Dined Monday August 11th

Big Al's Breakfast and Lunch

1076 Route 28, South Yarmouth, MA 02664

Facebook: Big Al's

1. Initial impression of convenience, parking, and location.

• Conveniently surrounded by the DMV, Ocean State Job Lot (similar to Giant Tiger for all of our Canadian followers) and Auto Zone, the parking was aplenty here, as a result of it being in a large strip mall.
• They were open! It was inconvenient to drive here one week ago and be notified by sheet of paper that they were not there. We hardly visit this location (restaurant, auto zone, dmv) often enough to be notified ahead of time that a random restaurant of our choosing would be out for the day so we cannot fault them too much.  Although we were hungry and thus cranky because of it.

2. Wait time to be greeted, seated, and first impressions of staff.

• We were promptly greeted by a lady behind the counter and asked to pick any table along the wall. We chose the one next to the one with a sign above it that read “Happy wife, happy life.” We are not married, nor dating each other and although anyone who sees a man and a woman eating together assumes so we decided not to draw any more attention to it.
• The staff was dressed casually but in a decent work like uniform of black shirts and pants.

3. Type of seating, comfort, wait time for server introduction.

• We sat along the wall underneath the expansive specials black board. The board, although wide and room length long, had only one item for breakfast and one item for lunch listed as an addition to the regular menu.
• The table was draped with black fabric and plexiglass laid on top for protection.
• The servers name was either Coffee or she was offering us coffee but either way that’s all she said.

4. Variety of menu options (too many/too little)

• The breakfast choices available at Big Al’s were typical of every other breakfast restaurant ever.

5. Menu highlights of uncommon items.

• This location had no specialty items, or menu choice that they were known for. We did not dare ask “what is good here?”

6. Speed of food delivery, and first impressions of plating, initial aroma.

• The food was delivered three minutes earlier than expected. It was cooked properly and throughout it just seemed quick.
• We found the portions generous. The plates did not properly hold the food, almost like we ate buffet style and didn’t want to make two trip so we piled food on top of itself.

7. TASTE!

• Coffee. Perfectly neutral.
• The gentlemen's breakfast was titled “Alec’s breakfast” in contrast to it’s sister breakfast with a woman’s name with half the portions. So it was up HIS alley as he is a man that does not hit from the woman’s tee. If we were to continue literally on the the golf metaphor he cannot hit to the woman’s tee from the man’s tee so this is hardly a decent metaphor. The meal included 2 pancakes, 2 eggs (over-medium), 2 sausage, 2 bacons, home fries, and toast (white). The pancakes were delicious, sweet and excellent consistency. The eggs were perfect, they were hard enough to pick up and lay on my toast and soft enough that when punctured drip so the toast may sop it up. The sausage sucked. Maybe in the future I can ask for two portions of bacon except here because the bacon wasn’t great either. The home fries were bland alone but tasty when dipped in ketchup.

• The lady's breakfast choice was one egg, homefries, and toast with a side of Linguica (oh how I miss Polish Sausage). The toast was superb, the rye flavour distinct and glorious. The butter was loaded on to the toast, and a press of my knife caused the liquified milk fat to ooze forth from the soft bread. The egg was just the right amount, two eggs would have been far too much this morning. The linguica was butterflied and grilled on the flat top. It had surprise nuggets of rock hard rubbery gristle studded throughout. Each bite was an adventure to discover these prizes. The home fries were potatoes.

8. Value of product.

• The lack of an egg and meat combo means that these two items must be ordered separately. The cost combined of one egg with a side of linguica was $6.90, this cost was only two dollars less than The Gentleman’s Alec special, which included two of everything.
• Coffee $1.95 per bottomless cup
• Side of bacon $2.95
• 2 eggs and choice of meat Not available, this was a egg combo + pay for meat on the side location.
• Muffins $1.95

9. Payment options.

• MC/Visa (AMEX unknown)
• Cash

Overall Rating: 6/10

Overall, Big Al’s had breakfast. It was not the greatest the Cape has to offer, but it also was not the worst. The restaurant was clean (at least the front, we did not see the kitchen) and it has been around for a long time. If we were in the area, we would still likely make a point to go elsewhere for breakfast. This would not be first on our list.

A Week On-Call

We decided to take a risk this Monday and tempt fate. The gentleman is on-call again at his place of employment. He must carry around a second cell phone to be notified in case there is an over abundance of work that nobody else can take. Some may say he's a hero.

Our destination today was Big Al's Breakfast and Lunch in South Yarmouth. Located within a strip mall beside the DMV, across from previously reviewed Piccadilly Deli. The gent was secretly keeping this place under wraps to better avoid it when their name came around in the alphabet. Eating between the automobile government and a tire store does not scream appealing food. We researched the reviews to put our stomachs at ease and set forth on today’s adventure.

It was closed.  

“OPEN 7 Days a week” the large sign screamed.  “Sorry we are closed on Monday August 4th,” the smaller taped paper sign read. WTF. Do we try again? The last time this happened we rated the restaurant a 6. Will that be the case for all randomly closed doors? Is that even logical? Father said you need something to happen three times before there’s a rhythm. Since previous reviews from non seasoned reviewers were generous, I think we might give it a second shot. If we are scorned again I can’t withhold judgement on the next door we cannot open.

What’s that?

It’s a push?

Thanks.

Tempting fate doesn't mean it won’t bite you in the ass.  Half way between the strip mall and another choice breakfast, the gentleman was called into work.  Home we were to go but not before swinging around the long way from Main St. (Route 28) to Main St. (Route 6A) and stopping for coffee, blended juice, and egg paninis, back at The Underground Bakery.

(Apologies - no images of food as it was to go and it is unsafe to take photos while eating and drinking and driving.)