Sausalito Cafe

I've been seriously craving breakfast or brunch foods lately.

Our cafe at work used to really mix things up and have a constantly changing selection of breakfast foods, but for the past few months it has been exactly the same.  The yogurt parfait bar with house made granola and fresh berries, the waffles made to order with real maple syrup, the house baked pastries, the bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese, etc, were all exciting and delightful at first, but after several months of the exact same thing every day, I've been seriously wanting a change.  I'm not sure why they stopped mixing it up.  Even the pastry team just makes one flavor of muffin and one variety of scone and they rarely change.  I realize how ridiculous and spoiled this sounds to members of the real world where you don't have a cafe providing you free amazing breakfast every day.  But this really is my reality, and I've been desperately wanting things like pancakes, french toast, eggs benedict, and other more "interesting" items.

So, when we had a long weekend for the 4th of July, I decided I was going to take advantage and go out to a weekday breakfast, something I never normally do.  Living in the Financial District, there are a slew of cafes that are open only M-F, only for breakfast and lunch.  And since I work somewhere that provides exactly those meals, I never try them.  I was really excited to check out the places that are always closed when I walk by!

Of course, because it was a holiday, pretty much everywhere was closed on the 4th, and many were closed on the 5th as well.  And I really wanted to find somewhere that served french toast.  Finding and reading the menus for every place around seemed like a very tedious task, so I let technology do the work for me.  I knew I'd be limiting my search somewhat, but I decided to only look at places that were available on Seamless.com, since it has a "food item" search.  I could select the time of day/day of week and find everywhere that had french toast, sorted by distance from my house.  Perfect.  I wasn't going to use Seamless for delivery (seriously, cold soggy delivery french toast? People do that?) but this was an easy way to filter through the options.

It turns out, not that many places offer french toast.  Being my crazy self, I cross referenced each place on Yelp.  Most were located near Union Square, clearly catered towards tourists, and got horrible reviews.  But Sausalito Cafe jumped out.  They have 3 locations in the city, all close by, but only one was listed on Seamless.  They all get decent reviews, except that there are no reviews of the french toast, as they are known for their lunch offerings the most (falafel, gyros, etc) and for their breakfast burritos.  But if the cafe got decent reviews in general, I decided it was worth checking out.

I eagerly pulled up Seamless on Friday morning, ready to place my order. Unfortunately, Seamless said they weren't open.  Oh, no!  My plan was foiled, which confused me, since I'd checked with them before to make sure they'd be open.  So I called, and ... yup, they were open.  I let them know that they weren't listed as open on Seamless, and she took my name and number, and said she'd look into it.  I didn't expect much to happen, but amazingly a few minutes later, my phone rang, and she apologized, and said that Seamless had taken them off for the holiday and forgot to turn them back on.  Fixed!

I placed my order for the french toast to have right away, along with a bagel to save for later.  Unfortunately, in the time it took to figure out the whole Seamless open or not issue, they ran out of the type of bagel I'd been wanting to try (asiago).  They nicely called me again to let me know of the problem, but I was pretty disappointed, as there weren't any remaining flavors I wanted.  The bagels  are from House of Bagels, who also provide the bagels at work, so I've had them many times, although we only get the plain flavors.  I was excited to try a new one, not just have another plain bagel.  (Side note: stay tuned for an upcoming bakery review day for House of Bagels!)

Ok, back to Sausalito Cafe.  I promise I'll stop rambling soon!

I was really impressed with the service, from dealing with the Seamless issue of being offline, to calling me when the bagel selection wasn't available, to greeting me when I arrived to pick up my order.

As I mentioned, they are known more for their lunch items, and I'm definitely interested in checking out their falafel wraps, complete with housemade hummus, or perhaps trying the breakfast burritos or pancakes.  I don't have a lot of reason to skip my free meals at work, but next time we have a holiday, and Sausalito Cafe is open, it will be at the top of my list to return to.  Or, perhaps I'll get sick enough of my same old breakfast everyday that I'll venture there on a normal workday, and, gasp, pay for breakfast :)

French Toast.  $3.99.

At the top of my list of breakfast cravings is french toast.  Now, french toast comes in many varieties.  It can be just standard white sandwich bread, dunked briefly in some batter, and barely seared, like the boring version from Soma Inn Cafe.  Or it can sound amazing, like the white chocolate french toast with roasted apples and pears from Sierra Cafe, that turned out to just be an oily flavorless disappointment.  Or it can be a bit more exciting, like the almond crusted thick sliced brioche french toast with vanilla bean cream cheese and roasted yellow peaches at the now defunct Axis Cafe.  Or it can be absolutely amazeballs like the a brioche french toast bread pudding with stewed apples and quince, crème fraîche whipped cream, and candied pecans at Baker & Banker, which is still the best french toast dish I've ever had.  The most memorable is the one from a cafe in my hometown in NH, that makes theirs from ... glazed crullers (yes, the donuts).  A serving of their french toast is literally, three full size glazed crullers, dipped into french toast batter, grilled, topped with fruit and whipped cream, served with syrup, and a side of bacon fat fried homefries.  Oh my.

Anyway, the description on Seamless for the french toast at Sausalito Cafe was devoid of any details.  Where in the french toast spectrum would it fall?  If it is just standard white bread served with nothing on the side, there was no reason to even consider it.  I know that is classic "french toast", but I find it to be kinda worthless.

Since Sausalito Cafe's version is only $3.99, I didn't imagine it had any frills.  The website had an inquiry page, so I wrote in asking, not really expecting a response.  I was amazed when they replied telling me that it was thick sliced, served with powdered sugar and syrup, along with with butter if I liked.

Sounded quite reasonable. While not brioche, thick sliced is certainly better than regular sandwich sliced.  Syrup is definitely required.  So I went for it.  But of course I did it Julie-style, prepared to spruce it up if necessary.  I brought some fresh sliced strawberries and blueberries from the farmer's market, in case I needed to freshen it up, and some toasted coconut and chopped pecans, in case I wanted to add some crunch.  I pondered bringing whipped cream, but carrying a full can of whipped cream seemed insane, and that kind won't hold up once out of the can.  I very seriously considered bringing my own maple syrup, as I thought there was a good chance that they would not be serving real syrup, but I didn't have any easy vessel to transport a small quantity in.  I do have my limits!

My order of french toast contained 4 slices.  I wouldn't describe it as thick sliced, perhaps just a bit thicker than regular sandwich bread?  It was wheat, not white.  About what I expected given the price.  But while it wasn't anything fancy, it was surprisingly well executed.  The spicing was good, with the cinnamon coming through.  It was eggy, clearly soaked a little bit, making it more interesting than regular toast, but not strangely eggy or anything.  Not burnt, not dried out, not soggy.  The back crust was a little crispy, adding a nice texture.  I was really pleasantly surprised.  This was standard french toast, but a good version of it.

