Great Memories
Antique Row Cafe
3002 Adams Ave.,
San Diego, CA 92116 (Normal Heights)
619-282-9750
By Judi Curry
Some birthdays just go on and on and on. Particularly those birthdays that you would just as soon forget – like the one I had last week. (And every day since!)
My neighbors asked to take me out for breakfast at any restaurant of my choosing. I remembered that years ago we went to the” Antique Row Café” and really enjoyed it. That was my suggestion this time and Nancy and Stuart were willing to drive the distance and try it with me.
It hasn’t changed much since I was there 20+ years ago. They still have the charcoal drawings of many famous personalities on the walls; still dark; and still busy.
We arrived just a few minutes after 9 am, which was a shame, because until 9 am they have a special menu.
Everything on that menu is only $4.99. There is a fairly good selection of items, and, if you still want what is on the menu it is $2 more after 9.
The specials are only good Monday thru Friday. They also have a “special board” with interesting items on it in addition to the Early Bird Special. (Blueberry pancakes with eggs and potatoes was one thing on that board.)
The “Lumberjack”
There seemed to be a great difficulty in getting our coffee served correctly. Stuart ordered coffee as did I. Nancy ordered coffee to be served with her meal. Stuart was served his coffee; I had to ask for mine again. The waitress brought the coffee to Nancy and we had to remind her the coffee was for me; that Nancy wanted hers later.
We looked over the extensive menu – egg dishes; 3 egg omelets; Egg Benedict; time tested favorites; breads, rolls or muffins; pancakes, French toast, or waffles, etc. The menu is on-line for you to peruse.
Eggs Benedict
Stuart elected to have the “Lumberjack” – which was on the $4.99 menu, and paid the extra two dollars for it. The serving was enormous! Biscuits, potatoes and eggs that were smothered in a country gravy. He said it was very good and ended up taking half of it home.
Nancy wanted Eggs Benedict and was going to order from the Early Bird menu, but realized the $4.99 was for only one half of an English Muffin and it would be $6.99. The Eggs Benedict on the regular table was a better price for the whole order so that is what she ordered. It was topped with a slice of ham; a poached egg and a Hollandaise sauce. It was served with a lot of home-fried potatoes. Nancy said it was very good and she would order it again. And…she was served her coffee with her meal. The coffee was very good, by the way.
I ordered a “short stack” – something I seldom do when I eat out because my pancakes are, in my mind, superior to those served in restaurants. I make exceptions to this, because I get tired of eating my own food. The stack was immense. But it was quite thick – I like a thinner pancake – and had a sweet taste to it. It was good, and only cost $5.95, but I would not order it again.
Stuart said his “Lumberjack” was delicious, and said that it was “ . . . just good home town cooking.”
The mural outside
The service left something to be desired, not just because of the coffee mix-up but because Stuart was served his meal several minutes before Nancy and I were served. However, from that point on, the service was good and our coffee cups were constantly being refilled.
The total bill for the three of us was $33.14, with Nancy’s Egg Benedict the most expensive at $12.95. (Note: the price for the Egg Benedict on line is incorrect.) The coffee was $2.35 a cup.
The Antique Row Café is a fun place to go. The memorabilia and the legends are fascinating. Would we go back? We all agreed that we would. Maybe we will see you there!
Judi Curry
Latest posts by Judi Curry (see all)
- What the Heck? The Story of My Randomly Sounding Fire Alarms - June 1, 2017
- My April Fool’s Day Story for the Year – Looking for a Man - April 1, 2017
- Restaurant Review: Pepe’s in Ocean Beach - March 15, 2017
Happy belated birthday!
Thank you!