ANDREA KIM Patrons wait outside Bread and Porridge on
Wilshire Boulevard for a taste of the "world’s best breakfast."
By Brent Hopkins
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Nine times out of 10, when you see the term “world’s
best,” it’s certain to be a humongous lie. Nearly
everything that claims to be the top of the list really sucks. In
the case of Bread and Porridge, however, the “world’s
best” label is true.
The name itself is a little perplexing, seeing as how
there’s not that much bread and no porridge to be found on
the menu. Perhaps that’s why they have to add on the
“world’s best breakfast” tag to the name, just so
patrons don’t think they’re stumbling into the dark
cruel world of Oliver Twist. Whatever the case, the food is
extraordinarily delicious.
Whether sitting in its charming wooden booths for an early bite
to eat or a quick lunch, coffee is an absolute must. Even if
it’s 120 degrees outside and you’re getting the stew,
invest in the coffee ““ you won’t regret it.
Served in a black and silver french press, the java’s rich
and flavorful, light years away from what Starbucks could ever
conjure up. You can choose how strong you want to make your brew
““ the longer you wait to press the handle down, forcing the
grounds to the bottom and the coffee to the top, the more forceful
the drink becomes. As tempting as it seems to slam it down right
away, it’s best to heed the waiters’ advice to wait at
least three minutes, unless you’re a fan of hot brown
water.
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Bread and Porridge
Address: 2315 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90403
Hours: Daily 7a.m.-2p.m.
Phone Number: (310) 453-4941
Entree Price Range: $8.00 – $10.00
Original by YU WANG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Web Adaptation by
MONICA KWONG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff The menu claims the essence
of the coffee comes from “micro-roasting selected green
coffee beans in small batches … right here several times a
week.” This sounds a little confusing to the average drinker,
suffice to say, it ain’t no Sanka.
So after you’ve pressed your first cup, take a look
around. The decor’s an odd mix of Southern Americana and
provincial charm. It’s like a coffee shop, but a really nice
one, stylewise.
Some of the elements are at an odd contrast with one another.
Why are the Rolling Stones pictured chowing down on one wall? Why
do they play all that hillbilly country music in a place called
Bread and Porridge? Why are there so many kinds of hot sauce on the
table? Who cares, really? The hodgepodge of styles gives the
restaurant a unique character of its own.
When perusing the breakfast menu, it helps if you’re a fan
of eggs, since two-thirds of the items are egg based. While this
might not win you any points with weight watchers, at least you get
a tasty breakfast out of it. The cajun omelet’s a highlight,
with sausage, bell peppers and cheddar folded in some awfully
fluffy eggs. Though its $8.25 pricetag is high, it’s
fulfilling enough so it’s not too bad. The $7.95 fresh basil
scramble, flavored with jack cheese is aptly named, tasting both
fresh and, indeed, quite basilly.
Those more in the mood for griddle items should ditch the eggs
and go straight for the banana-pecan pancakes. While most hotcakes
will leave a gross, flour-y aftertaste, these are light and tasty.
At $5.25, they’re a relative bargain. The flavoring is
subtle, too, so even the most diehard banana-haters ought to dig on
these.
French toast is a good choice, as well. Cough up $6.45, and
you’ll be rewarded with fluffy golden slices that look like
something out of a movie. As one patron was overheard saying,
“They’re enough to satisfy a man or a little girl with
a really, really big appetite.” You can spruce “˜em up
with some genuine 100 percent Vermont maple syrup for $1.75, but
whatever they’ve got in the table dispensers serves just as
well.
While the breakfast, served from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., is the
restaurant’s true calling card, the lunch is nothing to
sneeze at, either. You’ll find yourself picking and
re-picking your meal from the wide array of salads, sandwiches and
hot entrees, not wanting to miss out on any of the delicious
choices.
The pasta with spicy chicken sausage, $9.45, sounds tempting,
but you won’t want to pass up the BBQ brisket. It brings new
meaning to the word delicious.
They smoke tri-tip beef for 12 hours, then slap some barbecue
sauce on top, making for a tender, tasty meal. The baked beans
aren’t really anything to write home about, but the coleslaw
sure is. It’s crisp and light, a nice counterpoint to the
full-bodied beef. It’s only available weekdays, but
it’s worth interrupting your schedule to get a taste of this
$9.95 entree.
The stew, almost as tasty as the brisket, is well worth its
$9.95 price. It’s not as good as you could find at home, but
it’s a damn fine pick me up on a cold day. The tender beef,
firm veggies and rich red wine sauce make a tough-to-beat meal.
The only knock on this place is the price. With most of the
breakfast entrees costing around the $8 mark, it’s not going
to be stealing customers away from Denny’s anytime soon. Then
again, considering the meal you’re getting for your money,
it’s worth it. Visits every day will send you to the
poorhouse pretty quickly, but hey, at least you’ll be mighty
satisfied on the road to poverty.