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Breakfast Elevated to
Brunch Everyday
Providence
Journal Review
Thursday, October 5, 2006
By Gail Ciampa
Journal Food Editor
No
limits. That phrase well applies to The Breakfast Place, a diner-style
spot nestled in the center of Attleboro.
There’s no limit to the imagination of chef-owner
Casey D’Arconte. He has fashioned a menu with eight varieties of eggs
Benedict, including Irish with corned beef hash; six kinds of pancakes
highlighted by Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; and seasonal specials such
as Red Flannel hash (eggs made with prime rib and red beet hash) and
blueberry French toast with lemon cream cheese.
There’s no limit on the times the pleasant servers
will refill a coffee cup or how many old photos of the Attleboros can
adorn the wall. From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day, there is limitless
satisfaction for everyone’s breakfast cravings.
When D’Arconte took over the restaurant three
years ago, the décor had a Marilyn Monroe theme. Today the focus is
on the community, with sports posters and pictures on the walls and
local history books adorning some of the tables. He succeeds in transcending
his humble surroundings in a small strip mall with his lofty ambitions
in the kitchen. When he sees a dessert, he begins contemplating how
it can be reinvented as an omelet or a pancake. It’s his way of jazzing
up breakfast and elevating it to upscale dining.
The creativity of the dishes achieves his stated
goal “to make it brunch every day of the week.” But ingredients alone
aren’t compelling without the execution. D’Arconte and chef Jeff Miller
have that down pat.
For the Irish Eggs Benedict ($6.50), poached
eggs are taken to the height of perfection, meaning runny in the middle
but firm on the side. They sit atop a crispy English muffin with a buttery
Hollandaise sauce and are accompanied by homemade corned beef hash.
The meat is nicely shredded and seasoned well, and complemented with
just the right amount of potato slivers.
The blueberry pancakes ($4.95) are a stack of
three, large enough to fill a dinner plate. They need no syrup to accent
their goodness. Fluffy, light and with just the right number of blueberries,
the butter is the only topping one needs. A make-your-own omelet with
chourico, kielbasa and provolone ($5.75) is elevated when the eggs are
so fluffy, the omelet puffs up high off the dish. Everything is made
to order, said D’Arconte, which is why every omelet starts with cracking
three fresh eggs in a bowl.
A second make-your-own omelet with spinach, tomatoes
and Cheddar cheese ($5.75) is equally airy. But this one is topped with
tomato slices and spinach (frozen with the recall on all bagged varieties)
as well as stuffed full of veggies.
Egg dishes come with toast — wheat, marble rye,
Italian, raisin, white or English muffin — and home fries. For my taste,
those were the only misstep. There was too much skin and not enough
potato.
A side of bacon ($2.50) is four slices. Our server
asked whether we wanted that crispy, something most people truly appreciate.
For some of us, undercooked, fatty bacon can ruin a breakfast. But for
others, a crispy slice is a turn-off. So asking is a nice, albeit rare,
touch in the breakfast world.
The Breakfast Place does a lot of takeout and
we noticed a lot of comings and goings as we sat in our comfortable
booth. It seats five and it’s the only booth, with tables offering seating
for about 40 and seven stools at the breakfast counter. D’Arconte said
it’s not unusual for dads in pajamas to come in to pick up a large breakfast
order for the family.
That’s a side of the food world he hasn’t seen
before. D’Arconte graduated from the New England Culinary Institute
in Vermont. His culinary education took him to Rotterdam, Holland, and
an apprenticeship at a French hotel. Back in New England, he was sous
chef at Chillingsworth in Brewster on Cape Cod. He cooked for Bob Burke
at Pot au Feu before getting into the food sales business.
Now, he’s glad to be back cooking three days
a week and sharing the duties with Miller. Breakfast lovers should be,
too.
