La Note, Berkeley

La Note is in my top 3 breakfast places in the Bay Area. The first time I went there was the first time I was ever in this area - when I was living in LA and had come up to visit Heather. We had so much fun that day, which started with a huge breakfast of eggs and pancakes and I can't remember what else - but enough that we had to take a stack of pancakes to go. I remember that we attempted to drive out to Stinson Beach after, with our extra food, but got bored of driving and pulled over at some other (closer) beach instead and had a picnic of leftovers. That first trip was when I first started thinking "I should really move to San Francisco" and eventually I came to my senses and did just that (well, Oakland really, at the time). 

When Kev and I first started dating, this is one of the first places I took him in the East Bay. He won extra points for loving it as much as I did. When his parents came to visit a few months later, we took them there too. Guess what? They also loved it. 

Fast forward 5+ years later. Kev and I are now married and living in San Francisco and no longer go to La Note as often. Yesterday his dad John arrived for a visit from Wales. We both took today off and had plans to go to Mama's in North Beach for breakfast. We got there at 10:30, but there was a huge line (I know. There's always a huge line, but it's Friday, don't you people have to work?).  John said: What about that place you took me to in Berkeley?

And so we headed over the bridge to Berkeley, where there was a line at La Note, but we braved the wait and it was so so worth it. The first thing I ever ate at La Note was the Cote Nord (or as we like to call it - eggs on bread) and I still order that 90% of the time. They scramble the eggs so that they are super creamy, and then they are placed on toasted levain bread with either goat cheese or cream cheese. AND they are served with the most amazing roasted tomatoes. 

Both dad and son got ham and cheese omelettes, which were also incredible - and not at all dry. But we weren't done there - we also wanted pancakes. We couldn't decide between the oatmeal raspberry and the lemon gingerbread with poached pears - so we got both. I love that you can opt for just one of each, instead of a whole stack.

You see that empty plate? All of our plates looked just like that. But if that isn't enough to convince you to go, I will leave you with this thought. As we were eating, John said "sometimes at home, I think about this place.  I never thought I'd get to go back".

Go here.