By: Kathleen Mclean
FB: @kathleenmclean
I’ve been to Cafe 21 in the Gaslamp for brunch twice in the last month. The BLT is to die for! And the ambiance is so chill. It’s completely entertaining to sit on 5th Avenue at an outside table people watching. The hustle and bustle of tourists, the homeless, and a few bleary eyed people rushing home to end their Saturday night are so interesting to me. We always go to brunch between 2-2:30 pm. We find if you hit up the tail end of brunch we never have to wait and always get a good table. And this is just what we did on our adventure to Cafe 21.
Their drinks are like no other. They have many gigantic Sangria dispensers holding every type of Sangria one could imagine. They have a mimosa flight that’s in the shape of a tower showcasing a variety of flavors. And the Bloody Mary’s… don’t get me started. They are garnished with little-grilled cheese sandwiches, ’nuff said. There’s a drink for everyone.
The food is delicious. The brunch menu is unusual as they serve prosciutto instead of bacon. I personally love prosciutto. It is a tad bit salty but, I’m a huge fan. I ordered the PLT with avocado. It was mouth watering amazing. Best BLT (PLT) I’ve ever had. The bread is kind of rough on your gums but, the result is worth the pain. The only way to describe the scrapes on the roof of my mouth is to compare it to eating Captain Crunch. My husband and kids ordered pancakes, eggs, and french toast. They all gave thumbs up reviews. The pancakes were light and fluffy, and the french toast wasn’t too eggy.
The waitstaff was helpful and super nice. They gave us great advice on selections. They did get our orders wrong both times we’ve been. But, I don’t think it’s them. The kitchen just isn’t getting the orders right. This is the reason I will most likely not be back anytime soon. Once, is a mistake, twice is a habit. Do better kitchen! Everything else is great.