BILL OF FARE
A breakfast
for two at The Breakfast Place might look like this:
2 coffees…$3.50
Omelet with three meats and cheese…$6.75
Wild Blueberry pancakes…$4.95
Side of bacon…$2.50
Total food and drink…$17.70
Massachusetts 5 percent tax…$0.88
Tip…$3.60
Total bill…$22.18
The Breakfast Place,
187 Pleasant St., Attleboro. (508) 226-5680.
Diner-style. Handicapped accessible. Highchairs. Open daily 6 a.m. to
2 p.m. Free parking lot. Cash only. Breakfast sandwiches $3.50-$5.95,
egg platters $3.25 to $8.25 and omelets $4.75 to $7.95. Lunch dishes
$3.75-$6.95. Coffee $1.75.
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Food
& Dining - The Breakfast Place
By
Betsy Nazar
The Hometown News
November 30, 2006
Brunch
is not just for Sundays anymore. Casey D’Arconte, chef-owner of Attleboro’s
popular diner-style “The Breakfast Place” described his restaurant as
“brunch everyday”. If variety is the spice of life, “The Breakfast Place”
offers up a veritable feast for the palate. The eclectic and creative
menu reflects D’Arconte’s well rounded experience in the restaurant
and hospitality industries. A graduate of Attleboro High School’s culinary
arts program he furthered his education at the prestigious New England
Culinary Institute in Vermont. From there he went on to serve as chef
at an exclusive Cape Cod restaurant and Providence’s Pot au Feu. Looking
to learn more about the business side of the restaurant industry he
worked in sales and marketing for a large food distributor. He dove
into the role of restaurant owner three years when “The Breakfast Place”
was up for sale. D’Arconte explains “Knowing a hometown restaurant was
for sale was an opportunity I could not resist. We built on the ideas
of the previous owner and made it a more refined, diverse and creative
place.”
A
creative culinary mastermind, D’Arconte has crafted an extensive menu
with unique offerings. Along with the traditional brunch items, D’Arconte
and Chef Jeff Miller offer up”a variation on a theme” with innovative
dishes such as Blade meat Omelet, Portugese skillets, and variations
of eggs Benedict, Banana Split and Reese’s penut butter pancakes. For
traditional brunch aficionados French toast, wild blueberry pancakes,
breakfast sandwiches and platters are popular. The diet conscious will
appreciate a low carb skillet and grilled cinnamon apples alternatives.
In addition to its standard menu, D’Arconte challenges his kitchen team
with monthly specials such as oatmeal raison pancakes, pumpkin walnut
pancakes, and red flannel hash (eggs with prime rib and red beet hash).
He admits that the changing dozen of monthly specials makes for it both
“stressful and fun” for his staff. A testament to his culinary ingenuity,
D’Arconte brags, “In three years I have not repeated a monthly special.”
By popular demand of his faithful regulars, he is bringing back some
old favorites however. Craving breakfast at noon? The Breakfast Place
fittingly serves breakfast all day.
From
10:30am, until closing at 2:00pm the lunch menu is served. Served with
a choice of fries, onion rings, or side salad, lunch platters include
a blade meat sandwich, steak bomb, and a signature Attleburger.
Commenting
on the décor of his restaurant, D’Arconte animatedly described the wall
mural of old Attleboro and community themed antique photos of the city.
He recounted diners enjoyment of the old city scenes. Adding to the
sense of community as The Breakfast Place, patrons are welcome to browse
the book selection, taking one and contributing one. The Breakfast Place
is family-friendly with booster seats, high chairs, coloring books and
crayons on hand for its youngest diners. D’Arconte described the faithfulness
of his weekend regulars, saying the staff recognizes patrons by their
usual orders, saying “here comes the two sunny with bacon guy”.
When
asked what makes his restaurant different from others, he confidently
replied, “I think it’s all about the food. My staff and I have a high
quality standard and pride ourselves on our changing creative specials.
My staff stay here because they are challenged by the creative side
of food. We make everything to order, a la carte which adds to the quality
of our food.”
His
sense of satisfaction as owner was apparent when he remarked, “I enjoy
when people mention they enjoyed our food.”
Hungry
yet? Visit The Breakfast Place on 197 Pleasant Street (Rt. 123) in Attleboro.
508-226-5680
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