Photos by Evie Carpenter
Grade: C+
The Breakfast Club lacks the kitschy appeal that made its namesake movie from 1985 a cult classic. However, the one-size-fits-all style of the restaurant manages to please diners with a variety of breakfast and lunch options, though with a high price tag.
Not surprisingly, the CityScape location feels like what I imagine the Scottsdale location to be: neutral decor, bright, open, airy, Top 40 hits playing on the radio. Yet the clientele in downtown Phoenix tend to be accustomed to something different. Nearby, both First Watch and Cartel (not to mention Matt’s Big Breakfast, just over a half a mile away) serve patrons coffee and breakfast dishes in a more casual environment that fits into the streetscape nicely. With a name like the Breakfast Club holding so much generational clout, I hoped the restaurant would be a beloved classic among these restaurants. Unfortunately, it resembles more of an eatery in the mall.
The food is what I expected — a smorgasbord of breakfast classics as well as a “market board” to create your own breakfast with choices of protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, grains and others. I thought I’d stick with the basics, and selected the Club Plate — two eggs, bacon, toast and a fruit cup. For $6.25 it was one of the more affordable items on the menu and overall, it delivered on taste. The cranberry toast was delicious with a raspberry jam spread — adding some sweetness to the savory dish. I like my eggs more over-medium than I had received, but the eggs and fruit cup were both standard breakfast material. However, the well-done bacon was more like a strip of cardboard, turning into bacon-flavored dust as I chewed.
My companion chose the strawberry French toast, made with thick-cut buttermilk bread, strawberries and piled high with whipped cream. The indulgent dish was more than enough for breakfast (with a hefty $10 price tag to match) and was quite a treat with a tall bottle of maple syrup on the side. The cake, waffles and French toast options reminded me of the Local Breeze French toast that I used to enjoy (the restaurant closed over winter break). While not a replacement for the recently closed Local Breeze, the Breakfast Club will hit the spot when I’m craving something sweet for breakfast — I’m especially looking forward to trying bananas Foster with vanilla bean ice cream.
As for drinks, my orange juice appeared to be fresh-squeezed and was served in a glass twice the size of a normal orange juice glass. All of the juices were housed in machines you normally see in a Target store, spinning around slushy mix behind the bar in the corner of the restaurant. My companion’s Tea/LemonLimeAde was a touch too tart, but was alleviated by mixing in a bit of Splenda.
All in all, the experience would have been very pleasant had not the Top 40 hits playing throughout our visit been so disruptive. In a restaurant that appears to cater to the businesspeople bringing clients for brunch, “Boom Boom Pow” at just past 10 a.m. didn’t seem fitting. Normally, the music a restaurant chooses to play isn’t addressed in a food review. But normally, the music a restaurant chooses to play doesn’t disrupt its diners’ ability to eat in peace.
Music aside, our food was brought out promptly and was quite satisfying for a mid-morning meal. If you have a few extra pennies, you might just want to try it — just don’t expect a typical urban breakfast joint.
Contact the critic at ssteffan@asu.edu
