2.6 Bread & Porridge
Posted on February 19, 2008
Filed Under American, Breakfast | Leave a Comment
Bread & Porridge sits on Wilshire Blvd before 23rd St. It has a big simple sign and a dull orange awning. Walk inside and you’ll immediately notice that one room is filled with big comfy sofas (for coffee drinkers?) and the other side is a small dining room with perhaps a dozen tables and booths. It’s small, charming, bright and airy.
First off, the fresh squeezed orange juice is excellent. Sweet and not too pulpy, with a unmistakeable fresh orange flavor. It’s pricy but definitely worth it.
We ordered an Omelet Fresco, which is made with Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, and fresh basil. The tomatoes and basil are fresh, the mushrooms flavorful, but somehow nothing in here jumps out at me and the omelet tastes dull and heavy, lacking the energy that a breakfast omelet ought to have. It’s better once you add some of their fantastic fresh salsa, but I’m afraid that says more about the great salsa than the omelet. ($10.75) The roasted red potatoes are really good, with a variety of textures and a great flavor.
Here are the Banana-Pecan pancakes. (4 for $8.45, 2 for $7.45) These are really great, with a very hearty, wholesome homemade taste. Not as fluffy as the pancakes at John O’Groat’s, but I was reminded that there’s a good amount of pecans sitting in the pancakes. Four doesn’t sound like a whole lot but it’s very filling and we couldn’t finish.
We couldn’t finish the pancakes probably because of this bad boy, the Spicy Cajun Andouille, which is made from Chicken with Cajun Spices. This is a very very good sausage, with a good spicy kick from the cajun spices, terrific fresh homemade taste, and not too heavy because it’s made from chicken.
It’s kind of a small place so it does get crowded, but they do take reservations so you can definitely call ahead. Service was pretty good until we wanted to get our check, which took a good 15 minutes. And of course, every time they take their sweet time getting me the check, I just want to get up and walk out. Hey, I WANTED to pay, YOU wanted to make me wait. Otherwise it’s a great little breakfast place. I’d come back.
Bread & Porridge
2315 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 453-4941