Sherman's Food Adventures: Cafe du Berry

Cafe du Berry

Ah yes, Cafe du Berry. This is not the first time visiting this quaint place. Last year, I joined Costanza and Snake on a golf trip to Portland. We were directed to this out-of-the-way French bistro by the conceirge at the Avalon Hotel. It happened to be an excellent recommendation because we would have never known about it otherwise. Today, Viv and I planned to shop til we dropped at the Woodburn Outlets. Therefore, we needed to grab some breakfast along the way. Due to some intricate planning, Cafe du Berry was perfectly situated along our route to Woodburn. From the outside, Cafe du Berry looks more like a corner store than a French bistro; but do not let first impressions deceive you. Okay fine, when you first enter the place, it ain't too impressive either. Mind you, there is a nice mural on one wall and it's presented as nice as it possibly can under the circumstances. It is indeed quaint since it only has barely 5 tables inside and an outdoor patio.

Despite not being the most visually appealing restaurant, Cafe du Berry dishes up some really good eats for a modest price. Last time I was here, I remembered that the breakfast was both plentiful and rich. Today, I was hoping that it would be a little less rich because I didn't want to feel bloated while shopping. I guess my brain and stomach do not communicate effectively because I went for the Steak & Eggs. That's right, I picked the most filling meal. I guess "fruit salad" doesn't exist in my vocabulary.

Atop perfectly scrambled eggs, lay a decent-sized striploin smothered in Hollandaise. Great, my filling meal got just a bit more filling! Oh, but with every bite of each piece of juicy steak, I could savour the slightly tart and buttery Hollandaise. Pure heaven. The "hashbrown" was okay; but it wasn't as crispy as it looked and it was a bit bland. Nothing ketchup couldn't solve! I really enjoyed this dish except that the medium-rare steak I had requested was closer to medium. No matter, the steak was still extremely tender. Viv opted for the Salmon Benedict since she thought it would be "smaller". Well, if you call 2 English muffins underneath a whole fillet of Sockeye salmon topped with 2 perfectly poached eggs and a blanket of Hollandaise sauce "smaller". Although Viv is a bit indifferent towards Hollandaise sauce, she really liked this one since it didn't seem heavy. There was a good amount of tartness which probably balanced the richness of the butter and egg yolks. Underneath the sauce lay (sorry for the pun) 2 runny poached eggs. This is what eggs benny is all about! Despite being a tad overcooked, the Sockeye salmon was flavourful in a way only Spring salmon can dream about.

Another great breakfast at Cafe du Berry. It's definitely something different than the regular bacon and eggs in a truly interesting venue. Service is refreshingly sincere and friendly. Afterall, it's run by a husband and wife team, how much more personal can you get? There you have it, Cafe du Berry - good French food at modest prices.

The Good:
- Generous portions
- Reasonable prices
- Food made with care

The Bad:
- It's small, fills up quickly
- You ain't coming here for the decor

Cafe Du Berry on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

eereddekopp said...

Cafe Du Berry is one of my favorite locations for breakfast in all of the Portland area. I have such a hard time deciding between the Vegetable Frittata and the French Toast. (I don't eat meat,otherwise it would be an even bigger dilemma.) If the party is large enough (or you are convincing enough), I suggest always ordering the French Toast ala carte (minus the half a banana and somewhat disappointing hashbrowns that usually come with the order).

Cafe Du Berry, however, is not as small as it first appears. There is an upstairs with twice the seating as the main level. It's one of my favorite places because--unlike so many Portland breakfast establishments--there is never a wait.

Sherman Chan said...

Thanks for the tip about upstairs! I love Cafe du Berry. Such a hidden gem...

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