Breakfast has a few non-negotiables for me. The food needs to arrive HOT. Portions should be handsome — not buffet-gluttony, just enough good, clean food to feel properly fed. And the servers should be nice, kind and happy to be there.
The Croque Monsieur-style dish was my order three or four visits out of five, and they had it down. The coffee was top notch. The portions were generous. And good service matters: kindness, patience and a smile can move my tip from fifteen percent to twenty or twenty-five.
Over time, the serving sizes decreased dramatically — and perhaps the dishes themselves shrank with them. That changes the value equation, even when the food is still good.
At its best, absolutely. But breakfast can cross the line fast. If two people are suddenly staring at an eighty-dollar breakfast, the food had better be exceptionally fucking good — or the service and setting had better supply the missing value.
If I still lived in Encinitas or Del Mar and visitors wanted a hearty breakfast, I’d consider it — if it were still the Breakfast Republic I remember. On a recent visit, we almost went back and chose somewhere else after remembering the shrinkage.
People who want a hearty San Diego breakfast, strong coffee and a lively experience — assuming the current portions and pricing still make sense.
I’d check the current menu, go hungry, and order the Croque Monsieur-style breakfast if it’s still there and still being done right.
THE LAST WORDGO — IF IT’S STILL THE BREAKFAST I REMEMBER.