It’s not brunch without a toppings bar!

This past weekend I enjoyed a blissful trip to Seattle, Washington and made a stop at the Portage Bay Café where I learned that it’s really not brunch without a visit to a toppings bar.

This restaurant is so popular that even with a reservation you can expect an hour wait and it’s only open till 2:30 PM! The locals recommend calling to put your name on a list before you get in the car to drive there.

I was with a big group so I had the good fortune of digging into 4 different brunch offerings. The Wild Salmon Omelette seemed like the must have dish while in Seattle, but the absolute most heavenly dish were the Kabocha pumpkin pancakes!! These pancakes are so thick that you can actually SEE the pieces of the pumpkin nestled inside; and although no toppings are necessary, I couldn’t keep myself away from the fresh fruits, berries, and whipped butters offered at the toppings bar.

The Summer Grits and Eggs from the “a little different” section of the menu are certainly that…a little different. Personally I like to keep my eggs and grits separate, but this might be the perfect body builder breakfast. My fourth breakfast that morning was a sloppy joe breakfast sandwich, and if you can believe it I bought it for the kale! This might be the first time I’ve had Kale with my eggs, but my favorite part was the lamb and meat chili (aka the sloppy).