In one word, what food item makes Seattle famous? You guessed it... salmon. Salmon is caught locally, unloaded fresh at local docks, and is delicious prepared any way you can think of. Don't get me wrong, as I absolutely adore salmon, but to me, when I think of Seattle cuisine, Beth's Cafe comes immediately to my mind, as it's home to the 12-egg omelet, and the most famous, greasy spoon diner cuisine the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
Actually, this visit happened a couple of years ago, and I'm only now getting up the time to post my visit on Yelp. Sorry for the delay.
I was dazzled and amazed on this Friday morning, August 18, 2017, that the few on-street parking spaces in front of Beth's Café weren't jammed full of parked cars, and there wasn't a line of hungry diners waiting on the sidewalk for their turn at a table. (I have read many Yelp reviews about this restaurant.) At first I thought the restaurant was closed - how could that be for a restaurant that has been open 24/7/365 for over 60 years? - until I saw the neon-lit "open" sign in the window that reassured me, and beckoned me inside. Parking is limited and tight on Aurora Blvd. and the surrounding neighborhood, but I managed to park in an alley, a short block what you say. At 0730 on this Friday morning, the neighborhood was just fine, but after dark, from what I saw and what I've read, the neighborhood is "sketchy" at best.
As I walked in the front door, the first thing I noticed was the open kitchen - which is something that I truly adore - and the "Please Wait to be Seated" sign. One of the two servers on duty, Janelle, as seated at the small counter, working on a crossword puzzle - I assume she was an all-night hostess, as she looked tired - looked up at me, and said that I could seat myself anywhere I wanted to site. That was an easy choice for me, as I sat on a stool at the counter, so I could take in all of the action, and watch the chef at work.
The main dining room is to your left, which you might miss, as you stare at the pots of coffee and the seven flats of eggs "on deck," and ready to go.
I took a seat at the counter, near where Janelle was working on her crossword puzzle. Beth's Café has been in the same location since 1954, and I think the only "modernization" that has been made is the computerized cash register, at the left of the photo. All orders are still taken on a note pad, and placed on an order wheel. The two gentlemen at the right of the counter were enjoying omelettes - the 6-egg variety - and taking photos, so naturally they were interested in what I was doing.
As we were discussing the omelette choices on the menu, I mentioned that I was going with a 6-egg "Southwestern Exposure" omelette, and one of the guys remarked "That'll kill you." I came back with "If I was really hungry, I'd go with the 12-egg version," and that drew a laugh out of everybody, including all three staff members who were working this morning.
Beth's omelettes come in two sizes: 6 or 12 eggs. This is the omelette portion of the menu, but the menu includes all of your favorite breakfast, lunch and diner cuisine. Since Beth's is open 24/7, anything on the menu is available at any time, but while chatting with my friendly server, Liz, she told me that about 75% of the restaurant's business comes from the breakfast menu.
I really wanted to go with a 12-egg omelette, but I just couldn't... If Adam Richman, of Man v. Food fame couldn't finish a 12-egg omelette, I wouldn't stand the chance of a snowball in Hades attempting the omelette challenge... So, I "wimped-out" and went with a 6-egg "Southwestern Exposure" omelette.
I really, really wanted to order a 12-egg omelette, if nothing else, for bragging rights, just to "give it a go." But, maybe I'm getting too old, or too sensible for those kind of antics. I figured if Adam Richman, the man with the voracious appetite, couldn't finish the omelette, than I didn't have a prayer. So, I went for the smaller, 6-egg version, which is still a massive, 2-1/2 pound breakfast behemoth.
I ordered the "Southwestern Exposure" omelette, which includes Cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream and brisket chili. It's served on a large platter, and sits on top of a large helping of all-you-can-eat hash brown potatoes - as if you could eat anything else, lol - with a couple of thick slices of toast on the side.
My omelette was cooked perfectly and was delicious. Every bite tasted a little different, I suppose due to the distribution of the cheese, salsa, sour cream chili. The hash browns were some of the best I have ever enjoyed, and the toast was good too. I really wish I could have ordered a second helping of hash browns, but by the time I finished this monster breakfast, I was stuffed. If you're really hungry, and you enjoy a superior breakfast, this is your restaurant.
Beth's Café is a Seattle iconic restaurant, a legend, and is a magnet to all "foodies," as it attracts lovers of over- read more