Whenever I wake up on a day off and it's raining, I really enjoy eating breakfast out. There is something special about a breakfast on a rainy day: You don't feel guilty about missing something done outdoors and the "we're all in the same boat" atmosphere seems to bring a restaurant's clientele into a cozy, let's-relax-because-we-don't-have-to-rush attitude. It's a wonderful effect for everyone.
Sunday, June 11, was the perfect rainy-day scenario with the folks at the weather channel issuing a 90 percent chance of rain forecast for the entire day. My companions and I decided to try Bopie's Café at 1821 San Marco Road — next to the Tokyo Inn in the Shops of Marco plaza.
When we arrived we really felt welcome and the aroma of fresh coffee and bacon didn't exactly make you want to turn around and head back out into the rain! Our server and host, Nicki, seated our party promptly, took drink orders and passed around menus. Coffee arrived a moment later with a big glass of water — that we didn't even order — I love it when the wait staff remembers to bring water!
As we sipped our coffees, several items seemed to jump off the menu. I am an omelet lover and the idea of designing my own masterpiece is always appealing.
Bopie's offers three-egg omelets with a choice of three ingredients for $6.50 and four-item omelets for $8. I chose ham, Swiss cheese and green peppers. The omelet comes with a choice of toast or biscuit and home fries. The home fries were red-skinned potatoes with grilled green peppers thrown in for good measure — they were wonderful!
One of my tablemates ordered French toast with a side of blueberry pancakes and instantly commented, "Wow, you can tell these blueberries are fresh!"
The French toast looked great with powdered sugar on top, but didn't stay on the plate long enough for further examination.
Another, less ravenous of my culinary partners ordered the Bopie's breakfast specialty — one-dish wonders — which was a large enough portion for two. The one-dish wonders can also be personally designed and features home fries with bacon and cheddar or potatoes and crumbled sausage for $6. Add another 50 cents and get crumbled biscuit with scrambled eggs or corned beef hash with hollandaise. Two of my tablemates ordered the one-dish wonder with bacon and cheddar. It was wonderful, but the real show-stopper was the homemade biscuits — they might have been the best we ever tasted.
Special to the Islander
Bopie's offers three-egg omelets with a choice of three ingredients for $6.50 and four-item omelets for $8.
Another item that tempted the taste buds was the Eggs Benny: poached eggs and ham on an English muffin covered with hollandaise and served with those delightful red-skinned home fries or grits.
Smaller appetites are considered on a portion of the menu entitled Jordan's Friends: for patrons 10 and under.
Sweet-tooth enthusiasts will be pleased with the Cinnabon Pretzel with icing, as morning cocktailers will appreciate the readily available Mimosa with orange juice and splits of champagne. Beer and wine are also available.
Bopie's Café is open from 6:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. seven days a week. Breakfast is served all day and lunch begins after 11 a.m.
Weekday luncheon specials are: Monday, meatloaf; Tuesday, Bopie's choice; Wednesday, Italian; Thursday, pot roast; Friday, seafood.
Bopie's prices for breakfast range between $4 and $9 and up to $10 for lunch. Private parties are welcome and takeout is available — call 642-0400.
At the end of our breakfast with everyone feeling fine, I asked our server Nicki, "Why do people come here?"
She answered without a blink, "Because it's like family with friends."
Bopie's is like family and friends with Chef Opal masterminding in the kitchen. "Bopie" is Opal's nickname. She and her husband, Rob, have a great staff and offer service with a genuine smile to everyone who comes in—rain or shine!
The setting is warm and unique and when I asked one of my tablemates what she thought of the décor she replied, "Bopie's is provincial with a wink."
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