Review: Daybreak

On Saturday, Steve, Mary, Abby, Tony (the newlyweds), Terry and I met up at Daybreak in Hyde Park before seeing Terry's show in Lebanon. We had originally planned to do breakfast or brunch at The Golden Lamb, but their hours are really weird: breakfast is from 8-10, dinner is from 12-7, and nothing between 10-12. As none of us wanted to get up that early on a Sunday morning to drive to Lebanon and eat breakfast, we compromised: Daybreak it was, and it's always a good choice.

Daybreak was opened a few years ago by an ex-employee of First Watch, and to some degree you can tell: Daybreak potatoes are suspiciously similar to that of First Watch, and there are some other menu similarities. However, there are some creative, decadent choices that you will never find at First Watch, most notably the french toast and pancakes.

This is one of those places where I always order the same thing: a half-order of Stuffed Apple French Toast and (sometimes) bacon. The french toast itself is somewhat standard, but the filling is exceptional: almond paste and apples. Two of my favorite flavors! It's really one of the best things on the menu.



Terry is the experimental one at Daybreak. Sometimes he gets an omelet (the Greek omelet is a favorite), but this time he got Banana Nut Pancakes. These were really rich with bananas, and light on the nuts-- it tasted sort of like banana bread. Very, very good.



There's a trick to going to Daybreak on a Sunday: before 10 or after 12. Between 10-12, when churches let out (or when we heathens wake up from our Saturday night debauchery), the place is packed and the wait is interminable. Just before 10, however, and our party of six waited a mere 10 minutes. Not bad.