As you can see in the photo, it did indeed come with "syrup" ... "Chef's Quality Breakfast Syrup" at that.  As you may recall from my IHOP adventures, I grew up with a godfather who made his own syrup, and never encountered this "pancake syrup" stuff until college.  I was pretty sad when I saw the packet, although I did pretty much expect it.  I kicked myself a little for not bringing my own.  But then I tried it.  Maybe I've been living away from the land of maple syrup for too long, but honestly, it wasn't bad.  Yes, it was flavored corn syrup.  But it was sweet, it was mapley, and it really tasted pretty great with the french toast.  I quickly put away my coconut and nuts, they were not needed.  I had a few bites with my fresh fruit, but I actually preferred it with just the syrup.  Who knew? (Seriously, don't tell any of my east coast family!)

The only thing I didn't like about it was the butter.  I'm not sure if you can see in the photo, but it must have had some pats of butter served on top of it, that melted into giant pools of butter in the container, and soaked into several of the slices.  There was far too much of it for my liking.  In some bites, all I could taste was butter, no matter how much syrup I added.  I've actually never thought of adding butter to french toast, as it oil from searing it is always enough, and I am usually soaking it in syrup.  The very top slice wasn't soaked in butter, and it was the one I liked the best.  Several of the other pieces were kinda ruined from the butter, and unfortunately, there was no saving them, as the butter had melted and soaked in.  I wish it was served on the side, or listed as an option.  When I'd asked how it was served, he did mention "butter if you like", which made me think it was something I'd have to opt into.

Anyway, while this wasn't a crazy decadent french toast extravaganza like some of the other ones I've had, I can safely say this was the best standard french toast I've ever had.  And for $3.99, it is an insanely good deal.  Just make sure to get the butter on the side.

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Soma Inn Cafe

I've been having fun lately playing with LevelUp and GoPago, using my free credits all over the city to finally check out places I've been meaning to go for ages, but somehow still hadn't managed to.  This past month, in addition to the normal credits on LevelUp, I had additional credits to spend at SOMA establishments.

One place I'd heard about was Soma Inn Cafe, a pretty nondescript cafe at 7th & Folsom - not exactly the nicest of neighborhoods or somewhere I'd naturally wind up, but not too far of a trek.  Their brunch menu sounded pretty good, and I've been in such a brunchy mood lately that I decided to check it out.  Their dessert menu also sounded fantastic, so I made a return trek just for dessert later in the week.

Soma Inn cafe is pretty basic and more like a diner than a cafe.  1-2 waitresses on staff at a time, along with a short order cook.  There is a long counter will bar stools facing the open cooking area, a few tables on the sides.  It wasn't busy.  It seemed like a number of people came in just to get coffee drinks to go.

I had a major gripe with the menu options, and lack of flexibility to change anything.  I wanted french toast, but not a ton of it.  The menu listed the french toast, 5 pieces, for $7.  The next item was the pancakes, a full stack, also 5 pieces, for $7, or a short stack of 3 for $5.50.  There was also a fancy french toast with berry sauce, bananas, and whipped cream for $9 and a fancy pancakes with the same toppings also for $9.  It looked like pancakes and french toast were equivalent value.  So I asked if I could get a short stack of french toast instead.  No.

Ok, granted, that was a little bit of a strange request.  So I continue browsing the menu.  There is a breakfast combo meal: 2 eggs, hashbrowns or homefries, toast or 2 pancakes for $6.50.  That sounded like a great mix of stuff, except that I wanted french toast, not pancakes, but since they seemed equivalent price, I asked if I could get that combo, with french toast instead of pancakes.  No.

Ok, so still, I guess I was being difficult.  I see another breakfast combo, this one is: 2 eggs, 2 bacon or 2 sausage, and 2 pancakes or 2 french toast, for $8.  Aha!  I can get a combo with my french toast.  Except, I didn't want bacon or sausage.  But clearly, since this combo is more expensive than the one that had the hashbrowns in place of the breakfast meats, I could order this one, and downgrade to hashbrowns, right?  No.  I even said I was happy to pay the $8 price and get less value.  Still no.  I pointed out that as side items, the hashbrowns were $3 and the sausage/bacon $4.50, so this was clearly me getting something worth less, but paying more.  She still said no.  She said I could add on a side of hashbrowns for $3 and that she could just not bring me the bacon or sausage.  Seriously?

I really just don't understand.  From every indication on the menu, pancakes and french toast were equivalent value, so why couldn't I just sub one out for the other?  Or if that was too crazy, why couldn't I sub cheaper hashbrowns for more expensive sausage or bacon?  I understand not wanting tons of substitutions, but this seemed a little ridiculous.

Please Soma Inn Cafe, consider making it possible to get toast or pancakes or french toast in the first combo.  Or make pancakes/french toast available a la carte.  Or french toast short stacks.  Or at least, let me get cheaper things and charge me more!

Ok, done my rant about the menu.  I guess it wasn't the waitress's fault that she couldn't substitute anything.  What was her fault however, was my french toast, sitting up on the counter, waiting for her to deliver it, for about 5 minutes.  The cook yelled "pick up" about 5 times.  She wasn't really busy, was off busing tables and re-setting them, while my french toast sat there getting cold, not under a heat lamp or anything.  Maybe intentional since I was such a pain in the butt?

Grumble.  The whole experience left me very grumpy.  Yet, I still went back later in the week to get dessert, to use the rest of SOMA credits, since I'd seen bread pudding on the menu when I was there before, and I love bread pudding.

My plan was to pick up the bread pudding to have with my dinner. But, it was a hot day, and I saw ice cream on the menu.  So I asked what flavors of ice cream they had.  The server just looked at me and shrugged.  She asked her manager, who told me just vanilla.  I went back to my original plan of the bread pudding.  I asked how it was served.  She again told me she didn't know.  After a few minutes, she asked her manager, who told me that it was served warm, with 4 berry sauce, and for $1 more, it could be a la mode, which she recommended.  I explained that I was getting it for later, so I didn't want it a la mode.  I also said I didn't need it heated up, since I wouldn't be eating it right away.  She said they'd heat it up anyway.  I again expressed that I wasn't planning to eat it until later in the evening, and that I really didn't need, nor want, it heated up.  She told me she was sorry, but it had to come that way.

Uh what?  Again, no flexibility at this place at all!  It made me wonder if perhaps it was frozen?  I asked if I could get the sauce on the side, so it wouldn't make it soggy, and she gladly agreed to do that.  So strange.

Anyway, the food wasn't very good, the service pretty clueless, and I won't be going back.

French Toast: Lightly dipped in egg batter & cinnamon, grilled golden brown,  dusted with powdered sugar & maple syrup.  $7.

The french toast was very basic.  It was sliced nice and thick, but the bread was just generic white bread.  It wasn't particularly eggy or interesting.  I didn't detect much cinnamon flavor at all, and the powdered sugar was minimal and lost.

It was served with a side of "maple syrup".  It was clearly not real maple syrup.  It didn't even have a hint of maple flavor.

They were nice and generous with the butter.

I ended up bringing some of it home, and reheated it in the toaster oven wrapped in aluminum foil.  It worked far better than I ever imagined.  It didn't dry out at all, and was even more moist than when I originally received it, but it wasn't soggy or anything either.  I was a little shocked, it was much better re-heated.  Of course, I topped it with real maple syrup, which made all the difference.  The french toast just became a conduit for delicious syrup.  I also added some fresh strawberries from the farmer's market.  Mmmm!  And, to make it even more decadent, some fresh apricot whipped cream cheese.  Delicious!

