Reverie Cafe

"The hand may be quicker than the eye, but only the nose runs." ~ Cyrano de Bergerac

(No official web-site.)


Place: Reverie Cafe
Location: 848 Cole Street (between Carl and Frederick Streets)
Hours: Monday-Friday open at 6:00am, Saturday-Sunday open at 7:30am;
phonicular contact: (415) 242-0200
Meal: Fritata [sic ~ but, like last weekend, no GBS points are ever deducted for mizpelink]  ~ bacon (which I skipped), tomatoes, kale, potatoes, cheese, served with fruit; and a large cuppa Equator Coffees & Teas™ Volcano Blend

http://www.equatorcoffees.com/

(Do you get today's EweToobular juxtaselections? Well, everyone knows that Nat King Cole's real name was Carl Frederick. I have no idea what I was thinking with the second video-song, though.)


I had passed Reverie Cafe many times in the past and decided that there was no time like the present to make my presence known there. I especially like that they open up early on Saturdays and Sundays and it is usually very easy to find parking in the neighborhood at that time of the morning.

In addition to inside seating for about twenty people, they have a huge garden patio seating area (it incorporated both the backyards of the coffeehouse itself and the building next door). There are about seventeen to eighteen tables for two to four people; including a cool upper deck area, too. The place is also a dog-friendly (and kid-friendly) joint, as there are three tables for two on the sidewalk in front (because "sidewalks out back" are called alleys) that dogs and their humans can enjoy (the kids and their humans can always enjoy the backyard patio, as was witnessed this morning; one small family ~ Mom, Dad, Little girl, and Littler boy ~ even seemed to have driven off one Coffee-lurker with their barefoot animated antics). I chose to sit out back, and for my wise choice, I was also entertained by dueling concertos from a Mockingbird and a Steller's Jay in the surrounding trees.

Like most coffeehouses, you order and pay at the front counter first; they give you a number (mine was Bobby Orr's this morning); and then they bring the food out to you when it is done (because bringing you eggs that are not cooked can be hazardous to your health).

There were several other good breakfastary ideas on their standard menu: Shakshouka (two eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce with onion & peppers, pita bread); Swiss Chard (Scramble or Omelet ~ leeks, shitake [sic ~ once again, no GBS points are taken off for Tori Spellings] mushrooms [sic ~ this is like saying Sahara Desert], & Mozzarella); or Spinach (Scramble or Omelet ~ zucchini, mushroom [it wasn't specified if these were mushroom mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms], leek, fresh thyme, Edam cheese). Scrambles or Omelets are served with house potatoes and toast. I actually ordered off the weekend Today's Specials, and there were probably a few other good choices here for those of you that partake of the dead, decaying animal flesh or dead, decaying aquatic insects: Steak & Eggs (with potatoes); Shrimp Mango Chipotle Salad (jicama, radish, red cabbage, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, avocado, w/mango chipotle dressing); or Crab Cake Benedict (with potatoes).

I was really debating on getting the Shakshouka (see 'blog-entry from Saul's Restaurant & Delicatessen on December 15th, 2013 for description) this morning, but because the "fritata" included kale (and I was very happy to find out that it had lots of it) in it, that was the deciding factor for me. I would normally get a side of potatoes for breakfast, but this "fritata" already had some in the mix (of the red variety). While they misspelled "frittata" (much like last week at Sparrow Bar and Kitchen), at least they correctly made the "fritata" this week (unlike last week). It was all very good. I am not sure what kind of cheese was in it ~ probably Mozzarella or another nice melty, stretchy cheese. 

The Coffee was very strong and robust (but probably from Arabica beans, not Robusta beans). Apparently, Reverie Cafe alternates blends/roasts from Equator Coffee. However, I couldn't locate this specific blend/roast on their web-site, but I just assume it's one that they may only offer to coffeehouses and such.

Les fruits des jour: pastèque (watermelon); tranches de pomme (apple slices); tranches de poire (pear slices); fraises (strawberries); cantaloup (cantaloupe); and raisins (grapes).

For condimentary supplementation, Reverie Cafe offers the San Francisco Triumvirate of Hot Sauces (Tabasco® Brand Pepper Sauce ~ the standard red; Cholula® Hot Sauce; and Tapatio®) and also Huy Fong Foods Tương Ớt Sriracha ~ all of which are actually pretty decent choices for a coffeehouse joint. I went with some of my own Big Papi En Fuego Hot Sauce Off The Wall Triple Hot (Thanks, Kerry!) and Serious Food… Silly Prices Chunky Habanero Hot Sauce (Thanks, Cindy & Greg!) on different areas of the "fritata". I just left the fruits unadulterated.

It is definitely worth a return visit to check out some of the other menu items. Can you say "Shakshouka"? (No, really, can you pronounce it correctly for me?)

A Breakfastary Update:

It seems that Breakfast at Tiffany's recently closed (see last 'blog-entry from February 12th, 2012); this is unfortunate because I had been meaning to get back there again one of these days. I read somewhere that it is going to reopen under new management (soon?); hopefully, they retain some of the old menu, as their Stella Hashbrowns really were stellar, Mr. Kowalski.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating: Fritata ~ 6.6;  Equator Coffee Volcano Blend ~ 7.2