The Alchemist, April 6, 2010, Volume 3, Number 118
Vol. 3, No. 118
Breakfast with the Alchy’s
Best Breakfasts of 2009
Breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, right? Sometimes people eat it in the mornings even. That so many of you weighed in on the Best Breakfast in last years Alchy Awards just goes to show that many of you, our Readers, do as well. It took three months, but two of us at The Alchemist managed to breakfast at your top three picks to give them a quick once-over.
First up, the Best Breakfast Alchy Award Winner: the Wild Iris Platter at Nearly Normals on 15th near Monroe. Don’t show up before eight in the morning and on Sundays don’t bother at all. You order at the counter just inside the door so decide quickly or stick with the Platter like us. And remember, there’s no meat. After that most everything is self-serve, from plates to silverware, to running downstairs for more coffee. Upstairs has great natural light to bask in, but in the summer you want to sit out back.
The platter itself is a great collection of veggies with lots of flavor.
“I can’t imagine this without cheese,” Alchy #1 commented.
“It could do with sauce or eggs,” Alchy #2 added.
Over all we were well satisfied, any additions to the plate would really mean too much food. $14 each covered food, coffee and a tip and felt well worth it.
“It’s probably the healthiest of all three,” Alchy 1 said, “My mind is happy. My body is happy.”
Compared to Nearly Normals’ 30 years in town, second place went to an infant on the breakfast scene: ZIA. The winning dish: the Breakfast Burrito. It leaves a lot to be decided as they have multiple to choose from. Alchy #1 had the ZIA, Alchy #2 went with the Albuquerque.
“It’s very filling and tasty,” Alchy #2 commented.
The coffee is as tasty as the southwest style food, and the service came often and friendly, a hold-over from their time starting out at the Corvallis Farmer’s Market. You can spice up with red or green chile or lay off if your stomach is feeling weak, but don’t figure on stumbling in before 11 AM unless it’s the weekend. You might also stumble upon live music inside, but cramped inside the small area you may or may not want to hear it. Overall, it was a good meal for about $12 each.
“It was awesome,” Alchy #1 said, “I’m assuming they still use hand-rolled tortillas. That’s why it’s special.”
Third down the list was The Peacock 2×2×2 breakfast. That’s two eggs, two pancakes, and two pieces of bacon or sausage for just $2. Add a cup of coffee and so far you’ve almost doubled the cost. The service was good, with ambiance a bit different from your normal idea of going out for breakfast, but you can tuck yourself away in a corner if you feel like dining alone.
“`If you’re used to being here at night you may want to wear sunglasses,” Alchy #2 said.
The convenience is more the trump for the 2×2×2 breakfast. Doors open at seven in the morning, and even if there is a crowd there will always be a seat open. You just may end up closer too the jukebox than you’d like while you enjoy your meal. That may be your preference, though, if you pick up where you left off the night before and have a stiff drink as well.
“It’s the most affordable versus what you pay at home,” Alchy #1 commented.
“It makes me feel bad about paying for a Shari’s pancake,” Alchy #2 added.
That’s it for the three winners, but there is one more restaurant we added as the Editor’s Option. The Amber Room at Darrell’s is out where you may not notice it on the edge of town – at least it probably was the edge of town when Darrell’s opened in 1967. Now it sits just past Circle on 9th Street. There is a lot of traditional fare for about $7 – $9 a plate, and breakfast is served from seven in the morning to nine at night every day. Without a reader’s choice to go with, Alchy #1 decided on a Denver omelette and Alchy #2 tried a veggie skillet.
“Plenty of cheese and good flavor,” Alchy #1 said after finishing.
“The skillet wasn’t fantastic but I liked it,” Alchy #2 said, “The fruit on the side was hard to identify but tasty.”
The Amber Room also offers stiff drinks with breakfast. They have comfy leather seating, attentive service, and distractions galore – darts, billiards, scratch-its, etc. Plus, if you’re dining with a big group this place is perfect.
That’s it for the Alchemist’s breakfast exploration. Perhaps next we’ll check out the three choices for Best Dessert or Best Beer. What about you?
Find the rest of The Alchemist Award Winners from 2009 at www.corvalchemist.com.
~Robin Canfield
