Feedbag - Cool Ccat

A hassle-free breakfast beckons at Candler Park’s Gato Bizco

I’ve ranted before in this space about the absurdity of the breakfast wait at the Flying Biscuit in Candler Park. Now, I’ve got yet another reason to question the sanity of standing patiently on the sidewalk for 45 minutes for a plate of eggs: Gato Bizco. They serve breakfast, right across the street from the Flying Biscuit. Doesn’t seem like it would work, does it? How could they possibly compete?

For one thing, the wait never seems to be more than about five minutes. They also happen to serve a stellar breakfast, which doesn’t hurt, either. I have to admit, I feel just the teensiest bit smug when I waltz into Gato Bizco on a Saturday morning, and inside of 15 minutes I’m tucking into a plate of pancakes. Those poor slobs across the street; it’ll be an hour before they even see a cup of coffee.

Gato Bizco means “cross-eyed cat” in Spanish, and the place definitely has its quirks. The hours are a little tricky. They never open before 9 a.m., an oddity for a place that serves breakfast. The restaurant is tiny, no more than about six booths and a counter. The space still has a pleasantly airy vibe, thanks to whitewashed walls covered with funky antique mirrors and black-and-white block prints.

The owner waits on tables himself most days, and his cheerful demeanor could perk up the grumpiest non-morning person. Take a moment to admire the menu - it’s a work of art. God help them if they ever have to update it, because it’s been hand-illustrated with drawings of burritos, stacks of pancakes, and the eponymous cross-eyed cat. The thing is gorgeous.

I like breakfast better than lunch here. Huevos rancheros may not be 100 percent authentic, but they’re damn tasty. Scrambled eggs are wrapped up, enchilada-style, in corn tortillas and doused with savory black beans and scoops of red and green salsa. You can’t go wrong with fluffy flapjacks or “Paris Texas Toast” (french toast made with thick slices of Texas toast), but the orange-tinted, gently spicy-sweet potato pancakes are my favorite choice.

Breakfast is served all day, and I think next time I’d opt for a breakfast sandwich on a buttery biscuit instead of something from the bland Tex-Mex lunch menu. A quesadilla stuffed with jack cheese, black beans and onions tastes strikingly similar to something haphazard and bland I whip up when I don’t feel like cooking dinner. Tacos, offered in hard or soft corn tortillas, likewise lacked oomph. A sandwich called “The Franklin” redeemed itself, though. Spinach, tomatoes and basil perked up what would’ve been an ordinary grilled cheese on Texas toast.

It’s pretty remarkable to me that Gato Bizco manages to thrive in the shadow of Atlanta’s breakfast behemoth. It’s good to know that in the breakfast wars, even the little guys can compete.

florence.byrd@creativeloafing.com

For the Chocolate Fiends

Richard Meyer of the Buckhead Bread Company hosts an evening of chocolate debauchery Thurs., June 23, at Villa Christina. The evening will include chocolate tastings, a dinner buffet, a silent auction and live music. Proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. $55-$65. 6-11 p.m.

45 Perimeter Summit Blvd. 404-325-6973. www.buckheadrestaurants.com.

Rise and Shine

The early bird gets the cool chef demo. ... Local culinary whiz Kevin Rathbun will be doing a demonstration on blueberries bright and early Sat., June 25, at the Morningside Market. Demo starts at 9:30 a.m.

1393 N. Highland Ave. 404-313-5784. www.morningsidemarket.com.

Too Haute to Handle

Iris continues its series of regional dinners Mon., June 27. This month’s focus is Paris and the Ile de France. The five-course tasting menu is $65 with wine pairings, $48 without vino.

1314 Glenwood Ave. 404-221-1300. www.irisatlanta.com.

Venetian Find

Explore dishes from the Italian region of Veneto Tues., June 28, at Sotto Sotto. The $39 four-course dinner is part of the restaurant’s ongoing “Tour of Italy” series.

313 N. Highland Ave. 404-523-6678. www.sottosottorestaurant.com.

Patio Pleasures

There’s plenty o’ fun to be had at Meehan’s in Brookhaven this weekend. On Sat., June 25, the restaurant will host a Galway Bay crab and shrimp boil ($27 per person). And now through Sept. 4, stop by on Sundays for a “backyard BBQ” that includes pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and all the picnic fixings ($12 per person).

4058 Peachtree Road. 404-467-9531. www.101concepts.com.

A Shucking Good Time

Dantanna’s is offering several specials from now until July 30. Tropical cocktails have been added to the menu - Naked Cabo Wabo-tini, anyone? If you can’t make it to Mexico this summer, a drink will have to suffice. Local bands will play for free on the patio every Thursday and Friday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. And every Monday through Friday, from 4-7 p.m., stop in for 25-cent shrimp and oysters.

3400 Around Lenox Drive. 404-760-8873. www.dantannas.com.






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