ALL'S FARE Top to bottom: The Greektown Frittata is one of many egg options; waffles topped with fried catfish and chocolate chips are a house fa- vorite; Godiva Chocolate Mousse Cake. Above right The dining room is bright and airy. A downtown destination provides the breakfast of champions — and then some. BY JEFFREY HERMANN I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN ntering the Detroit Breakfast House & Grill is — as the owners intended — a comfort- ing experience. Visitors are greeted by a friendly hostess; to the left, a glowing fireplace, sofas and a newspaper-strewn coffee table beckon. The clientele — a mix of business suits, mothers and chil- dren, well-dressed groups sharing food family-style and lone diners in jeans and leather jackets — provides a low-key bustling atmosphere. While the front of the restaurant, set off by angled, floor- to-ceiling pillars breaking up swaths of light from the large front windows, may put you in mind of the skyscrapers just outside the front door, the rear of the room is more serene, the simple pastels on the large wall not unlike the light of an early, cloud-streaked morning. But enough of that. People are hungry. Which is a good condition to arrive in. Breakfast is covered from several angles, from traditional pancake, French toast and egg options to heartier plates of filet and eggs and strip steak and eggs. Omelets are offered in almost infinite variations. Though the staff might rec- ommend the popular jambalaya omelet, another standout is the Southern Omelet — with corned-beef hash, carmelized onions and Cheddar cheese. Benedicts come in classic, smoked salmon, turkey E 6 • APRIL 2006 • JNPLATINUM sausage and crabcake incarnations; frit- tatas are offered up a la New Orleans (shrimp, pepper and onions smothered in Creole sauce), the "Greektown" (spinach, feta cheese, peppers, kalamata olives, potatoes and tomatoes) and more. Though the house pancakes more than pass muster, the bananas Foster pancakes will be a letdown for anyone expecting pancakes accompanied by the traditional bananas cooked in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and rum, then served with vanilla ice cream; they're simply pancakes with diced bananas and banana-flavored syrup. Repeat visits are the only solution to having to choose from eight different kinds of waffle, among them: pecan, chocolate chip, apple and banana nut, double chocolate, the bacon waffle and the Vernor's ginger ale-malted waffle. Looking around the dining room, it's hard to find a waffle-less plate. Though lighter fare does make an appearance, the menu is decidedly stick-to-your-ribs, which shouldn't be a surprise since it's the latest endeavor in eating from the Southern Hospitality Restaurant Group. "There was a need for this in Detroit," says Frank Taylor, one of three restaurateurs (along with Jerry Nottage and former Detroit Lion Robert Porcher) who form the group and are behind several well-reviewed Detroit restaurants, including Seldom Blues. "Several restaurants opened here in the past three years; none focused on breakfast," Taylor explains. "It's the most important meal of the day." Just as there is more to breakfast than eggs over easy, hash browns and toast, there is more to the Detroit Breakfast House than breakfast. The lunch menu (both breakfast and lunch are served all day) features several sandwiches, salads and pastas. But the real stars of the second-most-important meal of the day are the fried chicken or catfish fillet, both of which are served atop a waffle. The combo might seem odd, but it has a long history — possibly originating in Harlem in the 1930s — and has lasted this long for good reason. You'll hear few complaints from din- ers — though my dining companion asserted that the chicken didn't measure up to his grandmother's recipe. The catfish, served in enormous, down-home portions and fried in a perfectly spiced cornmeal coating, is outstanding. A neighboring guest confessed that, on this her sixth visit, she had yet to stray from the dish, except to alternate between ac- companying it with a waffle or a pan- cake. The restaurant also has a full bar, al- lowing brunch-time visitors to round out a meal with a mimosa or bloody Mary. If you still have room, end the experience with Apple Brown Betty, Fresh Berry Shortcake or Chocolate Mousse Cake. Located a block north of Campus Martius on the street level of the Lofts at Merchants Row, the restaurant is close to several parking areas and just a quick walk from the Renaissance Center and other downtown hubs. "We wanted it to be not just a city restaurant but for every- one," explains Taylor, who hopes that the newly developed section of the city will continue to draw visitors from outside the city and continued investments and growth. Still in the midst of its long, slow re- covery, Detroit can be said to lack many things. But as of October 2005 what it does not lack is an upscale — and uplift- ing — breakfast destination. ❑ Detroit Breakfast House & Grill 1241 Woodward Ave., Detroit detroitbreakfasthouse.com (313) 961-1115 Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.