Going Out For Breakfast

Basted eggs with bacon, whole wheat toast, preserves and whipped butter

I'm going to keep rolling on the breakfast theme since I just love it. When you want a really great breakfast, where do you go? Living in the Chicago land area, there are many to choose from. I have my own list of favorite places that I just love. Deciding which is best is no easy task. My first question is, can I eat here? This decision is determined first and foremost entirely on the cleanliness of the bathroom. If it's not clean, I won't be eating there. The same is true with dirty condiments, or worn out dirty menus are something I look for. If the front of the house is dirty, what does the kitchen look like? 

Visually a quality pork sausage

I also look at the quality of the products served as a direct reflection of how the owner feels about his customers. The type of breakfast sausage or bacon is a good starting point. Are they quality products, or just the run of the mill cheap quality, fast food fare. I also look for places that advertize the products they use in the preparation of their customers breakfast. You can tell from the names, or logos the quality of the foods they are serving.

Iron Skillet sausage eggs hash browns biscuits and gravy

As an example, every now and then I get a craving for pancakes, French toast or waffles. For me to enjoy any of these three choices I need real butter, and real honest to goodness pure maple syrup, not the artificial maple syrup served at most pancake houses. At least offer real maple syrup for an up charge. Recently I was at a restaurant that was using frozen, ready made pancakes. They're pancakes for goodness sake. How lazy can you get? 

Maybe you prefer a short stack

When it's breakfast that I crave, I will often search out restaurants that offer scratch made meals and fresh squeezed orange juice. Once I have my juice in hand, I'm going to need some really good medium roast coffee. Third on my list of must haves would have to be hash brown potatoes, shredded, not diced or sliced, and please no onions or peppers. It's morning for goodness sake. If a restaurant has corned beef hash on the menu it had better be homemade and not dumped out of a can. I like mine crispy, not steamed or soggy. Is that to much to ask? I detest restaurants that charge a lot of money for their breakfast and then serve you inferior ingredients.

For the pancake lover in you

Every now and then I need some Eggs Benedict to bring harmony to the universe. I just detest packaged Hollandaise sauce, so the sauce has to be homemade.

My favorite restaurants, in no particular order are:

Bob Evans

Walker Brothers - Highland Park, IL

Once Upon a Bagel - Highland Park, IL

Butterfields - Northbrook, IL

Southern Belle's Pancake House - Crest Hill, IL

IHOP - Anywhere

Egg Shell Cafe - Deerfield, IL

Egg Harbor - Glenview, IL

Paul Bunyan - Minocqua, WI

Denny's - Anywhere
Iron Skillet - Anywhere

Scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns

When I'm in the mood for eggs, generally it's two eggs, scrambled over medium, or basted, with bacon, shredded hash browns, or potato pancakes.

Basted eggs, smoked bacon, potato pancakes

Every now and then I get in the mood for an omelet. When I do I'll often order a bacon and cheese, sausage and cheese, or a Denver omelet.

Everyday should begin with a hearty breakfast

I'm a big fan of breakfast sandwiches and it really doesn't matter what kind they are.  Unless I'm in a hurry, I will steer clear of fast food choices. These are easy enough to make at home. While surfing YouTube I saw that you can substitute a real fresh shell egg for the folded cooked liquid eggs at McDonald's. I ordered a sausage egg and cheese biscuit with a fresh shell egg and got it. No extra charge.  

Homemade bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich

When I first heard about chicken and waffles, I just couldn't figure out if it was suppose to be a breakfast or dinner meal. So I was at Cheddar's restaurant one evening and it was on the menu I asked the waiter about it. I told him that I didn't think that sounded good. He asked me if I liked spaghetti and meatballs. I said yes and he said it is just like that. I still don't know if this is is for breakfast or dinner, but it really is good.

Chicken and waffles

Whenever my family went on vacation, it was usually to Woodruff, or Minocqua, Wisconsin. Every now and then my parents took us out to breakfast at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty restaurant. From the moment you sit down at the tables with red checkered tablecloths and stainless steel place settings, you know that this will be old fashioned country breakfast.

Paul Bunyan's place setting

In a blink the food is coming to your table. Since it was an "all you care to eat affair," my father made sure that we stayed long enough to get our money's worth. For breakfast you got flapjacks, scrambled eggs, camp fried potatoes, baked ham, sausage links, kielbasa, biscuits and milk gravy, donuts, coffee, tea, milk, and juice. I know that my parents breakfast was under ten bucks at the time and the kids prices were based on how old we were. Eating together as a family made this more fun.

Paul Bunyan Breakfast

Paul Bunyan's fresh buttermilk donuts

If you need another reason to enjoy breakfast, usually people eating breakfast are in a good mood, starting a new day with family and friends and enjoying a good meal. It generally goes down hill after that. After breakfast it was back to the lake

Lil smokies breakfast Iron Skillet

Sunday breakfast, especially in the summer, is where antique and collector car buffs go to socialize with other enthusiasts. You never know what you're going to see.

Packard Super Eight - Can you say heavy metal?

Finally, every now and then you're going to see something that you never expected, so get out, smell the roses and enjoy a great breakfast.

Holy Batmobile Batman!

Restaurants I'd like to try. Check out their menus and you'll know why. If you've eaten at any of these locations send your comments:
Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop - Evanston, IL
Original Green Bay Cafe - Winnetka, IL
Hotcakes Cafe - Wilmette, IL 
Yolk Restaurant - Chicago, IL
Ann Sather Restaurant - Chicago, IL
Windy City Cafe- Chicago, IL

Denny's Grand Slam with Hash Browns

Finally if you have favorite family breakfast recipes that you love and would like to share, please click on "Comments" below and leave a comment. If you like this blog and want to help keep it alive, why not sign up to follow this blog. It's free and we never sell our email list. 

Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberry Preserves

© TMelle 2015