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The Pause That Refreshes

Christopher Gardner Meals on Wheel: A cook checks the orders at Intermission Cafe. Breakfast deals and other daily specials take a starring role at the Intermission Cafe By Broos Campbell THE INTERMISSION CAFE has had more than its fair share of changes in the past couple years. But recent menu adjustments may be the best yet: The former lunchery, tucked inside the Garden Theatre in downtown Willow Glen, now serves breakfasts and full dinners as well as sandwiches and salads. Patrons won't go wrong choosing from the menu mounted on the wall. But the real deals are the four or five daily specials, listed on a slip of paper taped to the front of the display case. I particularly enjoyed the barbecue beef ribs ($4.95): four meaty ribs with salad and fries, plus mixed vegetables and garlic toast. (You don't go away hungry.) The sauce was vinegary--surprising at first, but it grew on me. My friend had the Greek salad ($2.95 for a half order), which she said was pretty good, although not as delicious as it used to be under the former managers. I couldn't get a roast beef sandwich during a recent noontime, because the beef was still in the oven. No problem--I took a roast turkey sandwich instead ($4.95). This was not your usual turkey loaf on white, but honest-to-goodness hunks of juicy white meat between slices of crusty sourdough French bread, the kind of sandwich I like to make myself on the day after Thanksgiving. Willow Glen breakfast clubbers haven't quite discovered the Intermission, which is nice while it lasts. It's busy on weekend mornings, certainly, but there never seems to be a problem in getting a table right away. Recent morning specials included a chicken-fried steak, eggs, hash browns and toast for me; and eggs, sausage and French toast for her. After breakfast we waddled home and took Babe the Blue Ox for a long walk in the woods. The waitstaff is ... inexperienced, shall we say, but they mean well. Bonus points: An espresso bar caters to java junkies whose tastes run beyond American breakfast brew. Smoothies and gelato are also available. Intermission Cafe, 1167 Lincoln Ave., Willow Glen (408/286-7888). [ Metro | Metroactive Central | Archives ]