8 | news Fare that’s better than fair ■ by bill mclean
Rise and dine Breakfast spots on North Shore offer abundant choices, warm atmospheres
How to stack up a mountainous stack of pancakes at one restaurant against another? It’s a matter of your taste — and culinary Sherpa. Some breakfast joints prepare omelets traditionally. Others prefer the oven-baked rout. The latter produces an airy, puffy version. Hungry yet? A sampling of breakfast items at North Shore establishments. Butterfield’s, Northbrook Must try: Taffy apple French toast. Food for thought: How often do you get to consume an apple drenched in taffy, without having to wield a cumbersome stick? Give this place points for creativity. Caffe Buon Giorno, Winnetka Must try: Italian Villager’s Breakfast — three eggs with Italian sausage, tomatoes and Grana Padano cheese scrambled. Food for thought: “I don’t know an Italian villager who has ever eaten that,” says co-owner Mary Jo Vlahos, an Italian. “It’s one of our popular orders.” Country Kitchen, Highland Park Must try: Sausage and American cheese omelet. Food for thought: “I’ve been going there almost my entire life,” says Joey Morelli, co-owner of Max’s Delicatessen & Restaurant in Highland Park. “They know what they’re doing. And I respect them.” Kevin’s Place, Deerfield Must try: Crunchy French toast and a fruit plate, with a side of oatmeal. Food for thought: If it’s cold outside, order hot chocolate. It comes with an Alp-shaped dollop of whipped cream. Max and Benny’s, Northbrook Must try: Yogurt parfait — a healthy eye opener of fat-free vanilla or strawberry yogurt layered with fresh fruit, granola and seasonal berries. Food for thought: It’s popular. It’s tasty and healthy. You can’t go wrong. Max’s Delicatessen & Restaurant, Highland Park Must try: Three eggs over medium, thick cut bacon, toasted sesame seed bagel with chive cream cheese Food for thought: That’s co-owner Joey Morelli’s go-to fare. He was a chef in New York. Trust his taste. Mrs. D’s Diner, Wilmette Must try: Mrs. D’s Breakfast Hash — a messy mix of grilled veggies, hash browns and cheese, topped with two eggs and served with toast. Food for thought: “You get a lot of food for the price ($6.75),” co-owner Dimitri Kapetan says. “It’s what we’re all about. We’re straight-forward, nothing fancy.” Once Upon a Bagel, Highland Park Must try: Huevos Con Chorizo — eggs scrambled with spicy Mexican sausage. Food for thought: Hold the coffee. The sausage alone should serve as a delectable jolt. Pinstripes, Northbrook Must try: Chocolate fountain and made-to-order omelets and at Sunday brunch with Santa (Dec. 8 & 15). Food for thought: It doesn’t get much better than noshing near St. Nick. Don’t be at all surprised when the big fella checks the menu twice. Prairie Grass Café, Northbrook Must try: PGC Signature Benedict — two poached eggs over sautéed spinach, crumbled bacon and English muffin, with roasted tomato hollandaise. Food for thought: If that doesn’t make your mouth water, check for a pulse. Walker Bros. Original Pancake House, Wilmette, Glenview and Highland Park Must try: Pumpkin pancakes. Food for thought: “They’re a hit, with kids and adults,” says Angel Adan, the manager at the Wilmette location.
The Triple Berry Crunchy French Toast at Kevin's Place in Deerfield is always popular.
photography by joel lerner ■ by bill mclean Kevin Quigley pulls up a chair at a restaurant in Deerfield and strikes up a lively discussion with three diners. A girl, no older than 4, sits to his immediate right at a table. He makes her feel like a princess in no time. He then says something to the girl’s parents. They laugh heartily, before ordering breakfast. A wide-eyed, beaming Quigley — perpetual sunshine in shoes, to anybody who knows him — is having the time of his life in front of an appreciative, rapt audience. Kevin Quigley is also the owner of the restaurant, Kevin’s Place. “The refueling of the soul, for young and old,” Quigley says of one of the many appeals at Kevin’s Place. “I love people. I love connecting with them. So much goes on in here. “Food,” he adds, “is secondary.” A framed picture of Led Zeppelin hangs behind the counter at Mrs. D’s Diner in Wilmette. It is a vintage image of the four rockers, shot in the 1970s. An entirely different genre of music — forks and knives clinking plates, a variety of conversations, coffee cups hitting the countertop — serves as a morning soundtrack at the quaint joint. The scent track? Bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and coffee. High school and college pennants line the walls. Napkins with customers’ handwritten messages on them are push-pinned to the corked
The Lox and Bagel sandwich at Max and Benny's on Waukegan Road in Northbrook has many fans.
photography by joel lerner portion of the walls. Atop the soda fountain dispenser, also behind the counter, at least five rubber ducks stare at the breakfast crowd. breakfast >> page 10