Amphora

Oh Amphora... such an odd mixture of Greek and well, everything else. One of the only 24 hour sit down restaurants in the area (that is not a chain), Amphora captures much of the diner spirit in an eclectic and somewhat international style. Can you call it style? Well, go there and you decide. It suffers a bit from schizophrenia, as seen in the split dinning areas (one side diner, one side restaurant), the 42 page menu (ok maybe not 42 pages, but really... it goes on and on), or the choice between Mexican, Greek, Italian, and American fare (oh wait, do they have egg rolls?). Regardless, if you have a hankering for a cheap breakfast at any time of day or night, roll on over to Amphora and you can have it.

The food will definitely be prompt and hot. Fresh? Not so sure ... But shoot, who really needs fresh when you are eating fried eggs, fried bacon, fried potatoes and the like?! My server called me "honey" and my coffee cup and water glass were never empty. If you suffer from indecision like I do, prepare yourself here. Go decadent with the Banana's Foster French Toast, satisfy your picky eaters with "create your own omelet", Hollandaise lovers will be delighted with the entire section of the menu dedicated to the sauce, or go international with the Greek Pocket, Breakfast pizza, or Huevos Rancheros.

It is not McDonalds fast food, so don't expect to find a $1 menu but the prices are pretty reasonable ($5.50 - $10 for most; steak and crab obviously jack up the prices).

I've heard there is a weekend breakfast/brunch but haven't experienced it myself so I don't know if it is much different than the usual. Have you had it? They also have an entire bakery affiliated with the restaurant that has gotten good reviews.

I went to the location in Vienna. There is a cooler looking diner version in Herndon.

-- S. Coffin

Smith and Clarkson's

When traveling through middle-of-nowhere America, dining along your way usually produces restaurants in a particular mold: American staples (usually fried) on the menu and not so modern decor. Some of these places are real gems of *ahem* unhealthy, really tasty treats! Smith and Clarkson's fits the mold perfectly ... except that it is in Northern Virginia, right near an entrance to 495.

The inside is an awkward little 'L' shape, the ceiling seems too high, the lighting is industrial, the interior "design" is drab, and the people are ... well, I'll just say that I don't think they discuss cheerfulness and hospitality at their shift meetings. Our fellow diners were mostly men, many in jumpsuits. While you won't go there for the ambiance, it is a classic if you want really good diner food.

The ordering concept threw me off a little so let me prepare you. They have it set up for herding people through the restaurant. You are directed by half walls to the counter where menus, cashiers, and guests that entered behind you are all staring at you, waiting for your order. I stepped aside and let someone go ahead of me while I chose. They give you a number with your receipt which is called out either by the short order cooks or the cashier when ready.
The food was awesome, as evidenced by the fact that it was gone before I remembered to take a picture. They have quite the variety, from burritos to eggs Benedict to omelets. I ordered a Breakfast sandwich with egg, sausage, and cheese. Each was cooked to perfection, pipping hot, and obviously real (ie. not carton liquid 'egg').

My Breakfast mate ordered "Plate #5": Corned beef hash with 2 eggs and toast. While it was far too much food to eat in one sitting, the homemade corned beef hash (something I would not have ordered) was actually quite tasty and, to the connoisseur who ordered it, it was perfect! She got her eggs scrambled and they got another thumbs up there.
We saw some homemade muffins, shoved in a glass case up front (still in the pan ... I don't think presentation is much of a concern), and decided to test their baking skills as well. The muffin was very moist but way too sweet for my Breakfast mate.

At a neighboring table we watched as one gentleman consumed one of the "Plates" as well as the French Toast Combo, quite the feat considering the size of both of those things. At other tables the pancakes and omelets were hits with the kids. I am definitely coming back here to try the french toast, waffles, and pancakes. Their waffle is a made-from-scratch malted Belgian waffle cooked to a golden perfection. Their french toast looked thick, perfectly golden, and crispy. Their pancakes took up the entire plate and again, the golden color made my mouth water. They've got that griddle in the back in good hands!
And for you coffee shop die hards, they serve "Seattle's Best" and have local art for sale on the walls.

