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Friday, August 26, 2005
Rodeo Road Cafe the Perfect Little Place for a Big Meal
By Anne Hillerman
For the Journal
I had such a great breakfast at Over Easy Café last week, I was sorry I hadn't gone there sooner.
Even if you frequently drive along Rodeo Road you might not have noticed this fine little cafe, a store-front spot tucked in the Rodeo Plaza shopping area next door to United Blood Services. Since this area is not a prime location for snagging tourists, the cafe has had to survive on local business and, after two years, it seems to be thriving with a stream of passionate local customers. It takes awhile for the buzz to spread.
My friend and I walked up to the counter and paused to study the menu, displayed on bright yellow signs. With the exception of bagel-based breakfasts and eggs Benedict, there's everything here a hungry soul could desire— especially one with a craving for good chile. For a small establishment— only 15 inside tables and a couple more on the patio— the cafe has a good selection of options. Select The Big Easy, and you'll get a plateful of papitas, or little potato pieces fried crisp, beans, a breakfast meat, choice of chile, cheese and an egg on top for a modest $5.75. That sounded great and so did the tortilla hash ($5.75), described as "our breakfast Frito pie" and the huevos Mexicana ($5.50), scrambled eggs with onions, tomato, cilantro and cheese.
After sampling everything in my imagination, I ordered the breakfast burrito grande ($6.75) smothered, and I added the carne adovada for an extra $2.25. The carne adovada was superb, some of the best I'd ever had the pleasure of eating. Sometimes, despite the magic powers of the chile marinade, adovada meat can be tough and/or full of fat because the pork or beef is inferior to start with.
The beef here was fork tender and full of flavor. The chile flavor was first rate, but it didn't overwhelm the natural tastiness of the meat. You can order the adovada as a side dish with any of the breakfast menu or as a burrito for lunch. (The management is so customer-friendly, they'd probably serve it however you requested.)
Even without the adovada, the burrito would have been a great breakfast. The freshly scrambled eggs and crisp potato pieces and mellow cheese came wrapped in a big soft flour tortilla and smothered with both the red and green chile. Over Easy posts a daily chile rating, so you can tell which is hotter. The red met their four-chile standard, and the green merited three, although the green tasted hotter to me. Both were flavorful as well as pleasantly fiery. None of that toned-down tourista stuff here!
My dining partner ordered the huevos rancheros ($6.50) with a side of chorizo. Like the carne adovada, the chorizo— ground pork made into sausage and flavored with chile and garlic— was top notch because it began with good meat. It was remarkably lean, with just enough grease to qualify as sausage. The eggs arrived over easy as requested and there was plenty of green chile on top and a soft, fresh tortilla as the base. With a beautiful garnish of lettuce and tomato and a flour tortilla on the side, this was a big plate of food, well worth the price.
Coffee, the vital ingredient for a successful breakfast in my book, is self-serve here along with the soft drinks, and was fresh and good. A sign on the front window notes that the cafe supports local farmers by buying at the Farmers Market. The eggs, vegetables and meat may all have come from nearby rather than a factory in California.
After ordering at the counter, pick a table and relax. Your food will be delivered to you on a real plate with a napkin and metal flatware. The owner/manager/order-taker and his kitchen staff treated us, and the other customers, like friends and guests.
I haven't tried lunch here, but I'd like to. Again, the menu is simple, with a focus in New Mexican dishes and burgers. The Grande Burger, a freshly-made hamburger with a half-pound ground beef patty served with papitas, looked like a great deal at $5.99. Over Easy also offers low carbohydrate versions of its dishes including low carb pancakes and French toast.
Our ample breakfast for two was $15.86. With its delicious, well-priced food and quick, friendly service, I hope the Over Easy has a long and happy future. The restaurant will begin opening for dinner on Sept. 14.
Over Easy Café
FOOD: Mostly New Mexican breakfast and lunch dishes
HOURS: 6:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 7 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; closed Mondays
WHERE: 2801 Rodeo Road
SERVICE: Order at the counter
ATMOSPHERE: Tiny, lively and geared to carry out
PRICES: $7.25 or less