Rating:
Pros
- Super polite staff
- Decently priced
- Fast service
- Traditional Irish food
- Bright atmosphere
- Unique choice of utensils
- The bathroom is cool and hilarious
Cons
- The coffee was just meh
Something Old in Something New
For my first food review, I wanted to pair it with my first California adventure. Something old and something new, if you will. After visiting Ireland some years back and wanting a little comfort in a new strange land, I happened upon Sugar and Scribe. And let me tell you, I was not expecting this!
When I pulled up, it reminded me of a small lawn party connected to a bakery. The building is cute, quaint, and lively, as were the staff. The outside upper area table held the white umbrellas covering the equally white tables. The lower area displays the same color scheme with awnings draped with canopies over tables over green astroturf. It was bright, clean, and comforting. The main building has a storefrontesque look with large windows. As soon as walk in, you are greeted with an L-shaped dinner bar setup, with patrons and employees smiling alike. The interior lightly similar to a brunch-inspired greenhouse. The color palette more of a mixed white and black aesthetic with fun tchotchke sprinkled around the place. The mix of cozy and fun definitely was the vibe. By the way, check out the bathroom door.
One thing I noticed — not too noisy. Sugar and Scribe is located on a sidestreet in a suburban-ish neighborhood. Most brunch places I’ve been to get loud in their outdoor area fairly quickly, which I wholeheartedly admit to adding to. However, this place was quieter than most on the outside. Inside was more or less the same as any other brunch place.
The Hunt for the Perfect Irish Breakfast
Almost as quickly as I walked up to the podium that Saturday at around 10 am, I was seated at an outdoor table with golden “silverware.” After I ordered a black coffee, which was pretty plain jane, I perused the menu for the reason I came here — the Irish Breakfast.
Now, I’m not sure if you’ve had the joy of eating this farmer’s breakfast built to last you through the day, but you need to if you can find a place that serves it. The biggest issue I have with most Irish and English pubs/restaurants is they never have all the items. I’m also a purist when it comes to this meal because it’s perfect, in every way. Period. Like a sunset over the ocean or the first five seasons of Castle, it’s incorruptible. If you argue with me about this, I’ll fight you. And this breakfast was mwah Chef’s Kiss! The total package and not a thing missing.
Eggs, White pudding, Black pudding, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Baked Beans, Tomatoes, Irish Breakfast Bangers (Sausage), and Rashers (Irish Bacon).
Quality and Quality
All the ingredients were the equivalent in quality and freshness I’d come to expect in Ireland. And I tried them everywhere I went, including Dublin, Galway, Sligo, and Donegal. By this point, I’m an expert. One of the main takeaways from Ireland I noticed, besides the absurdly joyous people and noting my East Coast roots, was consistency in the quality of food. I never had a bad meal there and I tried. Food quality was always on point. So good that I tested one dish at almost twenty different establishments and, though varying in flavors, all were great. I mean, I ate it almost twenty damn times on one trip. No joke. Rest assured, this motif lives on at Sugar and Scribe.
A Heavenly Lemon Curd Pancake
Delicious…
I also ordered the house specialty named the lemon curd pancake. Note it’s a single lemon curd pancake. At first the American in me went ‘Not a stack? Not even two?’ There is a reason for this singular morsel of a pancake. It is about quality over quantity — a constant theme of Sugar and Scribe. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t tapas portions, but by all means, they are filling, both physically and spiritually. After topping this medium-sized pancake with the obscure syrup-filled saucer it came with, let me tell you — never not order this! It was like a half perfectly moist lemon muffin, half buttery pancake with the crispiest of edges, topped with a tangy fig syrup that just worked. Just eat it and thank the gods you have a tongue. Am I Dramatic? Yes, but it’s well deserved.
If you’re in the area, hell, if you’re in the state, you should try this place. Especially if you love a hearty meal and reasonably priced brunch food. The ambiance and stomach-hugging goodness of this place was a great pre-adventure pit stop before exploring San Diego. This will likely be a mainstay whenever I come into town and I can’t recommend it enough. But seriously, check out the bathroom.
Sugar and Scribe
7660 Fay Ave
Unit I
La Jolla, CA 92037
