Terra Bella Bakery & Café

This weeks's Sunday morning breakfast started with a search on my iPhone's Yelp app.  The closest restaurant, that was open, was Terra Bella Bakery & Café.  I feel like I should have checked their website first, because it's head says Terra Bella Organic Coffee, Waking the World...Naturally.  If I were a coffee drinker, this would have further encouraged me to go, but sadly, I am not a coffee drinker.

Based on Yelp's advice, my wife, daughter, and I took off for the Dimond location.  The café is very clean and tidy, with a relaxed feel and friendly staff, and they do offer some gluten free baked goods.  Unfortunately, for this foodie, those are the nicest things I can say.

I ordered the Bacon Cheddar Egg Bagel.  The bagel made me feel good at least, as it was a sprouted grain flax bagel.  She sandwich had bacon, egg, and cheddar cheese.  Somehow there managed to be absolutely no flavor to this offering.  The bacon must have been some sort of low sodium variety, because there was little to no savory aspect in this breakfast sandwich.  Like I said, at least the sandwich made me feel good...even if it didn't taste that good.

My wife tried the Grizzly Scramble.  This blend of reindeer sausage and eggs, was inundated with too many onions and roasted red peppers for her to make a dent in the dish.  The only thing she did make a dent in was the side of potatoes...but only after they searched high and low for some ketchup...so she could stomach them.  

My wife did say that her Raspberry Mocha was okay, and my daughter really liked the whipped cream on top.  I guess I found another positive thing to say.


Terra Bella Bakery & Café:

Address - 601 E. Dimond Blvd #6 & 2932 C Street, Anchorage, AK

Website - terrabellacoffee.com

Phone - 907.562.2259 & 907.562.2229

Overall Recommendation:  I am not a coffee drinker, so this place is not really for me.  For the fanatical coffee drinker, Terra Bella may be nirvana.  But for me it's just an average café with average food.

Cafe Amsterdam - European Style in Midtown

I have been meaning to give Cafe Amsterdam a try for some time, but unfortunately, I let my impression of a restaurant be affected by who was recommending it, so I kept putting off.  Pretty stupid on my part.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I packed up our one year old and went out for breakfast.  We planned to go to one of our other favorite restaurants, but at the last second I made the decision to turn into Metro Mall parking lot (across from the Sears Mall), and pulled up to Cafe Amsterdam.  

Going to a new restaurant with a one year old can be considered brave or stupid...I'll let you decide.  Suffice it to say, that our experience at Cafe Amsterdam was positive, and the restaurant and staff were ready to accept us with our little food critic.

I love a good Eggs Benedict, so I was excited to see that Cafe Amsterdam had not one, but a variety of four different Benedict options.  I went with the Moluska Benedict: two poached eggs on English muffin with salmon lox, red onions then topped with hollandaise sauce and capers, and served with cottage potatoes.  I lox, lachs, laks...no matter how you spell it...I love it!  I am also a hollandaise sauce snob.  I was not disappointed with either component of the dish.  I wasn't sure how they would pair, but matching the richness of the lox with that of the hollandaise and yolk left me wanting more.

The only problem with going to breakfast at Cafe Amsterdam is the fact that I could not partake of my favorite Belgian beer, Chimay.  Chimay and a huge variety of other Belgian, local, and international ales and ciders are available on tap or by the bottle.  They also have a healthy variety of meads and wines on their list of beverages.

As for me, I have learned a valuable lesson.  From now on, I won't let my impression of someone else affect my opinion of a restaurant.

Cafe Amsterdam:

Address - 530 E Benson Blvd #3, Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone - 907.274.0074

Website - cafe-amsterdam.com

Overall Recommendation - This is Eurostyle cafe with a great selection of Belgian and local beers.  The food is tasty and the staff is friendly.  Perfect for a late weekend breakfast, but I look forward to going back for lunch or dinner...when I can have some Chimay!

The Sea Bean Cafe - Sunshiny Happiness in Seward

When I found out that one of my coaching colleagues owned a cafe in Seward, Alaska, I was intrigued.  When he showed up at the last swim meet with a copy of his menu, I was sold.  I let Coach Matt Hershock know I would be in for a visit to his Sea Bean Cafe...and soon.  I was looking to spend some quality time with my wife, this seemed like it would be perfect for a day trip.

The item on the menu that attracted me to visit the Sea Bean was the Sunshine Sandwich of Happiness.  This delight is a panini ham, Tillamook cheddar, and macaroni and cheese.  If reading that doesn't put a smile on your face, then you have no culinary soul.  The panini would be good with just the ham and cheese, but with the macaroni and cheese, you elevate it to one of the best comfort foods I have had the pleasure to eat.  My wife and I both loved it!

I also tried the BLT.  Actually I had a BBLT (a little extra bacon!).  This panini featured my double bacon (a special request), lettuce, tomato, as well as Tillamook cheddar, avocado, and red onion.  This panini was a perfect compliment to the soup of the day, which may have been the star of my lunch.  The soup de jour was a Chicken Enchilada Baja, and it was great!  Creamy, savory, spicy....just right!  Perfect for dipping.

Today we visited for lunch, but we might go for breakfast next time.  Sea Bean has a great looking selection of coffee drinks and a nice selection of breakfast and bakery items.  There is even a nice little selection of ice cream and desert options.  Unfortunately for my wife and I, we were too stuffed from our lunch to partake of anything more that the Sea Bean had to offer.  I guess we will just have to go back :)


The Sea Bean Cafe:

Address - 225 4th Ave, Seward, Alaska

Phone - 907.224.6623

Website - seabeancafe.com

email - seabeancafe@gmail.com

Overall Recommendation:  The Sea Bean has a relaxing and inviting vibe.  It's motto is "Sit. Sip. Surf.", and I think it is perfect.  If you are looking for a laid back space with all of the best that a modern day coffee house has to offer, this is the spot.  Great for the locals for sure, but it is even great for a day trip from Anchorage.  The next time you are in Seward, go in, enjoy, and relax.