No frills, just enough grease .. a real winner in my book. Call me if you are going.

Mon. - Fri. 6am - 4pm
Sat. 7am - 4pm
Sun. 8am - 3pm
(They also deliver/carry out. Check out online ordering for quick service!)

--S.Coffin

Belly Up to OCB Breakfast

For my family of six, breakfast is the best meal of the day. From the youngest to the oldest, everyone loves to eat breakfast. One early Saturday morning, we piled into the minivan to check out Old Country Buffet's breakfast buffet at Fair City Mall.

This was our first trip to OCB for breakfast and we were not disappointed at the vast array of breakfast items: pancakes, French toast (made from French bread), cereals, grits, biscuits, gravy, waffles, scrambled and fried eggs, bacon, sausage links and patties, fresh fruit, an entire taco/burrito bar, fried ham, muffins, and freshly made omelets.

We arrived around 8 a.m. (OCB opens at 7:30 on the weekends for breakfast), and found the restaurant uncrowded and the food hot and fresh.

The kids ate so much breakfast, that the two older ones weren't hungry at all for lunch and the two younger ones, barely at any lunch. Even my husband and I were not very hungry for lunch, either.

Here's a rundown on the children's breakfast bonanza:

N, age 7, ate three pancakes, a chocolate muffin, some scrambled eggs, bacon strip, sausage link, and a glass of chocolate milk.

L, age 5, ate two pancakes, a chocolate muffin, some scrambled eggs, bacon strip, sausage link and a glass of chocolate milk.

M, age 3, ate a biscuit, a pancake, a muffin, some scrambled eggs, bacon strip, sausage link and a glass of chocolate milk.

S, age 19 months, ate a biscuit, two pancakes, and a muffin and a half.

Overall, the food was hot and tasty. The pancakes were a bit dry, but with four or five different types of syrup to pour over them, you wouldn't really notice. The eggs tasted fresh and were not rubbery. I had a fresh omelet that was delicious. My husband said the coffee was rather tasty, too.

Consider OCB for your next breakfast out--I think you just might be pleasantly surprised.
[OCB Breakfast 7:30am - 11am Saturday and Sunday ONLY]

S. Hamaker

Arties

Artie's ... If you've never been there for a meal, put it on your list. This restaurant, part of the Great American Restaurants (a local chain), is amazing and is a must in general. But to get to the point, they do an exceptional Brunch.

Only open for Brunch from 10:30am - 3pm on Saturdays and from 10am - 3pm on Sundays, Artie's keeps incredibly high standards for service, decor, and food. It is worth the wait to the weekend hours. From the time you walk in to the time you leave, you will get more than you could ever hope for in a casual dining experience. So much so that you almost feel as though you are in an upscale restaurant.

Its great for couples, singles, friends, and families with kids. The prices are a little more than your IHOP down the street but not by too much and the quality blows IHOP clear to Timbuktu. The ambiance is so cool. Its a classy New England Boathouse inside, with a deck, classic wooden boat models, and murals of boating scenes. Your hosts and servers are so happy, its almost ridiculous. Their smiles are infectious but they won't snuggle up to you or sing to you (ie. its not TGI Fridays).

Every dish I've had there for brunch is tastey. My favorite is the French Toast, thick and crunchy, with a granola crust, fried to perfection... I never knew french toast could taste so good. I don't especially like the way they do their scrambled eggs (in terms of texture) but they sure taste good. If you go for the Brioche French Toast Grand Slam, you get to taste the exceptional French toast, the eggs, the bacon (perfectly cooked), the home fries (I didn't know I liked home fries until I had these), and the yogurt dipping sauce. My other favorites are the Bubble and Squeak and the Brunch Crab cakes, both served on unbelievably fresh, moist, and flaky biscuits. But be adventurous, you won't be disappointed. And be sure to say yes to the offer of bread to start - warm lightly fried dough balls rolled in sugar and a dense breakfast loaf. Oh, and try some of their fun brunch drinks.

Always call ahead (703-273-7600) to Artie's, as they are often on a wait. Calling ahead gets your name on the list and starts your wait before you even get there. They only take reservations at off peak hours.

-- S. Coffin