Montamara Kitchen had been on our radar for a little over a month. Two friends had eaten breakfast there and sent a photo of one of the breakfast items, while they dined. It was a traditional Eggs Benedict - "POACHED EGGS, TOASTED ENGLISH MUFFIN, HOUSEMADE HOLLAINDAISE, HOUSE ROASTED REDS." It looked worth a try.
I looked over the menu. The Montamara opens from breakfast Tuesday through Sunday. From our friend's description I was surprised to see the restaurant was larger than I had expected. My buddy Jim Harris picked me up for our monthly lunch date. It was a quick trip from the Point Ruston area to the Old Town District.
I love the Old Town area. It's just hundred yards or so from Restaurant Row on Ruston Way and Tacoma's fabulous linier park. My favorite tavern is in Old Town (The Spar) and the Starbuck's where I meet monthly to discuss communications and the Transportation Club of Tacoma is directly across the street for the tavern. Montamara Kitchen is a couple of hundred feet west (and across the street) from The Spar.
I like places that provide breakfast items . . . especially when they provide them all day and so Montamara Kitchen could be a good source for me.
When Jim and I got to lunch it's a liesurely affair. The object is to relax and talk as well as eat. Jim usually has coffee, while I usually order Coke or Pepsi depending upon who distributes to the restaurant. We're in no hurry to order, but I usually know what I want to order. I wait for Jim.
After the third time the waitress checked on us, we ordered. Jim chose the Cubano. This is actually a favorite of mine. Although I mostly fine Cuban food pretty bland, the Americanized Cubano is very tasty. I might normally order it, but when visiting a new restaurant I try something a little bit different.
Jim enjoyed his sandwich. He often orders a salad, but not always. I like to see his responses.
Before visiting a new restaurant, I like to look over the website. I like to make sure the restaurant is still operating and open on the day I plan to visit. This confirmation doesn't always pan out, but my checking makes life easier for me.
On the website I looked over the menu and knew what I wanted, although it wasn't breakfast. I ordered the "Grilled Ham with Jam." I like fig jam (we have three jars in our cupboards and "fridge"). The ham and jam had been removed from their handed out menu and was no longer available. Second choice was the turkey and avacado with jam sandwich.
Minutes later the waitress returned with the news that they were all out of jam. It's very popular with their biscuits. Jam doesn't usually go bad, so it seems a little strange the restaurant doesn't have enough jam in stock to handle walk-in trade. There were only three other people in the restaurant at noon. I had looked at the menu on-line and at the restaurant menu, so asked for my third choice, "I'll take the Grilled Goat."
The pickle was excellent. I asked for an received a cup of sour cream to go along with the crispy potato chips. After the third or fourth bite of the sandwich, and not tasting goat I called the waitress over to ask about the meat. Evidently, I didn't read the fine print. The sandwich features "goat cheese" and not "goat meat" although the all caps description says "GRILLED GOAT." I was offered a substitute, but for me it was stike three.
I'll return for breakfast with Peg, just to see what they offer, have, and deliver. I think they serve a sausage gravy . . . one of my favorites . . . and biscuits with fig jam, maybe.
