ANNOUNCER: Known mostly for its pies and house-made jam, the Moonrise Café in Lakewood serves up some of the most creative breakfasts in the South Sound. If your diet of choice is carnivorous or vegan, then you are sure to find what you are looking for on the menu. Dutch and Jackie rush in this week to indulge themselves.
DUTCH: I'm always partial to a café that offers breakfast all day, and though all day is a relative term when you close at 2 p.m., it's not going to stop me from rushing in for a plate of breakfast comfort food. Whatever breakfast plate I finally settle on, I always add the homemade buttermilk biscuit with a side of the in-house jam; pick your flavor, there is no wrong answer here.
JACKIE: Breakfast all day and an emphasis on scratch-made ingredients makes Moonrise an oasis among the concrete jungle brimming with chain restaurants and fast-food hot spots. They are a gem among the strip-malls. Their pancakes are plate-sized, discs that boast a golden-brown exterior filled with exquisitely fluffy pancakey goodness. The syrup is served in a warmed carafe and the house-made motto stands true to form; even their sausage patty is a hand-formed tasty treat.
DUTCH: Staying on the breakfast train here, I grabbed hold of The Rise Sandwich which is served on their English Muffin bread and filled with a fried egg (I like it over easy and drippy), melted cheddar cheese, fresh avocado, tomato and spinach. The vegetables make me feel as if I've at least attempted something healthy, while the egg and cheese remind me that I'm simply pampering my comfort food cravings.
JACKIE: The eggs were also executed with finesse on the Smoked Salmon Benedict. A small puncture with a fork yielded the ultimate yolk porn. You can choose from hash browns or breakfast potatoes, both cut in-house -- no frozen taters here. The hollandaise sauce boasted a delightful pop of fresh, lemon flavor and a velvety mouth feel.
DUTCH: Sometimes I'm able to branch out and order something other than a breakfast item, and there are still plenty of sandwich and burger options available here as well. On my last visit, I strayed as far from breakfast as possible and ordered the traditional Reuben on dark rye bread. This sucker is piled with pastrami before being topped off with Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut. The Reuben is a favorite for a reason, the balance of salty, creamy, and sour all work best when sandwiched between the bitter rye bread. With no fries as an option, only hashbrowns or breakfast potatoes, I enjoyed a simple side salad.
JACKIE: I have yet to stray from the breakfast offerings, maybe some day ...
MOONRISE CAFÉ, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, 6020 Main St. SW, Suite L, Lakewood, 253.983.9999, themoonrisecafe.com