January 16, 2000

Enjoying Breakfast

...here and there about town

On Sunday mornings we enjoy an occasional breakfast out with our girls.
It gives us an opportunity to try different places. As an old former breakfast cook, I enjoy those few places that let a customer observe the chef at work, too.

One of these places is the Europa Bakery on 36th near Arctic, where you can watch your omelet creation being "skillet"-fully prepared. They serve this humongous creation with home-fried potatoes, toast, and a few fresh fruit on the side. The meal overflows the platter.
The Europa really is a bakery, specializing in those yummy crusty old-country breads. The omelets are available there to enhance the baked goods.

Another place where lots of Anchorage-ites get their morning jumpstarts is in the New Sagaya/L'aroma Deli /Kaladi Brothers/ combinations - many's the time I've stopped for my latte and bagel in one of their two locations. Housing the espresso stand and the bakery in the wonderful New Sagaya grocery stores with their selections of foods from many different parts of the world is a wonderful partnership benefitting all, *most of all us customers*.

And for the visitor to Alaska - it wouldn't be a complete visit to Anchorage without a stop at Gwennie's on Spenard Road - again Alaska-sized portions of breakfasts featuring reindeer sausage and other Alaskan meats. Wild game is not allowed (by law) to be sold, so the reindeer is the closest that people can come to caribou, bear or moose meat in a restaurant.

But Sunday mornings are special.
Last week we met at the Phillips International on Minnesota and Benson - with i t's "diner air" and senior menus - booths, stools at the counter, waitresses that know what you need before you do, - "honey, that's my job" - and for me a delicious Belgian waffle. Very comforting and retro... it rang bells that were 40 years old.

Today it was the Alaskan Bagel place on Northern Lights by C St. It's a very clean and bright place that serves every bagel imaginable with lots of "schmears" - and an Eggs Benedict on a bagel - which we shared.
I took my special bagel home for another day...

Next Sunday let's try the Cafe Amsterdam in the Metro Mall!

deebrrs@mailcity.com

© 2000, deebrrs