Opinions on oatmeal from San Diego to New York from two average hot cereal eaters.
July 31, 2005
Shades
5083 Santa Monica Avenue
San Diego, CA 92107
(Ocean Beach)
Menu Desciption: Hearty Irish Oatmeal. $4.75
Oatmeal served with golden raisins, a pitcher of cold milk, light brown sugar
Temperature: Steaming hot
Served in bright blue crockery -- flat bowl
Appearance: Creamy
Slow cooked, steel cut
Coffee good and hot
Ocean View.
This has become a favorite.
September 4, 2005
Cafe Calabria
30th Street, Near University
North Park, San Diego
Menu Description
Basic Oats, Apple Cinnamon, Brown Sugar
$3.25
Served Hot
Good texture. Rough cut and chewy.
Good flavor
Served with orange slices, strawberry (good), brown sugar already on top.
Ample size
Prefer: Sugar served on the side.
Good coffee. Latte nicely done -- with style.
This, too, was a favorite until oatmeal was dropped from the menu.
October 9, 2005
Cafe 222
222 Island Avenue
San Diego
(Downtown)
We sat outdoors in the annex, which was quite nice.
Menu description: Oatmeal made to order topped with brown sugar and raisins. $5.25
Caramelized with bananas on top. $5.95
Served in a deep bowl.
Appearance: Typical
Texture: Chewy
Flavor: Good
Temperature: Very hot. Invited milk. (We decided that oatmeal should be served so hot that you want to cool it down with milk)
One of us had the caramelized version of oatmeal and was amazed and astounded.
Served in a deep bowl. Serving size was ample.
Fresh orange juice was good.
Coffee was not so good. Mug tasted like soap.
Service was not so good. We had to ask twice for water.
We were on a roll. This, too, has become a favorite.
October 16, 2005
Adam's Steak and Eggs
Hotel Circle
San Diego
Menu Description: Hot oatmeal. Served with a side of raisins, dates, sunflower seeds, almonds, pineapple and coconut. A Jogger's Delight! $4.25
Appearance: Different. Seemed a bit dry and gluey.
Texture: Gluey, not chunky.
Flavor. Not tasty. Instant?
Temperature: Nice and hot.
Toppings: Small plastic cups. Nice, but sparse.
Serving Size: Moderate.
Coffee: Good
Service: Good. Coffee and water arrived quickly.
October 24, 2005
Chickenrest
San Diego
Cute place. Oatmeal ordinary. Served with butter. Little cups of brown sugar and raisins for us to share.
Service: Very good.
This entry is short, because we didn't take our diary in with us.
October 30, 2005
Rudfords
2900 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego
"Open since 1949"
Menu Description: Cooked ceral with milk. $3.75
Appearance: Served with cups of milk and plastic containers of butter, brown sugar and raisins.
Texture: Gluey.
Flavor. Neutral. Instant?
Temperature: Tepid
Serving Size: Large
Coffee: Institutional
Service: Slow initially.
Raisins on the side were good. Sweet and soft.
Music: Good. Old Motown, etc.
November 27, 2005
DZ Akins
Interstate 8 Near 70th Street
San Diego
Menu description: Hot cereal (raisins, milk, brown sugar) $3.95
Presentation: Lots of raisins, brown sugar and milk served first. Presented in saucers. Metal pitcher for milk. Brown sugar - coarse type.
The hot cereal looked like a pancake overlapping the edges of a shallow bowl. Not attractive.
Temperature: Hot
Texture: Creamy but chewy
Taste: Good
Coffee: Decent, not good
Service: Good and prompt. "I'll keep an eye on your coffee."
December 11, 2005
Golden Hill Cafe
Corner of 25th and C
San Diego
(Golden Hill)
Menu Description: Oatmeal. $2.75/$3.75
On board outside: Oatmeal special with toat and coffee. $4,95.
Flavor: Good
Texture: Chewy. Does not appear to be Irish oats.
Served in a deep bowl on a saucer. Ample.
Presentation: Small crockery containers of raisins, brown sugar and milk (cute small glasses of milk)
Temperature: Hot
Overall: Good
Coffee: Not too good, small cups
Service: Generally prompt. Showed surprise at the order of two oatmeals. Water was slow in coming. Good about returning to refill coffee.
Neighborhood feel. Several police were there.
Cafe features: Chilequiles.
December 18, 2005
Frank's Happy Chef
Fairmont Avenue
San Diego
"Food fit for the gods."
"No oatmeal today"
Weak coffee.
This restaurant went out of business shortly after this.
January 1, 2006
Cafe Cabaret
Adams Avenue
San Diego
Description: On blackboard Oatmeal $3.00
Choice: Brown sugar, cranberries, raisins (one of us)
Maple sugar (the other)
Presentation: Nice rectangular white plate; big bowl, not much oatmeal; plastic spoon.
Temperature: Tepid
Texture: Seemed instant
Coffee. Regular coffee came in a paper cup. Hot, not much flavor
Cafe au Lait came in a real cup. Nicely presented and foamy.
Bohemian atmosphere. Nice collection of old sofas and chairs. Good musice.
January 8, 2006
Living Room
University Avenue (East, near SDSU)
San Diego
Menu Description: Oatmeal with raisins and Milk. $3.00
We ordered at the counter and pick up coffee at the counter.
Decaf: Hot, but tasted stale and bitter.
Regular coffee; Not too hot. Reasonable taste.