But, the actual version served in the restaurant, just wasn't great.  IHOP was better.  I would not get this again.  I had read good things about the version of the french toast that they cover in whip cream, bananas, and berry sauce, perhaps that would be been more interesting?

Cinnamon Bread Pudding.  $6.50.

This was the strangest bread pudding I've ever seen.  I tried a few bites right when I received it, to best be able to evaluate it.  It was not made up of chunks of bread, but rather it was just a solid mass.

My favorite thing about bread pudding is a crispy top and a moist interior.   This had neither.  It was all just soggy and the same dense consistency.  It weighed far more than it looked like it should.  This again lead me to believe that it came out of a freezer or something.

There was a slight cinnamon flavor, but besides that, it was entirely flavorless.  It did have some raisins in it.

So basically, this was just a flavorless blob.  I tried the 4 berry sauce, made up of blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry.  It reminded me of the nasty fruit stuff that comes in most yogurts with fruit on the bottom.  Cloyingly sweet, totally fake tasting.  I'm now glad I did not order the french toast with it, it would have totally ruined it.

The single fresh strawberry on the side was actually really good.  But, besides that, there was absolutely  nothing good about this, it was really quite gross.  I brought it home and tried it cold, I tried heating it in the toaster oven, I tried it with whipped cream, I tried it with ice cream ... there was just no saving it.  It was truly awful, and very not worth $6.50.

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Greenburger's

Greenburger's is a restaurant located in the Lower Haight, not a neighborhood I frequent often, so even though it has been there for a few years, it was new to me.

It caught my radar recently when I was telling a friend about "B-night", a weekly outing friends and I used to do where we would eat burgers.  It eventually evolved to include burritos as well, and, eventually, any restaurant or food that started with the letter 'b'.  (Little known fact: B-night is actually what started Julie's Dining Club, as I got very into the fun of picking the restaurant we'd visit each week.)

Anyway, I was thinking about burgers, and somehow wound up on Yelp, reading about burger places. (Does this happen to you?  Late at night, long after you should have gone to bed, you get lost on Yelp or Wikipedia?  Yeah, totally my weakness!)  I was intrigued by Greenburger's.  Yes, they offer burgers, but I would not call it a burger joint.  It is almost more of a soda fountain or diner, except, not at all decorated like either of those types of places.  And ... totally not a greasy spoon.  They serve classic comfort food, but focus on using locally owned, eco-friendly products.

Greenburger's is one of the most unique places I've visited in San Francisco, and I'm eager to return.

Update:
Sadly, after my first visit, I was very excited to return.  I had my eye on their Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes for brunch.  I went last weekend to get them, only to find out that they had stopped brunch service, and, were closing for good on May 30.  So, if you want to check them out, you have 2 days left :(

Vendors: all local and eco-friendly.

On each table is a card showcasing the vendors they work with.  It provides the basis for the restaurant: free-range, hormone-free, organic, sustainable, local, etc.  The most surprising item on here was the soap.  Yes, the soap.  The vendor they work with, Further Soap, "recycles our kitchen grease into biodegradable hand soap, and sends it back to us to use in the restaurant".  When I used the bathroom, indeed, the soap was labeled as being from Further Soap.

A lot of establishments in San Francisco do the trendy thing of mentioning their vendor's names, or throwing in organic labels, but Greenbuger's really does seem to stand by this.

It shows also in the way they handle their condiment station.  Since the menu does feature quite a few burgers and sandwiches, and things you'd dip in sauces, there is a condiment station, full of their own housemade sauces.  That part was nice, but not particularly novel.

The condiment station also includes all the standard burger toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc.  I've never seen this done before.  Most places include them on your platter.  Greenburger's realizes that this is a big source of waste, because people throw them out all the time.  (Side benefit: people like me, who love adding a slew of pickles, also win, as we can put on as many as we want, without having to scavenge from our pickle-hating dining companions).

As I mentioned, Greenburger's is almost like a diner or soda fountain, but not in decor.  It is a casual place, where you order at a register, and are given a number, which you take back to your seat with you.  Orders are delivered individually to you directly from the kitchen, from someone wearing chef's coat, rather than a dedicated food runner.  I thought that was a nice touch.

The staff were all very friendly, from the person taking my order, to the person who delivered my food.  The staff who brought out meals always remembered to point people to the condiments station, instructing them to take whatever they needed.  Along with the aforementioned condiments, the station also contained the silverware and self-serve ice water.

The feel of Greenburger's was certainly unique.  Like I mentioned, you order at a register, but, it almost felt like there was full table service, as the people bringing orders out would stop by other tables to check in on people, and someone noticed when I finished and cleared my plate away.  It was not self-bussing.  I really liked this mix of casual but attentive.

The menu, at first glance, is not unique at all.  It reads like a diner menu, full of American classics, all comfort foods, all crowd pleasers.  I am quite certain that there is something for absolutely anyone here.

As you would expect, there are burgers of course (made with sustainable beef or lamb) and sandwiches (pulled pork, turkey club, chicken cobb, fried fish).  And all your classic sides: wings, slaw, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, fries, sweet potato fries, onion strings, cornbread, salads.

The other section of the menu contains the (non-sandwich) entrees, crowd pleasers like fish and chips, meatball parmesan over spaghetti, and grilled chicken.  Daily specials include fried chicken or bacon wrapped meatloaf.  All classics, but they throw a curveball in with the incredibly interesting sounding Fried Thanksgiving Dinner, "panko crusted balls of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, served with gravy, seasonal veggies, and homemade cranberry sauce".  I don't like turkey, but something about this sounds pretty amazing.

Being a San Francisco establishment, vegetarians and vegans are well catered for, with housemade organic veggie burgers, vegan sloppy joes, and "chicken fried tempeh".  Even kids can eat here, with a menu showcasing hot dogs, grilled cheese, and mac and cheese.

And then ... desserts.  A separate area behind the registers houses the dessert preparation station, featuring Straus organic ice cream, made into decadent sundaes and milkshakes, or served atop housemade pies and bread pudding.  The milkshakes in particular looked legit, made to order, served in a classic milkshake cup, with the extra delivered in the metal mixing cup alongside.   The best part?  Sundaes or shakes are available in half sizes, so you can easily add one on to your meal.

I was there for brunch, where the menu is again full of the classics: breakfast sandwiches, eggs benedict, scrambles, eggs any style, pancakes, french toast.  The curveball here seemed to be the hash, buffalo chicken style: "pulled chicken, sautéed onions, bell peppers, and Yukon gold potatoes tossed in buffalo wing sauce, served with 2 eggs any style and bleu cheese dressing on the side".

The menu for Greenburger's seemed just as unique as the style of the establishment.  At first glance, simple, but I like how they focus the menu on the crowd pleasers, classic diner-style food, but then throw in an interesting dish on each menu, and, I assure you, the food is not diner-style at all.

Classic French Toast (child size).  $3.50.

I love breakfast foods like french toast and pancakes.  But, I don't actually enjoy eating an entire loaf of bread as a single order of french toast, or a stack of pancakes so high it topples over, for a simple breakfast.  Sure, there is a time and a place for that, but on a regular day, I prefer to eat a smaller portion, and then enjoy another meal soon after.  But when is the last time a restaurant served a reasonable portion?

