Saturday morning, Bialy's Cafe Too, 2801 W. 95th St., is packed for brunch, and when I breathe in the smell of savory omelettes and sizzling skillets, I can tell why. Bialy's wait-staff greets everyone who walks in the door with a smile and a "Sit where you like" from behind the counter. It might just be my people-watching, but I feel like the waitresses know just about every customer, but even if they don't, they're just as warm to each person as the next.
While Bialy's has an affordable lunch and dinner menu, it's clear from the two pages of menu devoted to breakfast that morning meals are the cafe's specialty. There are so many options, it's nearly impossible to choose, so I ask my server what to order. She says people like the Mexican Skillet, the House Skillet, the Bialy's Omelet and many other customer's favorites. I'd originally been leaning toward the Mexican Skillet, so I go for it and order it with pancakes instead of tortillas.
The Mexican Skillet is a mix of crispy potatoes, delicious melty cheese, scrambled eggs and spicy chorizo, topped with salsa. I'm not always one for spice, but I decide some adventure might be nice today. When my food arrives, I can tell I made the right call.
I dig into the pancakes first, for a bit of something sweet before the spice. The pancakes are thick and brown, and they stand up to nearly any amount of syrup you choose to douse them with. They're not flimsy like some other pancakes. They're a pretty good start to this huge morning meal.
Now for the skillet: it's spicy. That's my first reaction. But once my mouth adjusts to the spiciness, I experience all the amazing flavors of the skillet, from the spicy salsa which perfectly complements the scrambled eggs to the crunchy potatoes covered in crumbly chorizo. Fantastic. If you have bad heartburn from spicy food, I wouldn't recommend it, but to anyone else, it's a definite "go for it" on the Mexican Skillet.
The wait-staff is not only extremely attentive, refilling my water often to make sure it's never even close to empty (I think they can tell I'm having a tough time handling the spice), but they're also incredibly friendly. They joke around with everyone who comes in the door and could not be more jovial, just adding the bright atmosphere of Bialy's diner-style restaurant.
Halfway through my meal, one waitress insists I try the skillet with the tortillas. I make my own taco out of it and I experience the taste in a whole new way. I cannot thank her enough for enlightening me to experience the Mexican Skillet the way it was meant to be eaten.
Overall: The great flavor of Bialy's, both in the food and in the atmosphere, make this a fantastic place to eat on a budget. The staff is extremely friendly and the food is excellent. Top-notch breakfast food at a low price? I can dig it.
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