Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
Jim and I wanted to have a big breakfast one morning since our best friends were coming in from California and we were planning on a late dinner.
A friend of Nancy’s recommended an establishment in Crystal Lake for breakfast/brunch, and since we are always looking for new places to eat, we decided to try it out.
Now is where the fun begins. We were told it was off of Randall Road and you couldn’t miss it. As we drove northbound on Randall Road, Nancy spotted it as we drove past. Her head turned around like the girl in the movie Exorcist and she started yelling, “turn in, turn in!!!” Unfortunately, due to traffic configurations, turning into the parking lot was impossible to do.
Triple Berry Café
435 Angela Lane
Crystal Lake 0014
(815) 893-4343
tripleberrycafecrystallake.com
Directions: Take Rte. 47 North to Algonquin Road, East to Frank Road, North to Miller Road, East to Bradford Lane, North to Village Road, East to Carlemont Drive, North to Angela Lane, South to parking lot. We tried to tell you it wasn’t easy to get to…
Travel time: 25 minutes
Contrary to Jim’s male ego, we pulled over and he put the address into the GPS, aka the B*@#h in the box, to get directions. She proceeded to lead us in a confusing route back through two side streets and presto, we were in the parking lot!!!
Is it just us or did you ever notice that the person who designed the shopping centers in Crystal Lake must have had a great sense of humor. You can see the venue, but there is no way humanly possible to get to it. Even if you are in the parking lot, you have to navigate mysterious dead ends and one-way aisles to reach your destination.
After three attempts, we finally arrived at our destination. Maybe that’s what they mean by the name Triple Berry Café.
The inside décor matches that of all the newer breakfast/brunch restaurants. The white and gray interior with green plants seems to be the new norm. We almost forgot to mention there is a coffee bar to the right as you walk in.
On to the food. Nancy and I both were looking at the omelets on the menu. They are made with four extra-large eggs, served with hash browns, toast, or pancakes. Nancy decided on the Farm House Omelet ($11). Of course, she changed the ingredients to her liking, and any similarity between what she ordered and what is offered on the menu was purely coincidental. She finally ordered an omelet with double smoked bacon, green pepper, onion, and American cheese with white toast.
Jim being the consummate meat lover ordered the Carnivore Omelet ($12.50). This was double smoked bacon, sausage, ham, and cheddar jack cheese, and he had pancakes for his side. He was not fond of the little packet of so-called maple syrup that came with his pancakes. You know the kind; it has the consistency of motor oil.
One thing we noticed about our omelets is that if they were made with four extra-large eggs, those chickens were under achievers. No way could we have easily finished off 4 eggs, and extra-large ones at that! The omelets were, however, tasty and reasonably priced for today’s economy.
FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.
The price for “tripling” our driving miles was $31.25, finally finding the restaurant, priceless…
Jim’s take: My hash browns were crunchy as ordered, but I hated that “maple” syrup.
Nancy’s take: The waitress was very accommodating in changing my order to suit me. I was glad I didn’t have to pay for a “build your own” omelet.
Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at: thediningduo@gmail.com