The regular menu listed both the french toast and pancakes for $8.50, but I noticed that the kids menu had smaller orders available.  I wasn't trying to be cheap, I just wanted a smaller portion.  Most kids menus have very aggressive messaging: "UNDER 12 YEARS ONLY", or the like.  Greenburger's did not.  I'd also noticed that under the desserts section, it said they could all be made half-size for half-price.  I thought there was a chance that perhaps this was the sort of place that wanted to actually please its customers, rather than forcing them to be gluttons, waste food, or split meals.  I sheepishly asked if I was allowed to order off the kids menu.  The guy taking my order said, "of course!"  So refreshing and much appreciated.  I personally have a huge problem with food waste, so this is often a source of angst for me when I'm dining alone, since I can't just split with someone, and I'm forced to either waste food, or stuff myself.  I was so happy to be able to just order a child's size.

I was completely torn between the Classic French Toast or the Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes.  I asked the guy taking my order which he recommended, and he said he hadn't had either.  Since I'm more picky with french toast, I was about to order the pancakes, when he said, "I think you feel like the french toast".  So, I agreed.

The regular menu said the french toast and pancakes were both served with seasonal fruit and organic maple syrup, but the children's menu did not, and, given the price, I assumed I was getting a very basic offering.  I was thus delighted when my order arrived, and wasn't just a lone slice of french toast.  It looked great.

The french toast lived up to its name of "classic".  To me, classic mostly means that it will be dunked in an egg batter, slightly spiced with cinnamon, topped with powdered sugar, and served with little else.  There can be a fair amount of variance even in classic french toast, based on the type of bread used. Greenburger's used thick cut brioche, a much better choice than the white sandwich bread version from Soma Inn Cafe or the wheat sandwich bread version from Sausalito Cafe, and they did a better job with the brioche than Axis Cafe.  However, the french toast itself was highly unremarkable.  It wasn't too eggy, and I think it had a slight cinnamon spicing, but it was hard to tell given the other toppings.  It wasn't overcooked, or burnt, or anything, fairly moist.  It was clearly made to order, delivered hot and fresh.  But again, very standard, unremarkable.

In terms of bread choice, the most memorable I've ever had is from Lou's Cafe, in my hometown in NH, that makes theirs from ... glazed crullers (yes, the donuts). A serving of their french toast is literally, three full size glazed crullers, dipped into french toast batter, grilled, topped with fruit and whipped cream, served with syrup, and a side of bacon fat fried homefries. Oh my.

But back to Greenburger's version.  It looked beautiful, due to the toppings.  Toppings are always a crucial aspect of french toast.  A truly classic version would just be sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with syrup, which this was, but it was also garnished with fresh blackberries, and covered in a berry sauce.  I always like powdered sugar on french toast, so that was a good touch.  The blackberries were plump, juicy, and tart.  I don't love blackberries (I can't stand the seeds), but these were clearly a quality product.

The description said it was served with seasonal fruit, which the blackberries certainly were.  It didn't say anything about the sauce, but honestly, it looked great, so I eagerly dug in.  Unfortunately, the sauce totally ruined it for me.  It was very, very sweet, and I just didn't care for the flavor.  French toast slathered in berry sauce can totally be delicious, but in this case, it really was the downfall.

Served on the side was a little pot of maple syrup, the real stuff, organic even.  Unfortunately, since the french toast was absolutely covered in the berry sauce, it was impossible to use much of the maple syrup, as the berry sauce was cloyingly sweet on its own.  I scraped off as much as I could, and dunked the unspoiled edge pieces in the maple syrup and enjoyed them, but the berry sauce just killed this dish for me.  I was very glad I didn't get the bigger portion.

The best french toast I've had to date is the brioche french toast bread pudding with stewed apples and quince, crème fraîche whipped cream, and candied pecans at Baker & Banker, although, calling that "french toast" isn't quite fair, as it really is french toast + bread pudding + pie, all in one.  And really, more of a dessert than a breakfast or brunch item.

While I was dining, I saw a child next to me get the buckwheat blueberry pancake.  A huge pancake, loaded with blueberries, garnished with more blueberries.  No blackberries nor berry sauce in sight.  I was highly regretful of my decision to get the french toast.

But to be fair, this was classic french toast, executed well, and if you liked the berry sauce, I'm sure it was good.

The $3.50 price tag was insanely good, for a full piece of french toast, plus fresh (probably local and organic) berries, plus real organic maple syrup?  Some places will charge you $2 just for the syrup.

I'll be returning, but I will most certainly go for the pancakes next time.  Or, I'll go for lunch, since the fish and chips is also calling out me, as are pretty much all of the side dishes!

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More breakfast from Rosa Mexicano.

A few days ago, I went to try out the new weekday breakfast buffet at Rosa Mexicano.  I was very impressed with their offerings, although disappointed that the buffet didn't include the french toast from their brunch menu that I'd heard so much about.  The chef let me know that the french toast would be on the buffet another day, so I rushed in to try it out the next time I had a chance.

Since I reviewed the concept and all the other dishes in my last review, I'll skip that this time, and focus just on what was different this time.

I confirmed a few details on this visit.  San Francisco is the first Rosa Mexicano location to try out the breakfast buffet.  The other locations offer weekend brunch, but not breakfast.  Given the location right on the edge of the Financial District, it makes sense.  There are a slew of hungry office workers walking right by, who would love something besides a muffin for breakfast.

Rosa Mexicano will likely be doing the buffet only togo-box style, rather than also offering a plate option, although you can still stay and eat there in the bar area if you choose.  So you'll go to the register at the bar, pay, get your box for $11.99, and then fill it up as full as you want.  Drinks (coffee, tea, water, orange juice) are also included for the price.

The menu will be changing daily-ish, rotating through a bunch of different entrees, always featuring about 3 different entrees, 4-5 sides, and fruit.  Most of the dishes come from their weekend brunch menu, although adapted for the buffet setting.

I was again impressed, both by the quality of the buffet, and by the friendliness of the staff.  It was an incredibly welcoming environment, a really delightful way to start my day.  Was it as good as fresh food? Obviously not, but for a buffet, a breakfast buffet at that, it was very well done.  If you work in the area, and like a little flavor in your morning, I recommend.

A jumble of mexican breakfast: chilaquiles, black beans, potatoes, soft corn tamal, french toast, bacon.

The buffet was very similar on this visit, featuring the same side dishes, but swapping out the mexican scrambled eggs for the french toast.  They also altered the serving style of some of the dishes slightly.

The first time, the buffet line started with the entrees, this time, with the sides.  I'm not sure if it was intentional, or just what people started doing.

They again had fresh cut fruit, including watermelon, which I skipped due to allergy.  Along with the fruit was Activa flavored yogurts, but again, no granola, and no plain yogurt.

The sides offered were all exactly the same as my previous visit: refried black beans, breakfast potatoes with onions, bacon, and soft corn tamal.

I was shocked by how good the black beans were on my first visit, and enjoyed them again, so creamy and flavorful.  They were topped with a bit of queso fresco too. The soft corn tamal was again about the same, creamy, with a bit of kick of jalapeño, a nice texture from the grind of the corn, and delicious bits of bacon.  The potatoes were again pretty boring, albeit with tasty caramelized onions.

