California Fireman omelet with hash browns - $7.75
Sitting in Firehouse Cafe, you'll feel like you've been transported out of Southern California and into a friendly Midwestern city--say, St. Louis. There's zero pretense at this affordable, no-frills breakfast and lunch joint. The flooring is charcoal gray industrial carpet, the chairs are standard-issue black metal with padded vinyl seats, and the white walls are somewhat haphazardly adorned with photos and firefighting memorabilia and gear. Red accents throughout, including diner stools at the counter, contribute to the firehouse theme. The space is just one big, rectangular open room, so there's no sense of intimacy at any of the tables, but at least the tables are spaced well apart. The restaurant was busy late on a Sunday morning and we felt lucky to get the only open table.
Huevos rancheros - $6.95
The coffee doesn't break with the restaurant's no-frills vibe--it's of the coffee-pot-on-a-burner variety, so if you're into the gourmet stuff, be warned. But it does come with free refills. The breakfast menu offers everything you'd expect at and is served all day (which, most days, means all morning and early afternoon). I love omelets, but can only make a mediocre one myself, so that's what I almost always order at breakfast joints. Firehouse Cafe's version met my expectations--fluffy, cheesy (swiss), and stuffed with bacon and veggies (mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, avocado). Our food arrived in a reasonable time frame and the portions were so generous that we had ample leftovers. (Not that leftover omelets are terribly appetizing, but I hate wasting food.) The lunch menu offers more than 30 sandwiches, 16 firefighting-themed burgers, and several salads, plus standard appetizers like mozzarella sticks and potato skins. They also serve dinner on Fridays.
The service is supposed to be friendly here, but our waitress seemed like she'd much rather be somewhere else. This wouldn't prevent me from giving the restaurant a second try, though, given my positive experience with the atmosphere, food, and price tag.
Firehouse Cafe
1244 Sycamore DrSimi Valley, CA 93065
805.527.9598
Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Fri 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Firehouse Cafe Menu
1 comment:
Love this entry, I totally want to go check this restaurant out. I ate at Josie last night, which was really good, and this new LA dining deals site just posted a special deal - $30 for $60 in dining and drinks at Josie. I encourage everyone to check out at www.preferdine.com. Let me know what you think!
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