Mangia: Gettin' on the Gravy Train, Its all Gravy, I like Gravy: Gravy

Bacato Scramble, $9.95, split $4.97+ Coffee $2.00= $6.97 per person

A certain someone used to take me to Gravy on Friday mornings. It was the perfect retreat, with the cozy interior and funky fresh paintings. Filling up on egg scrambles and “not diner coffee” is a sure fire sign of a good day. Gravy on the weekends though is a tough shot, even with two people; a significant wait is on the horizon. However, this is the indication of a breakfast haven.

Gravy, which was one of the first establishments in the Mississippi renaissance (I suppose we can call it that) holds a feel very different from other breakfast places in Portland—its homey without being dumpy, funky without being stark or cold and pleasant without being foofy. Large wooden benches line the exterior walls and a cozy booth sits in the window. Canvas curtains, hang from mismatched ties and wooden slats hang with cartoon looking patrons on them.

Above all, Gravy stays busy for one reason: their breakfast is breath taking. Their menu is hefty and not one thing on it goes unnoticed. Try anything and you will be happy about your decision. Their Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes melt in your mouth—so thick with fresh bananas that you would think they were actually filled with custard. The Blueberry Pecan Pancakes are just as good, with plumb berries popping in your mouth and mixing with the crunch of the pecans. The Oatmeal Brulee is crisp on the top, as it’s sprinkled with sugar and burned until its golden. As you spoon your way into it, you get three layers, one of the sugar, one of the hearty home stern oatmeal and one of the ripe strawberries, blackberries and blueberries, which sit waiting for you on the bottom.

Sometimes you just need eggs though. This morning was one of those days. That certain someone got me hooked on the Bacato Scramble: bacon, tomatoes, green onions and cream cheese, paired with a side of hash browns. As my father said this morning when I forced him to have a bite, “it’s so rich it makes me want to throw up. But it’s so good.” That is how a meal should make you feel; it should be so incredibly rich and vibrant with crispy bacon, sautéed tomatoes and smothered in cream, that you want to throw up from its very existence. I however did not throw up, but had a second meal to bring home. I usually split this, but since Dad only eats egg whites (he has high cholesterol) I decided to take it on myself.

For the finicky type, Gravy offers a Make Your Own Scramble/Omelet section—with a large variety of choices for fillings. Lastly, they of course have Biscuits and Gravy. Deliciousness, buttery biscuits, smothered in traditional sausage gravy (vegan gravy is available as well). Remember though, one biscuit is the size of a cheese burger, go for one and get a side of eggs to pair with it.