They're Toast!

There are times when I get home from my thrice-weekly workout and I'm ravenous. So when Kristin suggested following up last Friday's class with a trip to nearby (and newly opened) Toast, I couldn't say yes fast enough. Located in a former adult video store called Angie's Bad Ass Video, they've opted to honor (if that's the right word) the previous occupant with menu items like The Occasional Hedonist, a sweet onion tart topped with a poached egg, fresh herbs, and béarnaise sauce, and the Bad Ass Sandwich, consisting of fried eggs, cured pork and shaved Gouda on toast.

The rest of the menu is written in a similarly witty manner, as is the cocktail menu. And it all fits in with the happy theme of the tiny dining room that is dotted with formal portraits of toasters. This place, while modern in a cool, retro sort of way, is really a throwback to neighborhood cafés of yore, with everything, including English muffins and three kinds of bread, made on the premises with organic ingredients used when available.

We opted to have brunch, me with the Benedict Oh (I believe I mentioned my weakness for poached eggs?), perfectly poached eggs served over wilted chard on one of those impeccable English muffins, finished with béarnaise sauce with two little house-made sausage patties alongside. Though Ms. K and I had to arm-wrestle over who got to order the Golden Pig, two strips of unctuous, fatty pork belly with scrambled eggs, topped with crispy shallots on a slice of toast. Obviously I still have work to do on my arm strength. (Curses!)

In addition to the brunch menu, Toast also serves dinner, which I've heard some good comments about. And with a little number like Angie's Dirty Martini to kick off the meal, it might turn out to be a very interesting evening, indeed.

Details: Toast, 5222 SE 52nd Ave. Hours: Brunch, Wed.-Sun., 8 am-2 pm; Dinner, Wed.-Sat., 5:30-9:30 pm. Phone 503-774-1020.