BlueJay Cafe

 

http://www.bluejaysf.com/

(Okay, I know that there is a difference between a blue bird and a blue jay, but you try to find any blue jay related songs. And I had previously linked the EweToob video for the Beatles "Blue Jay Way" here in the past with this particular restaurant.)


Much like the swallows returning to San Luis Obispo[1] every Spring, I went back to BlueJay Cafe (see last 'blog-entry from September 8th, 2012) for breakfast this morning. They are located in the Western Addition along Divisadero (just a few block from Alamo Square). They open at 10:00am on the weekends (and for what they call "Brunch" at that, but, not to worry, this is no snooty-ass "Brunch"-ified joint, it's actually just a good place for late breakfasts). I finally got around to sitting in the small backyard patio area, where there are five tables that can seat four each. It was a bit cool (it was still in the shade as the Sun hadn't reached back there yet; that is, if it actually ever does, as this smaller building is surrounded by taller apartment buildings), but still comfortable enough all the same and I only needed a sweatshirt and not my jacket, too.

BlueJay Cafe has a good selection of Beers on draft (as well as several others available in bottles): Pilsner Urquel, Blue Moon, Fat Tire New Belgium, Lagunitas Indian Pale Ale, Trumer Pils Berkeley, and Porter Black Butte Deshute. Additionally they have a Saturday "Brunch" 2-for-1 Mimosas special, which is always nice if you want to share… or just get stinkin' on your own quickly and cheaply.

They have several things on their "Brunch" menu from which to choose, this includes: a few different omelette choices (of particular interest for you dead, decaying porky products-lovers is the BBQ Pulled Pork Omelette); four types of Eggs Benedict; pancakes, plain or with bananas or blueberries (which can be ordered by the each, if you want to mix and match); cinnamon French toast with baked apples; waffles with baked apples; and because it is "Brunch", after all, they also have several salads and sandwiches on the menu. I went with the BlueJay Omellette[2] (sic, but they did have all the other omelettes spelled correctly) ~ spicy house made sausage, Swiss (cheese; it wasn't really specified, but I assumed they didn't mean chocolate or banks), and Shin (sic) Slice red onions; served with grits, fruit, small salad, or homefries (which I was happy to see they have as one word; so, suck it Billy-boy!) and choice of toast, biscuit, or cornbread. I also had a cuppa pretty decent coffee (when I asked the super-friendly server-guy ~ also named "Brian" by the way, Mrs. Huneycutt ~ what brand it was, he wasn't sure as he said they change it often; he offered to go check for me, but I told him it wasn't really necessary as they were hopping with customers and I didn't really want to waste his time).

This was a large, good, fluffy omellette; if not a pretty simple one without the added sausage (but that was my choice). It did have lots of Swiss cheese (I was happy to have guessed correctly that this was actually made with the Swiss fermented milk curd product and not their confectionary or money-laundering facilities) and those shin-sliced red onions in it. I selected the homefries (always better than any stupid fruit or small salad; grits might be a toss-up, though) and biscuit choices (also always better than plain ol' toast; but I don't think I have ever tried their cornbread and should try to remember to try that next time I eat there).

I think that BlueJay Cafe only has Crystal® Louisiana's Pure Hot Sauce for condimentary supplementation. However, I was excited (yeah, I lead a pretty boring life) to get to use the two newest additions to my collection that I had received just last weekend. I used a good amount of Hula Girl ~ Chipotle Habanero (Thanks, Cabin Jim!) on the potatoes and some Dave's Gourmet® ~ Ginger Peach Hot Sauce (Thanks, J.T.!) on the omellette. Hula Girl is from Hawai'i and the label states "All natural ingredients: Habanero peppers, red ripened jalapeño peppers, chipotle peppers, vinegar, and salt." Dave's is now based in San Francisco with "Ingredients: Peach nectar, sugar, red chilies, ginger, cane vinegar, spices, salt, and xanthan gum.”

(Sorry, I could not locate an official web-site for Hula Girl.)

http://www.davesgourmet.com/ 

Both of these new hot sauces are very tasty. Of the two, I think I liked the Chipotle Habanero a little better. The Ginger Peach went well with the omellette, though. I think that the sweeter Ginger Peach needs to be paired with the right foods: potatoes (I tried a smidgeon on part of my potatoes just to make sure ~ Yup!); oyster shooters (if you like that kind of fresh, slimy shellfish thing); and (which they even suggest on the bottle) on top of Ice Cream (I will be sure to try some later today on some Three Twins™ Dad's Cardamom that I have in my freezer). Of the two, the Chipotle Habanero was the hotter (naturally). I only mention this as Dave's Gourmet® Insanity Sauce was one of the first to turn up the heat (wayyyyyy up) on the Scoville Scale by adding extract of capsaicin to the mixture, but the Ginger Peach doesn't have any of that stupid stuff added to it.

No good deed should go unturned. So, in thanks for the two new hot sauces, I suggest you check out the 'blog-spot of my old Air Force buddy, Jim Turner:

http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/


Glen Bacon Scale Rating: BlueJay Omellette ~ 6.4


1. Like any of you really know the difference between San Giovanni da Capistrano and Saint Louis, Évêque de Toulouse.

2. Stupid, useless cunning linguist pointer of the day:
 
"Omelette" (or "omellette" even) comes from French. It is the metathesis of "alemette", from "alemelle" (meaning "blade of a knife or sword"), probably a misdivision of "la lemelle" (mistaken as "l'alemelle"), from Latin "lamella" (meaning "thin, small plate") a diminutive of "lamina" ("plate, layer").