This time, I also tried the final side, the bacon, which I had skipped on my previous visit.  I do like bacon, but it didn't look particularly good last time, but then I read that it wasn't just bacon, it was piloncillo bacon, aka, candied bacon.  So I had to try it this time.  Unfortunately, I was correct the first time to skip it.  There were some pieces that were very soggy and flabby.  The fat hadn't really been rendered out.  There were others that were too cooked, very crisp, and actually tasted a bit burnt.  But it all just tasted like oil.  I didn't get any candied flavor at all.  My least favorite dish of all visits, and I wouldn't try it again.

This time, along with the sides, were two different salsas, a red and a green.  I mentioned last time that there were no condiments and that something like this was needed, so  I was very glad to see them, and added some of each to my tamal and beans.  Both were ok, but not nearly as good as the sauce on the chilaquiles.

Speaking of the chilaquiles, which I fell in love with the first time, they were arranged slightly differently in the serving dish this time.  The first time, the tortillas were on the bottom, smothered in sauce, topped with scrambled eggs, topped with ham.  I was worried that they'd get soggy this way (although, they didn't when I had it).  This time, the eggs/ham occupied the front half of the serving platter, the smothered tortillas the back half.  I didn't really notice any difference in the taste of the dish with this alternate serving style, although it was easier to compose my plate the way I wanted - more delicious smothered tortillas, less ham.

The chilaquiles were again amazingly delicious.  The tortillas were crisp, the smokey tomatillo cream sauce was just downright incredible, and the scrambled eggs, which I kinda ignored last time, were actually some of the best buffet scrambled eggs I've ever had.  When are buffet scrambled eggs ever good?  They are usually cold, tough, and totally useless.  These were somehow fluffy, creamy, and honestly quite good.  I loved this dish.  I wish I'd taken more.  I wish it was all-you-can-eat style so I could have gone back for more :)

I again skipped the breakfast burrito.  I heard many people happily commenting about it, so I think if you wanted a healthy whole wheat burrito with egg whites and veggies, it was probably good.  But my eyes were on the french toast.

As I mentioned in my last french toast review, I adore good french toast.  But I often find it so boring.  It continues to amaze me how much variance there is in french toast.  Is it just plain white bread, barely dipped in egg batter, not really spiced, and served with fake maple syrup?  Or is it thick sliced brioche, crusted in nuts, topped with a fruit compote, and amazing flavored whipped cream?  Or somewhere in between?  So many options!

The brunch menu boasts an incredible sounding french toast: "cinnamon-cascabel chile crusted brioche bread, stuffed with Mascarpone cheese, topped with caramelized plantains".  It sounded like all the elements of success: good spicing. Brioche, a great base for french toast.  Not just whipped cream, but Mascarpone, stuffed in it. And to top it off, caramelized plantains, which I totally love.

The buffet adaptation was a bit different.  There was no mascarpone, not as stuffing, nor as a side.  The chef said that he didn't think it would work well in the buffet.  It was just the french toast in a serving platter, no stuffing, no topping.  In a pitcher on the side was plantain piloncillo syrup.

The french toast was pretty standard buffet french toast, although made from a really nice brioche.  It was unfortunately a bit soggy.  I didn't taste the cascabel chile at all.  Some slices were much darker than others.  Some were a bit dry, but I had one slice that was super moist and custardy.  That one was really kinda amazing.

The syrup was very sweet, and tasted almost like it had some citrus in it.  The flavor on the finish was definitely plantain.  It was loaded with slices of fried plantain, that were unfortunately not that good.  They were just fried, and cold, so not that successful.

The french toast was a slight let down, but I'm still very curious what it is like on the brunch menu, when prepared fresh.  I don't really blame them for the french toast, it was a buffet after all.

One issue I had was that you just had the big box to put everything in.  My food got all jumbled together, as the surface area of the bottom of the box was significantly smaller than the plate I used the first time.  It was taller obviously, but it meant that to try most things, I had to stack the last item I got (chilaquiles) on top of my beans and tomal.  Perhaps I just wasn't supposed to take so much :)

Jumbled food aside, it was also a bit awkward to eat out of, since the sides were so high.  Makes sense if you are taking to go, less sense if you are eating in.

But my bigger issue was the sauces.  I added the salsas on top of my beans and tamal, but they got mushed into everything else.  Not a huge deal, as salsa did go well with everything.  But the syrup from the french toast was a bit of a disaster.  It got everywhere.  Every single item in my box was covered in the syrup, even though I thought I carefully just drizzled it on the french toast, and only walked a few feet away to a table.  Sweet syrup on the tamal was actually good, but I didn't really want my beans soaked in it.  They should definitely add little cups to put the sauces/syrups in.

So, overall, still quite good.  The chilaquiles were again the serious winner.  That sauce is just incredible.  I'd buy bottles of it if I could!  The sides were mostly good, flavorful, added some additional textures, and helped round out the meal. The french toast was a bit of a letdown, but I'd still get it again.  They are clearly still working out some kinks with figuring out how to best offer the breakfast buffet, but for $11.99, particularly if you load up your box, it is a pretty solid deal.

Coffee!

As I mentioned last time, the buffet includes a drink station, with several types of tea (mint, green, english), and both regular and decaf tea.  I again had the decaf, and it was again good.  I honestly don't understand how their decaf is so good.  Decaf is never good!  I double checked this time that it was indeed decaf, and they said it was.  Some of the best decaf I've ever had.

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Three Williams, Sydney

Sydney is very, very good at brunch.  Puts San Francisco to shame.  The offerings are vast, creative, and generally, delicious.

On my visit to Sydney in February, I only had one day I could get brunch, as I was working the rest of the time.  I nearly returned to Cuckoo Callay, as it was the best brunch I've had in recent memory (seriously, those fondant pancakes - my review here), but the menu had changed, and there wasn't anything particularly calling out at me.  I also almost returned to Devon Cafe (past review), where there were a few menu items that sounded potentially interesting, plus, they have a new location closer to my hotel.

But in the end, I decided to go somewhere new to me, to check out Three Williams, a place that had been on my list for the past few visits.  The menu had changed since I had put it on my list, but one thing remains consistent.  Everyone raves about the always changing french toast, unlike any other out there, a very unique offering (stay tuned).

So I went.  Alone.  I'm very glad I did.  It was incredible.

The next time I visited Sydney, in July, Three Williams was at the top of my "Must Do" list, and I dragged a co-worker with me.  I couldn't resist the latest french toast.  Its just too amazing.

I will gladly return to Three Williams any time I am in Sydney, and really would like to explore more of the menu ... someday.  As long as they have a new french toast to try, I'm pretty sure I'm incapable of not getting it.

The Space

Three Williams is located in Redfern, down a side street.  At first I thought I might have the wrong address, as I seemed to just be in a residential neighborhood, but then I spied folks milling about on the sidewalk.  Ah yes, a waiting list for brunch.  I knew I was in the right place.

My wait the first time was only about 2 minutes, as I was a solo diner, and it was easy to fit me in.  The second visit was a bit longer, 20 minutes for 2, but still not bad.  On both visits, I arrived right before 12, and that was key.  The queues grew fast after that.

