On the elusive search for the ultimate breakfast, La Mesa broke the yolk in providing the ultimate morning cuisine in revel of National Breakfast Month. After an extensive search throughout East County (and many breakfasts), stumbling upon the La Mesa Bistro Bakery was the beginning of a very long relationship.
And there is an added benefit to this relationship-it has another location in El Cajon.
On the elusive search for the ultimate breakfast, La Mesa broke the yolk in providing the ultimate morning cuisine in revel of National Breakfast Month. After an extensive search throughout East County (and many breakfasts), stumbling upon the La Mesa Bistro Bakery was the beginning of a very long relationship.
And there is an added benefit to this relationship-it has another location in El Cajon.
In considering the visit, two things drew the search to this particular place. First, the ambiance of downtown La Mesa is a personal draw and secondly, if the food looked and tasted anywhere close to as wonderful as it looked on its website, it would be worth the adventure.
People poured into this small, but comfortable venue. Orders are taken at the register, you can pour your own coffee and find a seat. I ordered a special of the day, the Very Berry Pancake Breakfast, but also wanted to try something new and its menu is full of five star breakfast choices, at two star prices. For something new, I decided on the Healthy Acai Bowl, but the cashier/server/everything else suggested that I try the Healthy Piyata Bowl. She said it was her favorite of the two, a little sweeter and she liked the fruit selection in it.
Expecting a long wait, I watched as the servers brought food to other patrons, and every dish was as well presented as the pictures on its website, and every dish that passed my senses made me wish I had ordered that dish. Food came out extremely fast.
My eggs were fresh and made to order and it was obvious that the bacon was crisp and had not been sitting under a warming light. Pancakes lived up to it name, as four very large pancakes were filled with fresh strawberries and blueberries scattered throughout each one. With the whipped butter and just a slight drizzle of syrup, each bite was moist, fluffy and fruity. Hot off the griddle, there was no way to stop eating.
The pancake special was a meal in itself, but the Piyata bowl was an adventure. Fortunately, I had ordered the medium bowl not sure what I was getting into, but when it came out, it was too pretty to eat. A huge bowl, the top was covered with coconut, strawberries, bananas, mangos, granola and bee pollen. With no idea of what lay below, I dived my spoon into a delightful surprise. Underneath the mound of toppings was a fruity yogurt mixture that complimented all of the ingredients on top.
Never overwhelming, each bite was an exploration for the taste buds. It was filling, delicious and the perfect finale to an already wonderful breakfast.
And it had a boost-literally. They say breakfast is the most important start of the day, but with the Piyata bowl, I quickly felt energized after expecting to feel bloated and complacent from a full meal so early in the day.
This breakfast/lunch bistro has a diverse menu, gourmet coffee station, smoothies and any combination from country to lobster breakfasts with no entrée more than $10.
There is still plenty of time to celebrate National Breakfast Month, and the La Mesa Bistro and Bakery is one recommended to put on the list of places to eat. Next up-the El Cajon location.
Both locations have a website, with pictures and downloadable menus, and in this case, the pictures will not fool you. It’s the real deal.
