September 2004-Food review: Champions of Breakfast

Champions of Breakfast
Five of the best restaurants in *Fullerton to break your nightly fast.

Breakfast is a down right difficult meal to eat out five days in a row. Much like Las Vegas, the cholesterol rich foods found on the breakfast menu are enjoyable almost to a fault. Making them a frequent indulgence can be hazardous to your health. However, if you choose to live life on the edge, have self-destructive tendencies or carry an inexhaustible prescription for Lipitor, this is the restaurant review you’ve been dreaming about. Enjoy these breakfast suggestions with gusto, confidence and good company.


(In no particular order)
Spot: Kimmie’s Coffee Cup
Details:(Now at two locations) 6am-2pm
Fullerton: 714-449-1580; O.G. Kimmie’s at 1605 W. Commonwealth on the corner of Basque
Brea: 714-529-4022; 770 Brea Blvd.
The “Skinny”: Kimmie’s corners the hole-in-the wall breakfast nook market with reasonable prices, an undeniably attractive wait staff and tasty, home style, quality food with a tendency towards the sweet side. The atmosphere at Kimmie’s is always friendly and relaxed and with the quaint nature of both locations, you get this feeling like you’ve discovered a great secret. Bring a friend and let them in on it.
Must haves: Vanilla French Toast; anything that comes with their incredibly meaty and lean thick strips of bacon; Cinnamon toast; Chicken fried steak and eggs(with country potatoes abounding) and the Scrambler(!) And don’t forget a cup of world class Farmer’s Bros. coffee, only sold in serious restaurants.

Spot: The Brownstone Cafe
Details: 714-526-9123. 305 N. Harbor Blvd. (in Villa del Sol), Fullerton. Breakfast: 7am-11pm
The “Skinny”: Located in thee most romantic courtyard in Fullerton, The Brownstone Cafe is perfect for breaking fast with your dear friend and/or lover. Not being primarily a “Breakfast place”, the Brownstone doesn’t carry an extensive morning menu, but the dishes they do offer are all tasty and most even healthy.
Must haves: Their omelet is hearty, savory and bulging with your choice of four items such as avocado, red onion, ham, Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese, comes with seasoned potatoes(which are the stuff of legend) and your choice of sausage or bacon; and do not forget to try the croissant breakfast sandwich: the scrambled eggs with melted in cheese, bacon betwixt a fluffy, buttery croissant is so pleasing an experience it just might be better suited for the dating column.

Spot: *Original Pancake House 714-535-9815
Details: Anaheim(I know, not in Fullerton, but hey, these flapjacks are just too mean to be civic-centric) 1418 E. Lincoln 6am-1:30pm. Closed Monday.
The “Skinny”: The term “Original” is no joke at this grandaddy of ante meridian eateries.(est. 1958) The “O.G.” Pancake House is always bustling with hungry patrons who are often not the first generation in their family to make breakfast here a tradition.
Must haves: German pancake(or the smaller version: The Dutch Baby); Farmer Bros. coffee(the best coffee in the world); fresh squeezed orange juice(truly fresh and über pulpy); chewy and satisfying bacon; and the Apple pancake(very sweet, hot, big, gooey and very good for sharing) just to name a few. Don’t forget to check out the Old “Magic Eye” posters; I think one is a dinosaur.

Spot: Fantasy Burger
Details: 343 State College Blvd. (Going North, Right past Commonwealth, before rail crossing on the right.) 992-2828 6am-9pm
The “Skinny”: Fantasy burger meets all your burger joint needs including quick service for the speedy in and out breakfaster on the run.
Must haves: The Breakfast burrito: it’s fast, it’s $3.76 and with egg, cheese, hash browns and your choice of two of the following; ham, bacon, or sausage all wrapped up tight in a soft tortilla, it’s as tasty as it is portable.



Spot: Roadside Burgers
Details: 513 N. Harbor Blvd. (across from the Fox Theatre)871-0040 6am-10pm (breakfast till 11 am.
The “Skinny”: The only drive through breakfast spot Fullerton I can get behind. Family owned and operated, Roadside is a favorite of High School students and professionals alike. A classic burger stand with options for every part of the day.
Must haves: The battle between health consciousness and taste does not end here. The pastrami omelet caught my eye and danced in my mouth but laid down hard in my belly. The same can be said of the chorizo and eggs which came with corn or flower tortillas, and refried beans. And our foray into breakfast normalcy began and ended with two pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon, a very satisfying (and filling) meal.