Grazi Gives a Great Breakfast

This week I decided to head to Grazi café in St.Catharines, as it had been recommended by several family friends. I again took my mom with me, however, as it was not Valentine’s Day, it seemed to be much more socially acceptable. We were both surprised at the relative emptiness of the restaurant at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning. After hearing so much about it we had expected it to be packed.

My Mother

About to enjoy the 'Grazi Special'

We were seated promptly, and I ordered a 'Grazi Special' two egg, two bacon, home fry and toast breakfast. With my life in a relative state of turmoil, it was great to get a familiar breakfast. It arrived quickly and was very tasty. Our waitress was very attentive and polite and took the time to learn about what school program I was in. It felt as though she really cared about the people she was serving. Grazi had a very healthy feel to it with fruit as an option in many dishes. Unfortunately, I was not feeling particularly healthy and wolfed down my eggs and bacon. The price was also quite comparable, and factoring in that the restaurant is relatively close to my house, I suppose I saved money on gas as well. All in all, Grazi offered a great breakfast for a reasonable price. The staff were exceptional and lived up to the name of the restaurant. I will certainly be going back!

The 'Thank You' sign

Highlight: The friendly service

Honourable Mention: The 'Thank You' sign

Bacon Strip Rating: Four Strips

Measuring Up The 2x4

This week I decided to head a bit further afield. Luckily my friend Haley knew of a great breakfast restaurant in Wainfleet called the 2x4 Diner. Having a bit of trouble locating it on my GPS, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was located at a major intersection right near the edge of Wainfleet. We had to wait several minutes to be seated as there was a group of rambunctious youngsters sitting in the back. Apparently they were part of a local hockey tournament. Our waitress seemed frustrated by her previous customers and was delighted that Haley and I had simple orders. She ordered the barbecue chicken omelet, and I ordered a western sandwich.

The western sandwich (above) and barbecue omelet (below)

I love western sandwiches as they provide all the key ingredients of a breakfast (eggs, toast, meat) all easily compartmentalized in a tasty sandwich. Unfortunately, the western the 2x4 produced was not very good. The vegetables tasted aged and the meat was not very prevalent. What the 2x4 was lacking in western sandwich prowess, it made up for in creative wall murals. There was a happy full length mural located next to the cash register, and friendly cowboy lassoing patrons towards the bathrooms.

The cowboy

The mural near the cash regiser

Overall, the ambiance of the 2x4 is what you would expect from a small town breakfast restaurant. It seems like a great option if you live near by, but may not be worth the drive if you are coming from further afield. I wanted to give it two bacon strips out of five, but Haley insisted that her omelet was good and I needed to give it a three.

Highlight: The accommodating staff

Honourable mention: the barbecue chicken omelet (apparently)

Bacon strips: Three strips (or two depending on my assessment of the omelet)

Silks Soothes the Soul

With my girlfriend away in Ireland for the month, I decided to take my mother out for a Valentine’s Day breakfast. We chose Silks in Virgil as we had heard it had a cheap breakfast that was quite good. Upon arrival I was embarrassed to see several people I went to high school with having breakfast with their spouses and young children. Needless to say sitting alone with my mother did not project the image of ‘functioning member of society’ that I am striving for these days.

'Functioning Member of Society'

However the breakfast itself was delicious. As advertised on the outside sign, you can get a two egg, two bacon, toast and home fry breakfast for a mere $3.49.

The $3.49 Breakfast Special

The service was very quick and we were enjoying our breakfast in no time. The restaurant was quite busy but it did not feel overly crowded or cramped. The cheap breakfast was very good. Ultimately the real selling point of Silks was the price and speed with which the meal was served. It’s tough to imagine finding a decent breakfast cheaper than $3.49 and for that reason the place scores very highly. Further it was not over-decorated with outrageous items all over the wall, but rather was painted in a soothing brown that made it feel like eating at a relative’s home.

Soothing brown paint and tastefully decorated

It is evident that Silks is a cornerstone of the Virgil community. It serves as a gathering place and a second home for many. I would certainly recommend Silks if you are looking for a quick, friendly and cheap breakfast. Just don’t go with your mother on Valentine’s Day.

My mother on Valentine's Day

Highlight: The price

Honourable mention: The soothing brown wall colours

Bacon strip rating: 4 strips!

Butterballs

This week I decided to explore Butterballs in Jordan, a restaurant that I had not been to since I was very young. Luckily not much had changed. The food was affordable, the seating was immediate and the pictures on the wall were as random as ever. I ordered the standard two-egg breakfast which I chose to pair with bacon, white toast, and baked beans. I was particularly excited about the baked beans option as it was a pleasant change from the home fries that most other breakfast restaurants offer. Furthermore, it reminded me of a flatulent scene in the Mel Brooks classic Blazing Saddles.

A Blazing Saddles character enjoying beans

My sister chose to accompany me on the adventure (as she too had not eaten breakfast at home) and decided to get the French toast. All of the food was quite nice. It was not the best breakfast I have ever had but certainly up to par. The eggs were runny, the toast was warm and the beans were delicious – all in all a great feast. 

The author anxiously awaiting his baked beans

As alluded to before, what really makes Butterballs special is the décor. There are few other places in the area where you can see a picture of some sad clowns, a dated Atlanta Falcons picture, and a French soldier, all within several feet of each other. 




















This is the great charm of Butterballs: it has a very rural feel, it values art in its simplest form and casts off any modern idea of theme. The place is truly a one off. I also discovered that many of the items on the wall and shelves have price tags on them, as the property also serves as a flea market. All in all, if you are looking for a nice breakfast and a wild array of pictures on the wall, then Butterballs is the place for you.

Highlight: The baked beans!

Honourable Mention: The sad clown painting that provokes a whole world of emotion.

Bacon Strips: I give Butterballs three bacon strips out of five. The food was quite good but the portions were not quite as large as in other locales. 

The Blue Star

The first restaurant I chose to explore was the Blue Star in Welland. Not being a Welland resident, I asked my friend Adam to meet me there to ensure that I did not miss out on any essential details. The appearance of the Blue Star was not enormously welcoming from the outside. With drawn curtains and a relatively out of date sign, it did not scream ‘outsiders welcome’. With that said, I was pleasantly surprised upon entry to be quickly ushered to a booth with lots of space and a complete view of the entire place. 

The walls were adorned with Welland sports memorabilia and the ceilings were covered in stars. The place had a sort of Planet Hollywood meets Welland feel. Ambiance aside, our waitress quickly plied us with coffee. Adam chose to drink four cups, while I instead drank only water so as not to ruin my appetite. Following Adam’s lead, I ordered the standard two egg special for $5.95. The marquis item on the menu was something called ‘The Bushman’sSpecial’. Not being a bushman, I felt unqualified and eagerly awaited my two eggs, bacon, rye toast and home fries.

The bacon portion was extremely generous and the home fries were spiced perfectly. The blue collar feeling combined with a delicious breakfast reminded me of similar feasts that I had enjoyed in Northern Ireland years before. I would recommend that anyone try the Blue Star, if not only for the delicious and affordable breakfast, but also for the history lesson of the Welland sports community that its walls and patrons provide.

Highlight: Awesome home fries!

Honourable Mention: Very friendly staff!

Bacon Strip Rating: 4 Bacon Strips! 

Welcome

Welcome to HUNTing For Breakfast. This blog aims to inform you about the great breakfast restaurants in the Niagara Region. My plan is to visit independent breakfast restaurants in the pursuit of ambiance, adventure, and of course breakfast.