2015 and most recently in 2021. It was time for another breakfast report from this consistently wonderful breakfast place. This time I was with my brother.

The menu choices are about the same, with increased prices, of course.

The half and half pitcher for the pure 36% whipping cream (not half and half) has been a mainstay in every location of OPH we had ever been. (Coffee is now $4.65, kept constantly refilled) (it tastes so good with whipping cream).

My brother wanted pecan pancakes. This is a half order ($10.45). The pancake batter here is unique to the franchise; consistency is important. Slightly sweet batter cooked until the cake is lightly crisp on the exterior, filled with pecans and then topped with plenty of toasted pecans and powdered sugar

He really likes bacon and recalled the thick cut bacon here was particularly good. A side order ($7.95) was worth it. Bacon and pancakes, why not? He really liked his meal.

On the other hand, I wanted savory this morning and the Chicken Crepe ($16.70) was my order. Diced chicken breast simmered with green bell peppers, pimentos and olives added to a mushroom sherry sauce and rolled in a flavorful (slightly sweet if you taste it alone), delicate crepe, topped with crispy sliced almonds. This was served with three crisp, light potato pancakes.

Our total condiments included (real) maple syrup, butter, sour cream and applesauce.

Quite a perfect meal.

Original Pancake House website 3906 Convoy Street San Diego 92111 (858) 565-1740 Open daily 7 a.m. Closes at 1 p.m. weekdays, 2 p.m. on weekends.

Anyway, we were reminiscing about going to this fancy breakfast place when we were younger. It turns out OPH started in our hometown of Detroit…and then moved to San Diego. Everything we took for granted did happen in the best possible way; we just followed it.