Splendid Coffee Shop
106 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY (Map It!)
Attendees: Sylvia, Pat, Shelley, Andrew, Yuee
This week we temporarily replaced two members with Andrew and Yuee with intentions to pay a visit to the Star Diner in White Plains. Unfortunately, since the Star Diner is a tiny place that is very popular, it was very full by the time we arrived, so on to Plan B!
Plan B brought us back into the downtown area of White Plains, to the Splendid Coffee Shop (I wonder if Splendid Coffee Shop has any relation to Splendid Taxi Service. Unless Splendid is the adjective of choice in these part of town.) Given the recent rate of expansion of the White Plains downtown area, this was probably one of the last independently owned, non fancy-pants eateries that has survived the wrath of Cappelli (I am still pretty bitter about the Corner Nook Café). It may not be as fancy as BLT or have a brand name to it like Applebee’s, but it was not entirely a greasy spoon joint either. It is a diner-esque eatery with an open kitchen in the middle of White Plains.
Once entering, we found Shelley, who had beaten us there (I took the long way) and was able to get us a table for 5. This place was much more group-friendly than other recently visited establishments.
I had no idea what I wanted. The pancakes and French toast options looked tempting, as did the breakfast wraps. They also had a small section of more Mexican inspired (or influenced) breakfast dishes, including, but not limited to, huevos rancheros, breakfast quesadillas and other assorted egg dishes served with chorizo or their special green tomatillo salsa. Very tempting, and definitely something I’d find appealing for a brinner (breakfast for dinner!) situation. But as I learned from our trip out to City Limits, me + salsa in the mornings does not equal a happy stomach. So, I ended up with a Florentine (feta and spinach) Omelette with a side of grits and whole wheat toast to go with my coffee with table milk (I’m not a big fan of table milk, especially if it doesn’t feel cold to the touch and was there when I sat down. But this one was okay, still cold, although there when I sat down).
We were all served what can only be described as, volume wise, a double shot of orange juice, as we waited. I also stared at all the other delicious-looking dishes being served to tables around us. The breakfast sandwiches looked large and delicious as did the muffins that were toasted on the griddle and buttered.
Our food finally arrived. My omelette was a little dry, and the feta cheese was in blocks. I feel like, for an omelette, the feta should be crumbled a bit, otherwise I just get mouthfuls of cheese. The spinach was lacking. There was no flavor, and it was there for cosmetic purposes, and so they can charge you that extra dollar for something green and “healthy” in your meal. The grits were a nice alternative to potatoes. They weren’t as good as the ones I had at Wobble; they were a little thicker in texture but still pretty hearty.
The czar says: The prices are on par with the location, but not a deal buster diner in White Plains. It was a good place to meet with friends for a quick breakfast in town. Quick because there is only metered street parking available with a one hour limit and White Plains loves to give out parking tickets as parting gifts. Outdoor seating is available when it is warmer out, but from past experiences, unless you love car exhaust fumes with your meal, you’re better off inside.
What I Had: Bacon and cheese omelet, potatoes, toast, coffee
What It Cost: $10.00 all included
Worth It: No.
The Rating: 2.5/5
The Details: My hunt for Westchester’s best bacon and cheese omelets continued at the Splendid Coffee Shop, where I hoped to find an under the radar contender. No such luck.
Don’t get me wrong; the omelet wasn’t bad. In fact, the eggs were well cooked, maintaining moisture where lesser diners might have dried them out. But there was absolutely nothing distinguishing about this diner at all. The potatoes were simply awful. Unflavored, unseasoned; simply dreadful.
If you’re looking for a truly great omelet, get yourself to The Flying Pig. If you’re looking for a breakfast that’s memorable, consider The Barn. If you’re looking for a top quality diner breakfast, try City Limits. If you want a decent breakfast in a comfortable setting, try Terra Rustica. If you want good food at a cheap price, try The Patio. If you want to clog your arteries in the quickest time possible, try Katie’s Cottage. But I can’t think of a single reason for you to try The Splendid Coffee Shop.
The Bottom-line: There are so many comparable or superior options, it’s only worth it if it’s the closest option.
