Last Updated on Thursday, 04 November 2010 16:36

Restaurants - Breakfast Specialists

Surrey's

Garden District: 1418 Magazine. 504-524-3828. Map.
Very Casual.
Cash only
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
Surrey's feels like something out of the 1970s, when people of my Baby Boom generation began opening their first restaurants, imbued with full flower-child natural wholesomeness. A closer look shows a menu that has all the fat, bacon, red meat, and Coca-Cola that any other neighborhood restaurant has, in addition to the fresh-squeezed juices and organic foods. So it works for everybody.

WHY IT'S GOOD
Despite the low prices (they top out in low teens), Surrey's buys fresh products of excellent quality, many of them sourced locally. They make a lot of what they serve in-house--the smoked salmon, for example. The menu is imaginative, without really leaving the realm of conventional breakfast (eggs, grits, biscuits, grilled meats) or lunch (sandwiches and salads). The hipness of the menu adds much to the enjoyment of the food here on the part of the many regular customers.

BACKSTORY
Greg Surrey opened in a converted Lower Garden District house in 2001, at first focusing on the juice bar, salads, and offbeat breakfasts. The place caught on to a near-cult degree almost immediately, and that encouraged the growth of the menu. At times, some very serious chefs have passed through this kitchen. Surrey's made a lot of friends by reopening quickly after Hurricane Katrina, a time when this sort of food made people feel good.

DINING ROOM
The premises are a bit cramped, most of the small tables lining the walls of a narrow room illuminated with naked light bulbs and stirred by ceiling fans. The tall ceilings help. There's a bit more space in the juice bar section.

ESSENTIAL MENU [*=Recommended]
Basic eggs with sausage, ham, or bacon
Smoked salmon and eggs
Migas (scrambled eggs with herbs, cheese, and salsa)`
Huevos rancheros (eggs with black beans and salsa)
Balsamic-roasted vegetable omelette
Shrimp and grits with bacon
Tofu breakfast platter with vegetables and rice
Boudin on a breakfast biscuit
Scrambled eggs with chorizo, cheddar, and pico de gallo
Beer-boiled bratwurst and eggs, hashbrowns with onions and apples
Bananas Foster French toast
Banana pancakes (with pecans optional)
Bagels and bagel sandwiches
Fresh fruit plate, with granola optional
Roasted veggie po-boy with pesto and goat cheese
Spinach cheese melt sandwich
Grilled portobello mushroom sandwich
Grilled chicken breast sandwich
Corned beef and meunster cheese sandwich
Roasted veggie po-boy with pesto and goat cheese
Barbecue shrimp po-boy
Club sandwich
Turkey and avocado sandwich
Salads
Freshly-juiced juices, from fruits or vegetables

FOR BEST RESULTS
Go for breakfast during the week. It's tremendously crowded on Saturday and Sunday. Avoid the tofu dishes, unless you eat that sort of thing all the time.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The service staff has a touch of attitude. The cash-only policy is a ridiculous inconvenience.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

• Dining Environment -1
• Consistency +1
• Service
• Value +1
• Attitude -1
• Wine and Bar
• Hipness +2
• Local Color +1

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

• Sidewalk tables
• Quick, good meal
• Good for children
• Easy, nearby parking