Something Different for Breakfast

I am on staycation, and like most -cations, I refuse to cook. I seem to recall a thread that recommended unusual/foreign breakfasts, but I can't seem to find it now. (Mods - feel free to combine if I missed it.)

What places do you recommend for something other than the usual eggs/bacon/pancakes type stuff? I was thinking Uncle Mike's but I'd love more ideas (preferably not the far south/southwest, and staying within Chicagoland).

Thanks!

Hi,

Is this the thread: You eat WHAT for breakfast?

Regards,

Seems like this is more what people throw together at home, but that's a good one to look through too, since I did see a restaurant or two in there.

Maybe not too far afield from bacon/eggs but Libertad in Skokie and Tre Kronor have great breakfast choices, as does m. Henry in Andersonville.

http://libertad7931.com/brunch/

http://www.trekronorrestaurant.com/menu.html#/menu

http://www.mhenry.net/menu.html

I'd also throw in Taste of Cuba in Lincolnwood for a late breakfast (they open at 11).

And I completely forgot panennkoeken in Lincoln Square. Pancakes and eggs, yes, but oh so different:


http://www.pannenkoekencafe.com/Menu.html

Time Out Chicago had a recent article about finding an authentic Japanese breakfast in Chicago.

My top pick for something unique is Jam, in Logan Square. Imagine if a top chef wanted a breakfast-focused restaurant with the same creativity in the dishes as you'd find at the high-end temples of haute cuisine. But with the casual atmosphere and fairly moderate prices of other breakfast-focused restaurants. That's Jam.

I also like our other restaurants with not-so-traditional breakfast foods, including M. Henry (Andersonville) and M. Henrietta (Edgewater) where I prefer to go on weekends when they have their out-of-this-world bread pudding, Bongo Room (South Loop, Andersonville, Wicker Park) with its creative pancakes (e.g. pretzel pancakes with white chocolate caramel sauce) for those who enjoy sweeter dishes, Southport Grocery (Lakeview) with its bread pudding pancakes and adult pop-tarts, Walker Brothers (6 northern suburbs) with its huge apple pancake, Meli Cafe (River North and Greek Town) with its umpteen kinds of French toast, Kappy's in Morton Grove with its prime rib hash, and Bel 50 in River North with its waffle-based sandwiches.

There are lots more breakfast-focused restaurants, but their menus are not quite as unusual as those mentioned above; these include Marmalade, Batter and Berries, Over Easy, Yolk, Victory Banner, Kitsch'n, Orange, Wishbone, Flo, Ina's, Lula, Toast, Lou Mitchell's, Milk and Honey Cafe, Cafe des Architectes, Kanela Breakfast Club, Little Branch Cafe, Lulu Belle's, Prasino, Bakin' and Eggs, Cafe Selmarie, Tweet, Eggsperience, Eggy's, Waffles, and Brunch. We sure have a lot of breakfast-focused restaurants here!

All of these are open for breakfast 6-7 days a week.

Jerry's in Winnetka is not open for breakfast, only lunch and dinner. It's worth mentioning because a Tribune article ("16 choices for fabulous French toast", January 14, 2010) named their French toast the best in Chicagoland, and deservedly so IMHO.

You could try Icosium Kafe at Clark and Foster in Andersonville and get some Algerian crepes. I'm partial to the pecan, fig jam and feta crepe myself.

How about Hamburger King on Sheffield?

My husband is not a fan of going out for the traditional American breakfast. We once compromised on brunch with a trip to Sun Wah. I was dubious, but I have to admit, a bowl of congee with lean pork and egg and a side of crispy barbequed pork hit all the right notes and fit the bill for a satisfying breakfast.

Edzo's opens at 10:30, at both locations (Evanston and Lincoln Park). So does Hot Doug's.

Going early can be a way to avoid the crowds at popular places, as much as it is to have breakfast there. I encountered the same thing this past summer at a hugely popular barbecue restaurant in St. Louis, which was fairly empty when they opened at 10:30, but was slammed by 11:15 when I took this photo:

Good thread.

I'm still wanting to get to Uncle Mike's place for a Filipino breakfast:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=28415

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nsxtasy wrote:Edzo's opens at 10:30, at both locations (Evanston and Lincoln Park). So does Hot Doug's.

I knew a girl in high school that would start her day at 7:30 with a hot dog and massive pickle.

Cafe Colao for Puerto Rican sandwiches or Nellie's for Puerto Rican breakfast
Señor Pan for Cuban sandwiches
International Mall in Westmont for Chinese/Taiwanese breakfast (homemade soy milk and youtiao)
Yoshi's Cafe for its Sunday Japanese breakfast
Le's Pho or Pho 777 for pho
Ba Le for bahn mi
MingHin for dim sum
Flo for New Mexican (the state) food
De Colores on the weekend for pozole and coffee

You should try this breakfast dish from Nha Hang: http://youtu.be/8ZHo-fWnKW4

It's not on the menu, but just tell the owner (or family member) that you want breakfast; and describe the dish. They'll be happy to make it.

Autre Monde Cafe's brunch in Berwyn offers a somewhat different and savory take on the usual fair.

http://www.autremondecafe.net/brunch-menu-2/

What about Tre Kroner? Probably traditional but they might have some stuff that is different.

Also I like M. Henry and its sister restaurant. I can not say that they are not traditional but they do have some unique dishes that are good.

I think that Prairie Joe's in Evanston has very good and inventive breakfasts. If you are looking for something "different" - it absolutely deserves that description.

bw77 wrote:I think that Prairie Joe's in Evanston has very good and inventive breakfasts. If you are looking for something "different" - it absolutely deserves that description.

What dishes on their breakfast menu would you consider "inventive" and "different"?

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned The Little Goat, considering the current buzz. Isn't there a breakfast pasta & clams that looks terrible/tastes great?

nsxtasy wrote:

bw77 wrote:I think that Prairie Joe's in Evanston has very good and inventive breakfasts. If you are looking for something "different" - it absolutely deserves that description.

What dishes on their breakfast menu would you consider "inventive" and "different"?

A feta and egg quesadilla or perhaps an egg, cheese and potato burrito? The relatively different (for a diner) dishes are really the specials which seem to mix Mexican, middle eastern and diner standards.

Pie Lady wrote:I am on staycation, and like most -cations, I refuse to cook.

For some of us, the point of a staycation would be time to cook.

Nah. I already do that at least 3 times per week, not including exchanges, gatherings, desperate needs for dessert, etc. I use vacations to go to all the restaurants I either don't have the budget or time for otherwise! Plus, I can eat out every meal and not bother thinking about how healthy it is, because everyone knows that you can't gain weight on vacation.

bean wrote:I'm surprised that no one has mentioned The Little Goat, considering the current buzz. Isn't there a breakfast past & clams that looks terrible/tastes great?

Holy shit. I'm already finding excuses to get up early and head downtown.