Splendid Coffee Shop was our plan B of the day. The WBC had originally planned to dine at the Star Diner in White Plains, a little hole-in-the-wall place on East Post Road. I arrived first and discovered that Star was small, very small, and the people already occupying the limited number of booths and counter seats seemed to be eating at a very leisurely pace. So, I called the team and told them we should divert to Splendid, located nearby on the corner of Mamaroneck Avenue and Quarropos Street.
Fortunately Splendid has more breathing room than Star. Splendid is your average-looking coffee shop, with a red and chrome colorscheme. We cozied up at a table and were promptly brought menus. This week we were missing two regulars, but fortunately the void was filled by Andrew and Yuee. We had a mellower-than-usual breakfast this morning. Could have been the dreary weather, which made me want to curl up under the table for a quick nap; could have also been because I didn’t have anything to yell about. Anyway, I took a glance at the menu, but my subconsious mind had already made my breakfast decision; the night before I’d had a dream that I was eating blueberry pancakes, so that’s exactly what I ordered. (I’d also had a dream that I was seeing how many quarters I could fit into my ear, but I didn’t try to carry that over into real life.)
We were all treated to complimentary orange juice shots in addition to our beverage orders, which was kind of odd. It made me think that there was some oj container in the kitchen that they were looking to empty before the end of the breakfast rush (we arrived at around 10:20). I couldn’t see if there were any other tables that also received free oj. The food arrived and I was struck by the large size of the pancakes. The three pancakes were all the diamater of the large plate that they were served on. The blueberries were nicely distributed throughout the pancakes. The pancakes were good, and satisfied the craving for blueberries that my subconsious obviously had. But there was simply too much pancake. Halfway through my portion and I was full. (I had also sampled half a chocolate chip pancake from Yuee). I think if I were to go to Splendid in the future, I would find a friend to split an order of pancakes and two scrambled eggs with. That would make for a more reasonably-portioned breakfast.
Was Splendid splendid? Not especially, but for a quick, cheap breakfast in White Plains, it gets the job done. And since it’s just a few blocks away from the City Center, you can burn off your meal with some post-breakfast shopping!
Location: Splendid Coffee Shop
What I ordered: Eggs Benedict–comes with poached eggs, Canadian
bacon, English muffin, Hollandaise sauce, and potatoes
The potatoes were kind of dry and bland, but were perfectly adequate
for soaking up the delicious golden yellow chicken fetus food. While
the poached eggs were satisfactorily prepared, they lacked a certain
pizazz that someone had once described to me as “little fluffly
clouds.” That being said, the bacon and English muffin performed their
roles dutifully and offered a complementary taste and texture to the
salty-gooey mess that chicks dig…..err, yeah.
The Hollandaise sauce was nothing to write home about: period.
You could do worse.
–END TRANSMISSION–
The Splendid Coffee Shop is just a typical diner with its long list of similar breakfast items. A long menu is a common trait for diners, and sometimes if it’s an exceptional diner, it will attempt to be innovative and creative. But Splendid’s menu is a snooze fest, everything it listed is one boring combination after another. Its attempt to be exciting was a little photograph on the table advertising a green Mexican style breakfast that looks like green vomit with eggs. With the unappetizing atmosphere of the restaurant, I tried to look for the most cheerful item on the menu. I ordered chocolate chip pancakes and I added a side order of bacon to balance out the sweetness.
When my breakfast plate came out, three strips of bacon were on top of the three chocolate chip pancakes. My breakfast was in line with the mundane and gloomy decor of the diner. An “eww” even accidentally escaped from me when the waitress placed my plate in front of me. I never thought bacon could look stale. For $3.50 for a side order, I got cold, stale bacon and its salty grease was soaking into my pancakes.
The pancakes were edible, but just like the bacon, they had two gross factors going for it. The chocolate chips were burnt, and the chips were all in the center. The presentation and the taste of burnt chocolate in clumps clearly shows the lack of effort from the kitchen. I admitted defeat after finishing one and would not torment myself further. The pancakes were about $6 dollars and I only ate $2 worth.
My impression of the Splendid Coffee Shop was not splendid. It had dim lighting at 11AM in the morning, it made breakfast gloomy and depressing. It had a long list of unexciting breakfast items and an unappetizing photograph of the breakfast special. Even the food followed suit with the general downward spiral of unhappiness in the eatery! Stale bacon and burnt chocolate chip pancakes are enough to persuade me to find my morning happiness elsewhere.