Interior.

I can't say that Three Williams had great curb appeal.  Or that it felt cozy.  To enter, you go down stairs into what felt a bit like a bunker, with concrete floors.  The walls were brick and plain white.  Really, um, no ambiance whatsoever.

Table Setting.

My table the first visit was rather tiny, which was fine for me alone, but I think even with two people might have been hard to fit many dishes.  Really, not a comfortable place.

On my next visit, we had a bigger table, but not significantly.  The optimize for fitting tables into the not large interior.

Tables were pre-set with menus on wooden boards, salt &pepper shakers, water glasses, and silverware in a cup.

Food & Drink

All my thoughts on the lackluster environment disappeared within a few minutes.  What warmth was missing in the decor was made up for by the staff.  They were friendly and welcoming, really some of the best service I had in Sydney.  

My server was particularly amused that I ventured there solo to order the epic french toast.  She warned me that it was quite large.  She warned me that most people split it with at least one other person.  I nodded, said I understood, but I was alone, and I wanted it.  She laughed and said she liked me, that I was a women who knew what I wanted.

She was right.  I knew what I wanted.  I wanted that french toast.  And I got it.

My order was taken quickly, water delivered within 2 minutes, my food within 10.  I was in and out in 30 minutes on that first visit!

Our second visit had equally good service, a patient server with us taking our time to order.  Food again came within 10-15 minutes of ordering, hot and fresh.  We did linger longer, but, per Australian style, no one bothered us until we asked for the bill.

Truffle Menu (July).

One benefit of visiting Sydney in July, as in, the depths of winter, besides the wonderful hotel rates, is that it is truffle season.  Many restaurants embraced this.

Three Williams had a special truffle menu, alongside the regular menu.

There were some very tempting items on it, like the truffle ice cream sundae that had hazelnut cream, caramel popcorn crumb, gold dust feuilletine, crispearls, hazelnuts, edible flowers, fresh truffle, and chocolate cake.

My dining companion ordered one item from here.

Bottomless Sparkling Water. $4.

Three Williams makes their own sparkling water, presented in a large bottle, left on the table so you can pour yourself.  I was solo, and didn't require a second bottle, but if I had, the menu said "bottomless", so I assume I would have been provided another.

I appreciated the zero waste, I appreciated being able to pour myself, but, $4 for house water did seem a bit steep, and this fee is per person.

Long Black, Decaf (February). $4.50.

I was dining at noon, and had been up since 6am (yay, jetlag!), and let's just say I had already consumed more than my daily allowance of coffee.

But I really wanted a coffee to pair with my upcoming decadent feast.  I didn't order a coffee when I ordered my meal, but strategically planned to order one after 5-10 minutes, so perhaps it would arrive when the food would, rather than before, and thus run out.   I observed how long coffee orders took for tables around me, and it was quite quick, so, this seemed like a good move.

My food however did come a bit faster than I expected, so, doh, I hadn't yet ordered the coffee when my food arrived.  I quickly ordered it then, and it arrived fast enough, so, crisis averted.

Anyway.  It was actually very good decaf.  It had body and flavor, low acidity, not harsh, no funk ... very good, and, it turned out, yes, just as necessary as I thought it would be to pair alongside my sweet dessert, er, brunch.

Long Black, Decaf (July). $4.50.

My second visit was much the same as my first.  Jetlag had ensured I was up at 5am (!), so I had long since had my fill of coffee as my visit was at noon.  I was already 7 hours into my day!  But still, I knew french toast would need a strong bitter compliment, so I ordered a decaf long black again, this time, ordered at the time of the meal, but I asked to have it arrive closer to my food.

The food came before it, but, it did come soon after, so this technique worked.

It was again a good decaf, very strong, but no strange decaf badness to it.  And again, it was exactly what I wanted alongside my french toast.

Golden Gaytime French Toast (February). $18.

"Crunchy brioche french toast, house vanilla ice cream rolled in a chocolate cookie crumb, chocolate crisps, fresh strawberry, toffee sauce."

Um, wow.  That is about all I can say about this.  

I knew everyone said the french toast, no matter what the seasonal creation is at the time, is spectacular, the best they have ever had.  I read so many reviews, and heard so many testimonies from local friends, that I had high expectations.  And I had Instagram stocked it.  I knew what it would look like. I knew what people said about it.

And it still blew me away.

I'll go ahead and join the ranks of people who say this is some of the best french toast on the planet.  Wower.

I was slightly daunted by the size when it was set down in front of me, a solo diner though.  The slice of toast was no standard slice of toast, in any dimension.  It was quite lofty, and very long.  One slice was, uh, plenty.

It also was daunting just in how stunning it was.  The ice cream was perfectly perched on top, perfectly round, rolled in the crunchy feuilletine based chocolate cookie crumb.  The fresh strawberries were laid out on top deliberately around the ice cream scoop.  Crispy bits were everywhere, yet in an entirely controlled way, with eye catching freeze dried strawberries adding color that mirrored that of the fresh berries.  The toffee sauce coated the plate, but didn't ooze out anywhere it shouldn't.  Seriously, amazing plating.

I dug in.  One bite was all it took for me to realize that it lived up to the hype, lived up to its looks, and then some.

The french toast was fluffy and light inside, yet amazingly crispy on the outside.  The feuilletine coating added such great crunchy texture.  It wasn't eggy, which is always something that makes me rarely order french toast, rather, it was soaked just to give it moisture, and not take away from the flavor.  It was piping hot.  This dish did not sit in the kitchen waiting for someone to bring it to me at all.  Very clearly freshly prepared and whisked to my side.  Really, the french toast itself was a thing of beauty.

And then, the ice cream.  It too was clearly just barely done to order, it somehow hadn't melted, at all, even though it was 80 degrees out, and it was perched on the hot french toast.  The ice cream was rich, creamy, and really did have vanilla flavor, not just plain.  Very quality ice cream, and I loved the extra crunch from the cookie crumble it was rolled in.  It paired perfectly with the french toast, and I managed to make each and every bite have a little ice cream with each bite of french toast.

And then, the berry elements.  I actually didn't like the fresh strawberries on top, as they were a bit tart and not the ripest.  But the freeze dried strawberry bits scattered around were fabulous, intense pops of berry flavor to brighten everything up, both visually and in taste.  Strawberries have nothing to do with Golden Gaytimes obviously, but, I appreciated the addition.

The rest of the rubble was equally welcome, more cookie crumble, and little chocolate crispearls.  So much crunch and texture here.  They just nailed the eating experience, providing plenty, but not overwhelming.  (Side note: do you know crispearls?  I adore these things.  I have jars of the salted caramel and white chocolate ones at my desk.  Pastry chefs use them as a garnish all the time, but for me?  Amazing snack.   I eat them by the handful.  Crispy, sweet, and just awesome).

And then, the toffee sauce.  Sweet, gooey, rich toffee.  I didn't think I'd eat it all.  I love toffee, but, the french toast really didn't need it.  And yet ... guess who found herself close to licking the plate?  Yeah, this girl.  Every. Last. Drop.  It was wonderful.

This was a home run in every department.  Presentation.  Execution.  Flavors.  Textures.  Everything.  

