Eddy's Cafe serves breakfast and lunch in a blink of the eye

Restaurant critic

VIRGINIA BEACH

Eddy’s Cafe, in Red Mill Commons, had a steady flow of customers on the Sunday afternoon we visited. Churchgoers, beachcombers and late risers  chatted in booths as food was delivered quickly.    

A Belgian waffle ($5.49), without the $1.79 add-on for strawberry or blueberry topping, was thick, light in color and lacking the sweet nuance I enjoy. Land O’ Lakes butter packets and syrup helped to satiate my daughter’s waffle craving.  

Eggs Benedict with crab meat delivered two soft-poached eggs coated with hollandaise atop crab meat and English muffin halves that were not toasted. 

By the time our server circulated by us to receive our complaint about the untoasted muffins, one had been consumed; she offered a “do-over.” We requested only one. Another soft-poached egg was delivered with yet another untoasted muffin half. We again craved a properly toasted, pleasurable muffin crisp that could well support a soft yolk. Accompanying “golden hash browns” were tasteless, mashed boiled potatoes with no color from griddle time.    

The kids’ burger ($3.29), plenty big enough, was grilled on a griddle to well done, as it should be for children. Accompanying hot fresh fries were a terrific match.  Owing to its size, we asked if we had received a kids’ one.  She told us it was the same as the regular one, listed as “All American Angus Chuck Burger” ($5.99) with increased pricing for add-ons, such as cheese ($6.39), bacon and cheese ($6.99) and a surcharge of 75 cents for grilled mushrooms. 

The chicken salad plate ($6.99), a generous portion of white meat and celery bound by enough mayonnaise, included cottage cheese and potato salad . We chose that option over cole slaw and pasta salad, because our server said “it might be homemade.” It came on a lettuce bed with orange slices, red grapes and Saltine packages on the side. 

The salad plate was satisfying despite the commercial potato salad with too much vinegar and a bad lettuce leaf. 

We wanted the “homemade dessert of the day” ($2.99), but we learned that they seldom have it. 

Servers lacked menu knowledge and were perfunctory to cranky – with the exception of one.  

Affordable pricing of familiar breakfast and lunch fare served anytime fast – without being fast food – appears to be the appeal of Eddy’s.

Tammy G. Jaxtheimer, flavor@pilotonline.com