Los Gatos Café: The Breakfast of Champions

Overview: If you love breakfast, then is the place for you. Served all day, the breakfast food at this local favorite is addictive and filled with homespun goodness. It has a menu filled with hard-to-resist choices. Although breakfast food is its specialty, hearty sandwiches and burgers are also on the menu. Los Gatos Café has two locations downtown and uptown.

Décor: Los Gatos Café (uptown) is a clean, comfortable, family-friendly space. The tabletops are no frills and similar to many diners across the country. There is a high, open ceiling, which helps to cut the noise level at peak dining times. The ambiance is lively and welcoming.

Drinks: The restaurant offers a full coffee bar ($1.50-$2.75), and an assortment of black and herbal teas ($2). One can also get fruit smoothies ($3.95), yogurt shakes ($4.50) and a variety of fruit juices ($2.95-$3.50). Items like milk ($2), hot chocolate ($2.95), iced tea ($2.25) and soft drinks ($2.25) are on the menu, and there is even hot apple cider ($3.50).

Appetizers: Salads are delicious and inspired creations that are low in calories but satisfying. Los Gatos Café has a wide array of them, such as Garden Salad ($3.95), Caesar Salad ($4.50), Blacken Chicken Caesar ($9.95); Herb Chicken Avocado Salad ($9.95); Greek Salad with Chicken ($9.95); Asian Chicken ($9.95); Tostada Salad Flank Steak or Chicken ($9.95) and many more. Other starters are the Soup of the Day, Black Bean Chili and Clam Chowder ($3.50-$4.50).

Entrees: You can jump start your day with different flavored pancakes, such as blueberry ($7.95), strawberry ($7.95), French ($6.50) and banana ($7.95). Pancakes come in an assortment of styles, like Swedish ($8.50), which includes three pancakes filled with lingonberry butter and topped with almonds; German ($6.95) served with lemon, butter and sugar; granola apple ($7.95); and French apple ($8.50)—all that give you the feeling that you have traveled the world. The Pancake, Waffle and French Toast Sandwich ($8.95) is the perfect special combination of sweet and savory. Other sweet morning starts are the French Toast ($7.50), Apricot Bread French Toast ($8.95), Cinnamon Roll French Toast ($7.95) and Belgian Waffles ($6.50). Basic Breakfast ($6.50-$8.50), which is eggs served any style with your choice of protein accompanied by herb potatoes or grits and your choice of a bakery item, is pure American comfort food. Soufflé omelettes ($7.50-$11.50) come in various combinations and flavors. The Scrambles ($8.95-$9.95) come is seven combinations: diced ham, chorizo, bacon, green onion, gorgonzola, Denver herb potato, Joe’s herb potato and the Scramble, a combination of items topped with hollandaise sauce. Any burger ($7.50-$9.95) that you can think of, like Bacon Western Cheese, Teriyaki and Mushroom, is also on the menu. Whether you would like a hot or cold sandwich ($7.95-$10.95), Los Gatos Café has a number of tasty original creations, like the Barbeque Ham Club, Cheesy Chicken Philly and Crab Cake Club.

Sides: Getting more fiber in your diet is no problem with the cereal offerings; Oatmeal ($3.95), Granola ($4.50), and Grits ($3.50). Bread products range from sourdough, wheat, raisin, rye toast ($2.25); English muffin; and bagels. Sometimes when you order a meal, you need a little extra something to take it up a step, and adding these offerings is one way to go. Items like Italian sausage ($4.50); breast of chicken ($4.95); two eggs ($1.95); one egg ($1.25); hamburger steak ($4.50); herb potatoes ($3); Canadian bacon ($4.50); ham, bacon, and sausage ($4.50); crab cake ($4.95); linguica ($4.50); chicken apple sausage ($4.95), corned beef hash ($4.50), steamed spinach ($3.50), flank steak ($6.95), cottage cheese ($2.50), French fries ($3), cream cheese ($1.50); tomatoes ($1.50), avocado ($1.95); and scoop of tuna or chicken salad ($3.50), all round up the platter.

Dessert: Breakfast is the only meal of the day that allows you to have dessert first. If you like to start your day with baked goods, the softball-sized cinnamon rolls ($3.25) are classic morning indulgences. There is also Carrot Walnut Bread, Raspberry Coffee Cake and a daily muffin special ($2.25). A scoop of frozen yogurt ($2.50) is a pleasant accompaniment to any of the sweet things on the menu.

Service: Los Gatos Café is an extremely welcoming restaurant, where every server is concerned with the dining experience of all patrons. You don’t just have one wait person but a host of individuals who want to be sure you enjoy your meal. The servers do a great job at explaining the extensive menu. 

Signature Dish: The Benedicts ($9.95-$12.50) are the house specialty, especially the Benedict Oscar ($11.95), which is is crab, fresh tarragon and scrambled eggs served on top of an English muffin covered with hollandaise sauces and asparagus. Lip-smacking good!

• Los Gatos Café
• 15662 Los Gatos Blvd., and 340 No. Santa Cruz Ave.
• Chef: Dean Reno
• Cost: $10-$25