strawberries in paris

Cafe Golden West

A couple of weeks ago, Ned and I were craving some sunday brunch and we decided on our old haunt! Cafe Golden West, which is smack dab in the heart of Hampden (aka Hon` land in Bawlmer ).   When we were both going to Hopkins we used to frequent this joint very often, but now that I’m in Towson, the inspiration to go there doesn’t occur to us very often.

This place is definitely a hipster joint- greasy spoon, with “new” mexican food (breakfast is their specialty) and they do it well!  The ambience is so cool, they have the neatest and most creative things adorning this space, very true to the hipster Hampden decor.  Check out our blurry brunch selections below!

Ned got the Huevos Montuleños- ‘two fried eggs and beans atop two whole kernel yellow corn cakes with chile sauce, feta cheese, salsa fresca, a fried banana and a flour tortilla.’ He plowed through this! And when I was fully sugar satiated with my french toast, I dug in too! The fresh salsa fresca is just divine. Their beans and polenta cakes are delicious too. Ned usually got the breakfast burrito, but I guess he decided to go daring that day! The portions are huge and everything in the mexican realm for breakfast items are very reminiscent of things that I have had in Mexico.

I got my ol standby- I actually think I have never ordered anything else! Quite a great food reviewer- aren’t I?? So maybe once I got the chocolate chip pancakes, but alas I digress. The awesome thing about this french toast -  with ‘New System Bakery cinnamon swirl bread, topped with granny smith apples sautéed in honey and butter, topped with vanilla crème fraiche.’ is that it uses the New System bakery cinnamon bread (well duh Elizabeth it was just written right there!). So the week before I got this, I had stopped by Hampden to get some chocolate at Ma Petite Shoe and I was a bit early for the store so I went down to the bakery and got some cinnamon bread and thoroughly enjoyed it for breakfast all the next week! So when I arrived at Golden West and read that this french toast that I have been eating for like 6 years uses the local cinnamon bread, I was pleasantly surprised.

This french toast is amazing. It is soooo sopped up in butter and honey and creme fraiche delicousness, I can only usually eat half of it. And the reheats later are usually decent! The contrast between the tart apples and sweet bread with sweet sauce is just great.  So go hang out with hipsters and eat some awesome breakfast food!