In Search of Breakfast

Published 3/20/2011

In Search of Breakfast

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

Saturday morning is our morning to relax and start the morning with breakfast out then taking our time to run the weekly errands. I ask Doug if he had a preference for a place to get breakfast, in his typical manner he said, “Nobody can screw up breakfast so it doesn’t matter where we go.” This conversation happened several months ago and we are still in search for the best Saturday Morning Breakfast!

There are restaurants in the area that open for the early crowd but it is obvious that it is not because they are proud of their meals. Lots of mediocrity and some just down right need to take breakfast off their menu! Harsh, I think not! I want a good meal cooked the way I like it. I think that is a reasonable assumption when you walk into any restaurant. Whether it is a steak medium rare or eggs over easy, it is your choice and if the provider can’t get it right don’t go back. Easy as that!!!! Well, it is supposed to be but like all statements there are caveats. Some places get the gravy right, some get the biscuits right, some cook the best meat, but how many can you name that get it all right. Probably your home kitchen is the best place to always “have it your way”!

Well, Saturday mornings are limited as the “Best” breakfast place I know of is not open on Saturday morning. That is the Whistle Stop Café on business 287 across from the Railroad tracks in Decatur. They have been written up in newspapers and magazines that have a much larger clientele that we do here at Alvordonline.com. They do it right, “Your Way” and it is a homey atmosphere that you enjoy and go back for as often as possible.

BUT we are talking about Saturday Morning, obviously, a distinction that makes a Hugh difference in the selection of places to search for the perfect meal. We have searched Bridgeport, Decatur, Alvord, and Bowie. Trying to find a meal that is not “prepackaged” “plastic” or “inedible “it has been an ongoing challenge. I won’t go so far as to say that every offering is perfect but I have decided that the place that has the most menu Items with the potential to be Good is the Armadillo Grill in Bowie.

I know I have reviewed them before for dinner and after having eaten a wonderful Valentines dinner there it was a place I wanted to visit a second time.

On the side of Hwy 287 at the FM 174 Exit north of Bowie they are attached to a Truck Stop.

Well, DUH! As the kids say! Truck stops are known for good food and fast service and I again was impressed with the quick service we received. Their menu offers all the favorites for breakfast. I just wanted a fluffy egg, crisp bacon and a good fluffy hot biscuit with good hot thick gravy!! Anything else is just for variety and you take your chances everywhere you try new things.

They got it right….hot when it came, stayed hot thru the meal and was cooked to “MY WAY” which is so important. Fluffy scrambled eggs for me, an over easy egg for Doug and if “ the eggs ain’t right ain’t nothing go’nna be right”. The gravy was A++ and the Biscuit was hot and fluffy.

Now these are the basics, if a place gets the basics right I can forgive some other things, but doing the basics right is the only way to have return customers.

I hope that some of the restaurateurs’ of Wise and Montague Counties read this article and take heed, I will not name the places that I think are poor quality, if you eat your own cooking you know who you are, but I will give kudos to those who take their professions seriously and give them the praise they deserve. I hope you go try the places I like. Maybe your favorite is not mentioned here. Maybe I was at your favorite on an off day. I really don’t think good restaurants have an off day. It is not an option for serious businesses. So go try my favorites and let me know if you have as good of an experience as I have had.