That said, even though I did manage to finish it myself (I know, I know), I would recommend splitting it, either as a dessert after having savory items for lunch, or at least alongside something else for brunch.  It was incredible, and it didn't ever get old or one note, but, it was a lot for one person, even one who loves things like this as much as I do.

I'd love to try more of their french toasts.  I'd love to try more of their food in general.  I'd love for them to add ice cream sundaes to the menu.

  Ruby and Rose French Toast (July). $18.

"Crunchy brioche french toast, rose cream cheese, house churned white chocolate ice cream, macadamia, white chocolate, fresh raspberries, raspberry jelly, raspberry coulis."

The seasonal french toast this time was the "Ruby and Rose".  I'll admit that the flavor wasn't one I was as interested in, but, I clearly still had to try it.

The concept was exactly the same as the Golden Gaytime version.  The base, a brioche coated in feuilletine to make it extra crunchy.  Sitting in a pool of sauce (this time, raspberry coulis and rose cream cheese, rather than caramel).  Topped with a huge scoop of house made ice cream (white chocolate rather than simple vanilla this time).  Ice cream rolled in a coating (this time with a macadamia and white chocolate crust, rather than chocolate cookie and feuilletine).  Garnished with crunchy things (macadamia, white chocolate, freeze dried raspberry, instead of chocolate crispearls, chocolate cookie, and freeze dried strawberry).  Topped with more fruit (fresh raspberries instead of strawberries).

Same formula, just entirely different ingredients.  And just as well executed.

The toast itself was again a massive slice, in every dimension.  Lofty, thick, huge, not from any normal size load of bread.  It was again not eggy at all, and really, calling it "french toast" is a bit odd, as it doesn't resemble any other french toast.  I again loved the crispy coating and crunch it added.

The toast is good, but really, this thing is all about the other components.

The rose cream cheese is the lighter pink schmear on the plate.  There was much more than you can see here.  It was very, very subtle rose flavored, slightly sweet, good cream cheese flavor.  It combined really nicely with the raspberry and white chocolate, bringing an almost cheesecake-like element to the dish.

The raspberry coulis was the other sauce, a sweet berry sauce, intensely raspberry flavored in a shocking way, good for running a chunk of toast through, en route to the ice cream.

The ice cream was the stunner of this dish.  The last one just had vanilla ice cream, but this was white chocolate, and it was fabulous.  Creamy, sweet, amazing white chocolate flavor.  It melted perfectly too.  I loved the ice cream, particularly with the crunchy coating of more bits of white chocolate and macadamia.  Such wonderful flavors together.

More raspberry was found on top of the toast, a raspberry jelly, that I really liked.  Sweet, fruity, a chewy texture, and again, just perfect flavor combo with the macadamia and white chocolate.  The fresh berries were my least favorite part, just kinda out of season berries.  I see why they included them though.

And finally, the crunch, bits of macadamia, white chocolate, and freeze dried raspberries.  The crunch not only coated the ice cream, but also was strewn onto the plate.  The crunch really completed the deal, adding amazing texture to everything.  Plus, pops of white chocolate sweetness never hurt.

The ingredients here really, really worked together.  I was a bit shocked to be honest just how well the flavors worked.  The ice cream alone was very sweet (hello, white chocolate!), as was the raspberry coulis, but when you put this all together, it was ideal balance.

So again, Three Williams nailed it.  Great flavors, great textures, perfect execution.  Their are famous for the french toasts for a reason.  I did prefer the Golden Gaytime version, but that is only because I just like toffee more than raspberry.  I was still thrilled with this dish.

One thing to note though.  I loved it, but, I again found the serving size just too large.  I can take down a dessert single handed no problem, and I have a fairly insatiable sweet tooth, but I realized that I just didn't appreciate the last 40% of this dish.  I honestly think I'd be happier with it being 2/3 the size, even if the same price.  My overall enjoyment would actually be higher, as that last third really pushed me over the edge to a point where I was too uncomfortably full.  I'm not capable of leaving something I love unfinished, so I did finish, but, less happy.  I know I could just leave it unfinished but ... ahhh.

Really, I guess they expect everyone to go in groups and share.

Duck Narnie. $18.

"Peking duck, cabbage, cucumber, spring onion, coriander, fried eschalot, orange hoisin."

My dining companion got one of the signature narnies, aka, a naan sandwich.  I had been eyeing these on Instagram (ok, who am I kidding, I'm eyeing basically the entire menu), so I was happy to see one in real life.  It was not a dainty little sandwich, and it certainly was not designed for easy eating.

It was kinda fun watching him try to figure out how to tackle it.  He clearly couldn't pick it up, at least, not from the start, as the contents were spilling out everywhere.  Let's just say, it was generously stuffed.

He enjoyed it, and said the duck in particular was really quite good.

Sometime I want to go with a group, and try one of these as a savory bite before moving on to my french toast (which, I really do want to split!)

Truffle Fries. $22.

"Waffle fries, three cheese sauce, fresh truffle, chives."

My companion also ordered the truffle fries, from the special truffle menu.  I think ... he thought he was just getting a side with his sandwich.  Which, makes sense, if you aren't an Instagram stalker, and don't realize just how large the portions are Three Williams are of any of the dishes.  A sandwich served a la carte without any sides, makes sense to want some fries.  Some fries, not generally an entree.  But this plate of truffle fries was really an entree.  Seriously, one person could order this as an entree, and still not finish.  Really, clearly designed to be shared with at least a group of 4.  Why didn't our server warn us?

Anyway.  I helped him out a little, even though I don't like waffle fries, and I had my hands full with my french toast.  How could I resist cheese sauce and truffles?

The waffle fries were crispy on the outside, moist inside, seasoned.  Good basic waffle fries, and just not my thing.

The cheese sauce was tasty though, creamy, good flavor, nicely coating the fries.  And the truffles of course were wonderful, plenty to add lots of flavor.

Overall, sure, I appreciated a little cheese sauce and truffle, but, this isn't something I'd ever order.  And at $22, it was our most pricy order.

My dining companion tried valiantly to make a dent in this mound of fries, and really did like them.

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Breakfast @ Victor's, Westin Tokyo

During my stay at the Westin in Tokyo, I was able to indulge in many epic breakfasts.  The options were fairly generous.  I could opt for the easiest option, an expanded continental buffet in the Executive Lounge (quick, calm, more than extensive enough, and perfect if you have massive buffet fatigue).  Or, go all in, for the HUGE multi-national buffet at the Terrace restaurant (the complete opposite of the lounge, extremely noisy, frantic, and way too many options).  Or, at the other end of the spectrum, I could dine at Victor's, the fancy french restaurant on the top floor.

My final morning, I decided to check it out, even though I knew it would not be a fast option, and, I certainly could go straight from a morning workout in my gym clothes.  I skipped my morning workout, put on adult clothing, and headed up to breakfast.

Breakfast @ Victor's.

It really was completely different from the buffet choices.

A real restaurant, and quite a fancy one at that.  There were only a couple other tables with diners at them.  Service was fantastic.  It was very quiet and calm.

If you want a longer, formal meal, this is certainly a good option.