Presentation: Real cups and saucers; real bowl and plate. Lots of milk in a paper cup; raisins already in the oatmeal; brown sugar (light brown) in a plastic tub; all dishes white; metal table ware
Oatmeal taste: One of us -- very good. The other -- Not extraordinary.
Temperature: Hot
January 23, 2006
Family House
Third Avenue
Chula Vista, California
Menu Description: Hot or cold cereal $2.75
Appearance; Globular. Gluey.
Texture: See above.
Taste: Tastes better than it looks.
Temperature: Hot
Toppings: Presented in paper tubs. Small metal pitcher of milk.
Presentation: Oatmeal served in a white bowl on a saucer. Metal tableware.
Serving Size: OK
Service: Good
Coffee: Hot. Not flavorful.
This restaurant is very popular. It was packed. It is known for pancakes. The room was very cold.
January 29, 2006
We ventured to Tierrasanta.
We found zip squat.
A land without oatmeal.
We ended up eating at
Spice House Cafe "Since 1962"
9035 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard
San Diego
(Kearny Mesa)
Menu Description: "Side Orders" Hot or cold cereal. $3.25
Appearance: Creamy, not globuloar.
Texture: Ordinary'
Flavor: OK
Generally: Middle of the road oatmeal.
Toppings: Paper cups of raisins and brown sugar; butter patty; small plastic glass of milk.
Serving size: Ample (served in a beige bowl)
Service: Very good and very fast.
A classic American cafe with oldies playing.
The oatmeal was similar in appearance to the Family House (last week), but tasted slightly better, and had a bit more texture.
March 19, 2006
Shades
Ocean Beach
San Diego
Once again, very good.
March 12, 2006
Parkhouse Eatery
Park Boulevard
University Heights
San Diego
Menu Description: Hot porridge, baked with brown rice, oats, apples and maple, served with lo-fat milk. $6.95
Appearance: Big bowl, two strawberries, cantelope
Texture: Chewy but granular
Flavor: Good. Sweet without sugar
Temperature: Steaming hot
Serving size: Large
Coffee: Tepid, strong. Served in industrial mug with wide lip. Difficult to sip.
April 30, 2006
30th Near University
North Park
San Diego
One again. Very good.
May 7, 2006
Cafe 222
San Diego
Served in a smaller, deeper bowl than last time. Again, both the regular oatmeal and the caramelized topping oatmeal were very good.
May 14, 2006
Java Depot
Highway 101
Solana Beach, California
Menu Description: Oatmeal Small $3.00 Large $4.00 Add walnuts, raisins or bananas $.75 each
Appearance: Good
Texture: OK. Instant?
Flavor: OK
Temperature: Hot
Presentaiton: Bowl of milk and bowl of otameal on bigger oval plate. Whte enamel.
Coffee: Good and hot.
May 21, 2006
Shades
Ocean Beach
Service: Good. The waitress remembered us.
The oatmeal was not as good this time. It was a bit lumpy, and was not hot enough. The waitress told us that there was a different cook. We learned that the cook can make a difference.
May 28, 2006
Cafe Incredible/ Incredible Egg
Mercado
Rancho Bernardo, California
Menu Description: A bowl of hot oatmeal served with sliced apples, brown sugar, raisins and milk $4.95
Appearance: Good.
Texture: A bit mushy.
Flavor: OK
Temperature: Not hot
Serving size: Good -- deep bowl
Presentation: Nice; Fresh brown sugar. Cooked with the apples in the oatmeal.
Service: Fast and pleasant.
Coffee: Average. Hot enough. Decent taste.
February 5, 2006
Westgate Hotel
Downtown
San Diego
Menu Description: Oatmeal with golden raisins and brown sugar. $6.50
Restaurant: Cloth tablecloths, green and white china, heavy silverware, classical music
Temperature: Hot
Presentation: Green plate in the middle with two pichers of milk and little china holders for raisins and brown sugar. Paper doily. Skim milk. Cinnamon on top.
Flavor: Good.
Appearance: Very creamy.
Coffee: Good. Moderately hot.
June 11, 2006
Cereal Port.
Near SDSU in San Diego
Instant Oatmeal served in chinese take-out containers.
Plastic spoons.
This was a cereal specialty restaurant with computers. It did not last long, but we enjoyed the morning.
June 17, 2006
Glenwood Cafe
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Menu Description: Hot cereal served with butter and half and half. $3.00.
Choice of Cream of Wheat or Oatmeal
Oatmeal was served on a white crockery oval plate with a white crockery bowl. Fresh brown sugar was in a plastic tub; a small tub of Country Crok and a small box of Sun Maid raisins. Small red glass of half and half.
Appearance: Creamy with chunks.
Temperature: Hot
Flavor: Good to very good
June 18, 2006
Hotel Colorado
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
"The Queen of the Rockies"
Menu Description: Bowl of Oatmeal $3.95 "Rib Stickin' Oatmeal"
Small elegant breakfast room. Reasonably prompt service.
Appearance: Heaping bowl of oatmeal in a white bowl.
Toppings: Fresh brown sugar. Golden raisins were hard and not fresh. Milk in a small bowl (it was hard to pour from the bowl)
Texture: Relatively dry. The milk on the side was necessary.
Temperature: Tepid
Flavor: Good
Coffee: Good flavor. Tepid.
July 30, 2006
Shades
Ocean Beach
Once again, good. This time, the oatmeal seemed a bit lumpy. One of us liked the lumpiness, one of us didn't.
September, 2006
We were sad to learn that Cafe Calabria was no longer serving oatmeal.
20:37
Articles
