REVIEW: Brunch at Jak's Grill in the U-District

Chorizo Benedict

I've been to Jak's Grill in the U-District plenty of times for Brunch. Yesterday I went there and had their Chorizo Benedict. I've had most of their Benedicts and Scrambles, but the Chorizo is one of my favorites. The poached eggs are stacked on Chorizo patties and bread with hollandaise sauce and pico de gallo salsa. The benedict is served with a side of Jak's potatoes.

The poached egg and hollandaise sauce are good, and pretty much what I would expect in a good Benedict. What I really liked about this Benny is the flavorful Chorizo and the pico de gallo salsa. I suggest trying the Chorizo Benedict over the Crab or Classic Benedict, especially if you're a fan of Chorizo. I have always had good service at Jak's Grill. The staff is very friendly and attentive to your needs.



Geraldine's Counter

Geraldine's Counter is one of my favorite places to go for Brunch. The name itself hints at the type of eatery it is. Yes, they have a counter and yes, you can sit at stools at the counter and enjoy your meal. That's just part of the charm. I love places that have that "diner" feel. Geraldine's Counter is located in the Columbia City neighborhood of Seattle on Rainier Avenue South. Columbia City is becoming one of those revived neighborhoods in Seattle that is quickly being sought after by young families. Columbia City offers some great restaurants and shops.

Geraldine's Counter is one of those cornerstone restaurants in the Columbia City neighborhood. It's the place where friends and families meet for brunch and a good meal. On any given weekend you can find people standing out side and crowded inside the front door waiting to be seated at a table. Even with a large crowd the tables turn fairly quickly, so the wait isn't all that long. Geraldine's is a very family-friendly restaurant. You can find tables with Mom, Dad, children and sometimes even Grandparents enjoying a great meal. It's nice to see this as most families don't even see each other during a normal day. You can also find friends meeting for brunch and catching up on the events of the week.

My most recent visit to Geraldine's Counter was on New Year's Day. As expected, there was a long list of names waiting to be seated, but the wait wasn't all that long at all. Once seated I knew exactly what I wanted. It what I crave almost every weekend for breakfast....French Toast.

Geraldine's has some of the best French Toast I've tasted. As a kid I used to love French Toast, but as I grew older I didn't care for how some places prepared it as it tended to be too soggy. One thing I can't stand is soggy bread. But Geraldine's bread is nice and crispy on the crust with just the right amount of softness throughout. Geraldine's changes up the toppings on their French Toast, so just ask the server what the topping of the day is. On this visit the topping was strawberries, which happens to be my second favorite topping they use. My first is peaches. I've also had their blackberry topping which is also very tasty. With a light dusting of some powdered sugar and some maple syrup, this brunch will definitely leave you feeling full and satisfied.

My boyfriend was with me for brunch and to start we had a slice of some fresh-baked raspberry, cream cheese coffee cake. This was very good. The cake was moist and the raspberry topping was delicious! My boyfriend ordered the Cafe Fanny Organic Granola & Vanilla Bean Yogurt. This was served with your choice of toast. He said it was very good and definitely a nice, healthy breakfast.

Geraldine's Counter is one of my favorite breakfast places in Seattle. They offer great food, great service, and if you don't mind it a little noisy, a great place for friends and families to meet and enjoy a great meal. The owners of Geraldine's Counter also own Table 219 on Capitol Hill, which offers a similar Breakfast menu, and yes, they have the delicious French Toast also. I've had it there plenty of times too!

I give Geraldine's Counter 4 out of 5 Bacon Strips.