Not quite yet

A much anticipated Balboa Cafe opened in Mill Valley some months ago. Dad and I had the opportunity for brunch there last weekend. The only signage is in the small alley, as is the entrance, so unless you know where it is, you may miss it.

The brunch menu was rather brief, and not vegetarian friendly. There were a lot of breakfast dishes (with meat), a hamburger, and chicken sandwich offered on the entree side of the menu. The other side of the menu wasn't much better. For vegetarians, a choice of Caesar salad or going to the side dishes, roasted red potatoes for lunch anyone? Dad and I tried the calamari fritti which was hot and crunchy, and we enjoyed it as a starter.

I ordered French Toast. Hmmm... I have to say I was disappointed. It seemed more like 'Cajun Blackened' French toast. It was made with Brioche and it was DRY as well as black. The fruit was good though, fresh and sweet. The waiter did ask during the meal if everything was alright, however, since I couldn't see a fix for this as there really wasn't anything else on the menu that appealed to me, I kept silent.

Dad had the Omelet of the Day, which came with a salad and was filled with sausage, cheddar cheese, green peppers and onion. It left a large orange greasy puddle under it, which indicated to me it was probably not very healthy fat wise. Dad said it was 'ok', damning by faint praise. I never did feel comfortable inside, it felt rather disjointed and soulless. The interior appeared like a cheapish convention hotel type decor with fake wood. I kept touching the wood trying to figure out if it were real - I couldn't tell, but the ambiance felt plasticy. I'm not encouraged, but will try a regular lunch or dinner sometime to see if this experience was just a fluke.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 10/29/2008