Monday, November 9, 2015

The GreenBee Café Breakfast Review

All American Breakfast

For just over six years, Bread and Brew pleased the 20th Street corridor with tasty sandwiches & soup, and some of the best coffee in and around Dupont Circle. They closed back in February, but promised to return. Those kind of promises are rarely kept; but alas, they're back... literally a block away, in roomier digs and with a new name (The GreenBee Café.) Hip hip hooray!

The GreenBee Café took over the space formerly occupied by Newton's Noodles at 1129 20th Street, NW; and although it looks the same, the service (and more importantly) the food is demonstrably better. You're greeted the moment you walk inside (from afar) and again, once you reach the counter in the back. Smiles abound, and Morgan, the order taker displayed genuine enthusiasm. She even offered free coffee, which I politely declined. I was happy enough with their All American breakfast for $7.50, which includes two eggs with toast, home fries (or a small fruit salad) and your choice of Natural Bacon, turkey bacon or Polyface Farm’s Sausage.


My order took about 10 minutes, and was delivered straight to my table. First impressions? It's a good-looking plate of food. The toast was nice & thick, and already buttered. The home fries were hot & tender, and well-flavored (green & red peppers, plus onions.) The eggs were... OK, nothing special, but the aforementioned Polyface Farm's sausage patty... a literal work of art. It might be the best breakfast meat I've had all year; and I've had a lot of breakfast meat this year <grin.> For $7.50, it's hard to ask for/expect more.


The space itself could use a few improvements. The restaurant is very big, and a bit cold/dark. Good music though (Billy Joel's "She's Always a Woman," and Journey's "Any Way You Want It") and the two restrooms are individual (score.) Overall, it's relatively clean; and not one, but two employees stopped by to see how I was doing, which is always greatly appreciated.

There's a warm, coffee house feel that reminds me of Bread and Brew; and I can't wait to come back to try their lunch offerings (I wonder if they'll serve pizza again?) Hours are different (at least to start) Monday & Tuesdays from 8 AM - 2 PM, Wednesday - Friday 8 AM - 7 PM, and closed weekends. It's miles above Newton's Noodles, and the sausage is literally "to die for." That's a great start: Let's hope they build on it (and then some.)