Weekend Fifty: Cup of Joe Café

So, we had left our secret location some time ago and set out to find adventure at the Victoria Lindy Exchange. Hungry for brunch, but in unfamiliar surroundings, we looked about for a little hole-in-the-wall diner, finished in cheery colours, with eclectic music and whimsically-named brunch plates. Just a short walk from our temoprary secret location in Victoria, we found the Cup of Joe Café.

Tucked into the bottom floor of a mall in James Bay, we were initially apprehensive. It has been quite a while since we lived in Victoria, and you know how much can change in the restaurant world in even a few years! We headed inside and found a table.

Our server was quick with the menus, and we settled in to see what was on offer. Whimsical names? Check. Who wouldn't want to eat at a place that serves dishes named "A Fistful of Mushrooms," The Prince Charles," or "Mr. BLT?" (Mr. BLT's tagline says "Pity the fool who doesn't know a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich!") Blah blah orange juice and coffee as usual.

Seeing as how we were enjoying a weekend of jazz music and dancing, there was only one real selection for me: The Benny Goodman. It comes with bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, roasted garlic (in large pieces, eek!) and hollandaise sauce made with basil pesto for $11. I'd recommend both Mr. Goodman's music and his Benny without hesitation. His breakfast does come with toast and potatoes, providing a more complete nutritive experience, but the music lasts longer under normal usage conditions.

While a breakfast Benny is usually Catie's specialty, she was distracted by another taste sensation. Her eye was caught by The Epic Trilogy ($10.) Not unlike other trilogies we may know, it starts strong with 3 eggs, moves to 3 bacon, and ends with sausages. Of course, there was also toast and potatoes involved. She reports that the bacon was not as crispy as it could have been, but that the eggs were very fresh and the sausages tasty. As I had to help her get through the trilogy, I can agree - breakfast sausages are a wonderful thing. Thank heavens for no food equivalent of Jar Jar Binks, too.

In Cup of Joe, one's eye is drawn to the decorations. There are the usual mirrors, framed art, and local event posters, but there are also numerous signatures, cartoons, and secret messages. We wondered if just anyone was allowed to write on their walls, and while I was paying, Catie borrowed a Sharpie and left our own little picture by the front windows. Not a peep was heard from the staff, so we must have gotten away with it!

So, the next time you're in Victoria, pop by Cup of Joe and put your mark on a fine breakfast eatery!