Northside Café
French Press Coffee
House Lemonade
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes – Filled with Blueberries, Topped with Blueberry Whipped Cream, Served with Honey Butter and 100% Maple Syrup
Huevos Rancheros – Two Eggs Sunny Side Up with Chorizo, Crispy Corn Tortillas, Charro Beans, Cotija Cheese, Ranchero Sauce
LEO Scramble – Lox, Scrambled Eggs, Caramelized Onion, Tomato & Sour Cream
Bagel & Cream Cheese (Served with LEO Scramble)
Strawberry Belgian Waffle – Topped with Fresh Strawberries, Vanilla Whipped Cream
Chilaquiles Verdes – Two Fried Eggs, Tortillas, Chorizo, Cotija Cheese
Breakfast Burrito – Scrambled Eggs, Chorizo, Cheddar Cheese, Potatoes & Green Chilles all Wrapped in a Flour Tortilla and Topped with Sour Cream, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde
Carrot Cake Pancakes with Nuts, Raisins, Topped with Cream Cheese Frosting
Hazelnut-Chocolate French Toast with Vanilla Whipped Cream
Carnitas Hash – Pork Carnitas, Potatoes, Sauteed Jalapenos, Salsa Verde, Cotija Cheese, Two Poached Eggs
Whole Hog Omelet with Ham, Bacon, Sausage, Cheddar Cheese
Frozen Greek Yogurt Parfait with Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberry, and Granola
Red Velvet Pancakes topped with Shaved Dark Chocolate and Cream Cheese Frosting
With The Griddle Café unceremoniously shuttered by its Los Angeles based owner, who simply couldn’t deal with not being involved in the day to day operation of her SLS Las Vegas off-shoot, it was on the invitation of TGC’s GM that I visited the newly rebranded Northside Café on Saturday morning where I was treated to a twelve-plate tasting of new plates created by Chef Juan Villa and Culinary Director Luke Forzano, the results showing that little has changed in terms of culinary direction aside from portions, though even those remain quite robust for the price.
Now truly a 24/7 spot, and still sporting a packed house with a fifteen to twenty minute line when I left at 9:45, little save for signage and branding has changed in the décor of Northside Café and with 100% Maple Syrup still on each table with everything from Foo Fighters to Violent Femmes playing overhead it was a young woman named Lisa who took care of the table throughout my nearly two-hour stay, the plates sent out in trios at the kitchen’s discretion in order to highlight the items they felt to show the menu best.
Still featuring two sizes of French Press, the coffee a bold medium local roast with smooth mouth feel and light caramel top notes, it was not long after seating the GM Adam stopped by to say hello and explaining the kitchen’s plan it was mere moments before the first round arrived – a total of four plates when accounting for the crunchy-yet-pliable housemade bagel accompanying a smoky onion laced omelet beneath a veil of velvety lox, the two additional plates some of the best of the morning with the pillowy pancakes heavily imbued in both buttermilk and berries while Huevos Ranceros showed a surprising degree of restraint, the heat dialed back compared to most in order to let the quality of both the chorizo and creamy beans beneath cheese to shine.
Tempering my predilections to clear each plate, thankfully warned by both Lisa and Adam of what was to come, the second threesome arrived in the form of two savories alongside one sweet and although the Chilaquiles Verdes proved rather uninspired with far too little meat and a degree of acidity I personally found to overwhelming, both the forearm-thick burrito and reference-standard waffle were the sort of plates worth getting out of bed for, the first densely packed with at least a pound of rich flavors and satisfying textures while the later featured a caramelized exterior that crackled to fork pressure before giving way to a yeasty, soft center that paired beautifully to fresh berries and thick whipped-cream plus a drizzle of maple.
At this point transitioning to 2:1 sweets to savories for the second half of the morning it was three items designated as “Northside Favorites” that arrived and although the ‘hash’ was decidedly non-traditional, with two perfectly poached eggs atop thick-cut griddled spuds beneath a tangy blend of sauteed Jalapenos and salsa verde, the flavor profile worked very nicely – particularly in contrast to thick-cut French Toast that was rendered incredibly rich by a slathering of whipped cream, chocolate, as well as Nutella and a stack of shredded carrot pancakes studded with nuts as well as raisins beneath sweet yet tangy creamy cheese, the later a strong contender for the city’s most delicious pancake and better than any served at The Griddle Café in both texture and taste.
At this point plenty sated, but happy to experience a few more things, suffice it to say that the ‘Whole Hog’ Omelet is not for those looking for something light and with what I can only assume to be a 50/50 balance of meat and cheese to eggs the flavor profile is exactly what one would expect, a lot of salt and sapor with just a touch of spice, the perfect counterpart to cocoa-rich Red Velvet pancakes as well as the menu’s undeniable hidden gem, a stunning and surprisingly healthy sundae comprised of frozen layers of Greek yogurt intermingling with fresh berries and crunchy granola – each slowly-melting bite demanding yet another until one is left scraping the glass clean.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (Based on Food alone): Admittedly a bit disappointed in the rapid departure of The Griddle Café, but happy that Jodi cares so much about her vision that not being involved in day-to-day operations proved a risk she was unwilling to take, an overall appraisal of the Northside Café breakfast menu speaks volumes about the team still involved, more than 75% of the items as good as any comparable spot on the strip with prices and portions both better than average, as well.
RECOMMENDED: Frozen Greek Yogurt Parfait, Carrot Cake Pancakes, Huevos Rancheros, Strawberry Belgian Waffle.
AVOID: Chilaquiles Verdes were far too acidic while Red Velvet Pancakes are simply done better elsewhere.
TIP: Operating 24/7 with certain items available only available during breakfast or dinner those interested in specific dishes are encouraged to check out the online menu, a return visit for desserts (not available during breakfast) remains on the short list as bread pudding and banana cream pie both beckon.
http://slslasvegas.com/dining/northside-café
