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Breakfast at Crest Cafe

This Hillcrest staple is celebrating thirty years in business this year. Because of that, my expectation was that the food there would be a little dated, that the restaurant had operated on institutional credibility more than an ability to stay relevant. It's not like that isn't a valid strategy that appeals to a certain demographic, but I found the Crest Cafe has kept up with the times well.

Truth be told, there was a slightly retro vibe going on inside, but it was subdued and managed to tread the fine line between hip and kitschy. Also, despite the rainbow-clad restaurants appeal to the Hillcrest gay scene, the dining room had a pretty diverse crowd during breakfast. Basically, my expectations were all way off, which I liked. It's not that I found the scenario preferable to what I'd envisioned. I just like to be surprised within the confines of an industry that tends towards predictability.

The breakfast menu had a lot of interesting variations on classic breakfasts. I was tempted by power pancakes ($9.25) that had cottage cheese, blackberries, and almonds somehow worked into whole wheat pancakes. Likewise, the bacon pancakes topped with eggs ($9.25) appealed strongly to my penchant for artful use of bacon. In the end, I opted for an artichoke and ham strata ($9.95). The dish was really a savory bread pudding. Artichoke hearts and ham had been bound together with sourdough cubes and a light custard. The portion was reasonable and the mountain of fresh fruit that served as a side dish made things seem healthier. Often, we eat terrible breakfasts, as I just read in a Men's Health online article, and finding something a little more reserved than a massive stack of pancakes and sausage can really change the way we approach the day. I felt like the "strata" gave me a little indulgence and a little temperance at the same time.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/18/26415/

Price was the main sticking point for the Crest Cafe's breakfast. Since all the items were pushing (or exceeding) the ten dollar margin, it would be difficult to make the place a regular breakfast spot. Still, it felt justifiable as an occasional step-up from typical coffee shop fare.

425 Robinson Avenue
619-295-2410
Open daily 7AM-Midnight

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This Hillcrest staple is celebrating thirty years in business this year. Because of that, my expectation was that the food there would be a little dated, that the restaurant had operated on institutional credibility more than an ability to stay relevant. It's not like that isn't a valid strategy that appeals to a certain demographic, but I found the Crest Cafe has kept up with the times well.

Truth be told, there was a slightly retro vibe going on inside, but it was subdued and managed to tread the fine line between hip and kitschy. Also, despite the rainbow-clad restaurants appeal to the Hillcrest gay scene, the dining room had a pretty diverse crowd during breakfast. Basically, my expectations were all way off, which I liked. It's not that I found the scenario preferable to what I'd envisioned. I just like to be surprised within the confines of an industry that tends towards predictability.

The breakfast menu had a lot of interesting variations on classic breakfasts. I was tempted by power pancakes ($9.25) that had cottage cheese, blackberries, and almonds somehow worked into whole wheat pancakes. Likewise, the bacon pancakes topped with eggs ($9.25) appealed strongly to my penchant for artful use of bacon. In the end, I opted for an artichoke and ham strata ($9.95). The dish was really a savory bread pudding. Artichoke hearts and ham had been bound together with sourdough cubes and a light custard. The portion was reasonable and the mountain of fresh fruit that served as a side dish made things seem healthier. Often, we eat terrible breakfasts, as I just read in a Men's Health online article, and finding something a little more reserved than a massive stack of pancakes and sausage can really change the way we approach the day. I felt like the "strata" gave me a little indulgence and a little temperance at the same time.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/18/26415/

Price was the main sticking point for the Crest Cafe's breakfast. Since all the items were pushing (or exceeding) the ten dollar margin, it would be difficult to make the place a regular breakfast spot. Still, it felt justifiable as an occasional step-up from typical coffee shop fare.

425 Robinson Avenue
619-295-2410
Open daily 7AM-Midnight

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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