Setting

Victor's is located on the top floor, adjacent to the Compass Rose (a bar that I enjoyed a few drinks at previous nights, also recommended).

Interior.

The decor was formal elegant, with columns and large paintings on the walls, white table cloths, padded chairs.

Soft music played in the background.

Place Setting.

Tables were set with napkins in napkin rings, water goblets, and multiple sets of utensils.

Like I said, not exactly a casual breakfast offering.

Menu

Even at breakfast, a set menu is prominent, but there are some limited a la carte items are available.  The menu certainly didn't lead you to them though.

Exclusive Breakfast. Y4,630.

The main menu at Victor's is the "Exclusive Breakfast", normally a lofty Y4,630.  It is an odd three course menu, and not one I was particularly pleased with:

Morning starter’s

Selection of morning starters: Please choose from below…..

• Juice : Orange , Grapefruit , Tomato , Cranberry , Pineapple
• Milk : Milk , Low fat milk , Soy milk , Non fat milk
• Yogurt : Plain or Low fat served with Berry or Banana
• Smoothie : Superfoods Blueberry

Energizers 

Selection of Energizers ; Please choose from below…..

• Bread basket : From our bakery kitchen including White bread , Whole wheat, Rye bread , Croissant , Danish , Scone
• Cereals : Corn flakes , All bran , Rice crispies , Muesli , Oatmeal served hot
• Victorʼs energizer : French toast Orange Flavor , Pancakes Lemon Flavor

Nutritious plate

Selection of Nutritious plates ; Please choose which elevates your senses today…

• Victor's: Egg cooked any style your with choice of extras : Sausage , Bacon , Ham , Chicken breast Sautéed vegetables , mashed potato
• Power up: Minute steak with fried egg , Balsamic sauce, Sautéed vegetables , mashed potato
• High Protein: Egg white omelet , pan fried bean curd , seasonal vegetables
• Refreshing Morning Salad: Chilled spa egg , mixed green salad and avocado , tomato dressing

So, looking at the menu.  I needed to select a juice / smoothie / yogurt / milk as a starter.  I wanted none of those things.

Then one "Energizer".  I thought that the "Victor's Energizer" would be a piece of french toast and a pancake, since it was listed as "Victor's Energizer", and had no "or's" in it, but alas, if you went for that, you needed to pick just one or the other.  I wanted to try both of these!

I also was interested in the bread basket, but that *did* include everything listed, and I certainly didn't want three slices of toast, a danish, a croissant, and scones.  I just wanted the scones, as I saw someone else with the bread basket, and the scones looked good (and were served with clotted cream!).  But alas, I could go for the entire bread basket OR french toast OR pancakes. None of these were available from the a la carte menu.

Finally, I was supposed to pick a "Nutritious plate", all egg based dishes served with tons of sides.  I don't really like eggs.  I didn't want steak, mashed potatoes, tofu, and cooked veggies for breakfast.

Really, not the menu for me.

A la carte, Page 1.

So I moved on to the a la carte menu, but it was not what I was looking for either.

"Superfoods" (e.g. smoothies, oatmeal, egg whites), "Egg dishes" (omelets), "Main Dish" (just the steak), and Salads were all that the first page offered. No breakfast carbs, nothing I wanted.

A la carte: Page 2.

Next, "Vegetable dish" (mashed potatoes, veggies, hash browns), fruits, yogurt, cereal, and toast.

Still, no french toast, pancakes, or breakfast pastries.

A la carte: Beverages.

And lastly, beverages. Just juices, coffee, tea.

Food & Drink

In the end, I basically got what I wanted: french toast and pancakes, although it took several back and forths, and repeated explanations that I didn't want a starter or an egg dish, and I didn't want to pick one or the other.  I'm glad they let me do this, but clearly, Victor's wasn't the right venue for me.

I also wanted sparkling water, but, just like in the restaurant downstairs, that would incur an extra fee, no eligible for SPG amenity inclusion.

Coffee.

As I sat, I was asked if I'd like coffee or tea.  I went for coffee.  It was brought promptly, with the menu.

It was a very strong coffee, and not particularly good.  I noted later that the a la carte menu had both"coffee" and "American coffee" listed, and I'm sure this was the former (note the small size), but, it also was just too acidic and harsh for me.

Decaf Coffee. 

Since I needed a second cup to pair with my food, as that tiny cup was gone far too fast, I moved on to decaf.  I actually liked it much more.  Less harsh, and it didn't taste instant.

Toppings: Butter, Syrup, Whipped Cream.

Alongside my "energizers", I was provided two packaged butters, a small pitcher of syrup, and a bowl of whipped cream.

I'm not sure if all of this normally comes with each of the dishes, or if just syrup and butter goes with the pancake, whipped cream with the french toast, etc, but I was glad to see these.  I wanted to ask for them (especially whipped cream), but I already felt like such a difficult case I didn't want to press my luck.

Pancake, Lemon Flavor.

First up, the pancake.

A large, fluffy, good looking pancake.  Nice presentation with the lemon garnish and little herb.

But it was the least remarkable pancake I've probably ever had.  It had a slight lemon flavor to it, but mostly, it just tasted like dry cake.  It wasn't burnt, it wasn't thin, it wasn't flabby, but wow, it was just highly uninteresting.

I slathered on butter and syrup, but nothing made this taste like anything.  I was very glad I had opted for two dishes!

French Toast, Orange Flavor.

The french toast was better.

A large thick slice, clearly coated in eggy batter, topped with mandarin oranges and some little herb.  They clearly do a nice job with presentation.

As an aside, I need to discuss french toast in general.

French toast, like bread pudding, comes in many styles.  Sometimes it is just a thin slice of regular bread in a slightly cinnamon-y batter (boo). Sometimes it is super eggy, with scrambled eggs almost poking out the sides (double boo).  Sometimes it is soggy.  Sometimes it is dry, and relies on you to add lots of butter and syrup.  Other times it is rich bread, crispy on top, moist inside, like bread pudding.  Huge variety, but in general, I'm not a huge fan of french toast, as it just often isn't the specific style I like.

That said, I had fantastic french toast at The Prince Gallery Oasis restaurant just days before, so I hoped to relive that, thinking perhaps Tokyo style french toast was the kind I liked.

This was somewhere in the middle.  No where near as good as the one at Oasis, but certainly not simple boring flabby french toast.

The bread was a large chunk of standard french loaf, lots of crust.  I didn't care for all the crust, it was chewy yet soggy.  Because, this was very, very, moist french toast.  Honestly, I'm not sure I've had french toast this moist before.  I am not sure that was by design, as it almost seemed like they just failed to cook it long enough? Or soaked it too long?  I couldn't even tell if it had been cooked on a cooktop.

Once I got over the surprise of this being a soggy/moist pile of custardy bread, I was more ok with it.  I tried to think of it as very custardy bread pudding, without a crispy top.  I mostly scooped out the near liquid interior, and left behind the chewy soggy crust.

It was very orange flavored though, clearly soaked in lots of orange juice perhaps.  I didn't actually want orange flavored french toast, so I wished it wasn't so orange-y, but, since it was advertised as an orange item, they did do well there.

I added all the whipped cream, and all the syrup, to this, and found it decently enjoyable, although certainly not something I'd get again.

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