Friday, April 27, 2007 The Breakfast Place brings local flavor to the Eas Rarely does a diner combine friendly staff, great food and affordability like The Breakfast Place, 2340 E 38th St. The Breakfast Place is the brainchild of co-owners Mike Alessi and Joey Mancuso, both Erie natives. The diner is relatively new on the scene, as it opened on Dec. 9, 2006. Both Alessi and Mancuso said that the response from the east-side community and college students has been great. Mancuso and Alessi are veterans of the restaurant industry and they stressed that all of their servers and cooks have at least 15-20 years of experience. The Breakfast Place is only open for "breakfast" from 5:30 a.m. to Ip.m. Monday-Thursday. and then it opens up for the weekend from 11 p.m.-2p.m. the next day. This makes it a great place to stop by for some breakfast before, between or after classes, to share a conversation with friends over a cup of coffee, or to grab some munchies after a night on the town. The menu includes the expected smattering of eggs, omelets, sandwiches and pancakes. but also has a unique local taste; that's because everything on the menu was created by Mancuso. Perhaps the most surprising feature on the menu is the prices. When I went there for the first time I had $lO in my pocket. I ordered a cup of coffee. a breakfast sandwich and a half stack of pancakes and still walked out of there with a few dollars in my pocket. I got Joey's Breakfast Sandwich with a fried egg, Italian Th, sausage, provolone, all on toasted Italian bread. It was one of the biggest breakfast sandwiches I've ever seen and had taste to match. The Italian sausage added a little hit of spice to what usually amounts to a bland breakfast sausage and the bread provided a nice change from the usual English muffin. I couldn't go for breakfast without having a taste of their pancakes; they were Once in a blue moon By Danielle Brown A delicious mystery at a local ice cream shop attracts cus tomers from all over Erie. The mystery unfolds in Blue Moon ice cream, which Denny's Ice Cream Stand on the corner of 10th and Parade St. has been serving for over 25 years. Owner Denny Stuck and his brother Doug Stuck run a car wash, laundromat and ice cream shop in the same plaza. Doug .sy to eat. Chris Bromi/THE BEHREND BEACON A different flavor of soft-serve yogurt is offered each Blue moon ice cream is available everyday at Denny's Ice Cream Stand day, which is another one of Denny's best-sellers. Stuck says he believes Denny's sales are boosted by their vari ety of low-fat options. "Monday is strawberry yogurt day. Tuesday is pistachio and so on and so on," says Stuck. "Everyday is popular for yogurt because there is a variety of options. Many of the same customers come everyday to get the new flavor of yogurt that we offer for that day." Whether the choice is Blue Moon, low-fat yogurt, milk shakes or any of the other items on the menu, most people won't have any trouble finding a warm-weather treat at Denny's Ice Cream Shop. Denny's is open from 12 p.m.-11 Stuck believes having all three businesses together has brought him and his brother tremendous success. - It's like a monopoly. People go to the laundromat, throw clothes in the washer, and then go get their car washed, - Stuck says. "Then, they put their clothes in the dryer and head over for some ice cream.- As you walk towards Denny's, the smell of chocolate top pings, candy bar pieces, and brownies surrounds you like the smell of hot chocolate boiling on the stove. Looking around the colorful room, sprinkles, ice cream and toppings fill every Bruno's Daily Specials Friday, April 27 Shrimp Poppers Lunch (10:30 - 2:30) Late Night (6:00 - 10:45) None Jalepeno Pepper Poppers Soup: Chicken and Dumpling Soup Chicken Fajitas Dinner (10:45 - 6:00) Monda A 1 ril 30 Lunch (10:30 - 2:30) Extreme Wing Quesadilla Chicken & Broccoli Stir-fry Dinner (10:45 - 6:00) Chicken Parmesan Sandwich Late Night (6:00 - 10:45) Hot Wings, Grilled Turkey Sub Soup: Chicken Wild Rice Soup Tuesda Ma 1 Lunch (10:30 - 2:30) Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich Pesto Chicken Tortellini Dinner (10:45 - 6:00) BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger Late Night (6:00 - 10:45) Pizza Logs , Made to Order Nacho Bar Soup: Italian Wedding Soup By Chris Brown food & drink editor sports editot DOD ( c- _ 1 ) r) R rtify Breakfast Place is a corner. Employee Alan Burgos, says he believes Denny's has a comfortable, positive atmosphere. don't mind coming into work because everyone is so friendly," says Burgos. "I love my managers and co-workers, and plus. I am surrounded by all-you-can-eat ice cream. It can't get much better than that." Burgos says Blue Moon ice cream is Denny's top seller. "I have been working here for two years now and Blue Moon ice cream is by far what the customers order the most. It is very likely that a group of kids would come to my window thout one of them ordering Blue Moon. - Even though Blue Moon is so popular, many people 11 it a delicious mystery. This mystery can't even be 'scribed by Denny's employees. ''Many customers ask and everyone else who works here what exactly Blue !oon tastes like and no one can ever give them an iswer. It's just too hard to explain, - says Burgos. ;ometimes it tastes like pineapple and other times it aes like bubble gum. Either way, it is always good." A regular customer at Denny's, Kim Gowen, says she m can't decide what flavor combinations are in Blue !ion. - Blue Moon in a cone is what I usually order ien I come here. I just love it, but I can't really !scribe why," says Gowen. "I guess I would say that it citrusy. It actually kind of tastes like Fruit Loops. - 'hile Blue Moon ice cream might be hard to describe, sales show that Denny's customers find it extremely p.m. every day until the end of October. Wednesd Lunch (10:30 - 2:30) Cheese Bread Sticks Focaccia Sandwich Dinner (10:45 - 6:00) Grilled Turkey & Provolone Late Night (6:00 - 10:45) Stuffed Pretzels, French Dip Sandwich Soup: French Onion Soup Thursda Ma 3 Lunch (10:30 - 2:30) Chicken Finger Parmesan Sub Fresh Fruit Salad Dinner (10:45 - 6:00) Cajun Chicken Sandwich Late Night (6:00 - 10:45) Buffalo Calzone, Chicken Quesadilla Soup: Aztec Black Bean Soup light and fluffy and I wasn't disappointed. Some of the other popular items on the menu omelet (maybe because it's so fun to sa\ t Mat in, onions. and potatoes. and the Initial() chicken om, always experimenting and .iy.ng to create new so make sure to ask the ser\ cr ss hats new and w A local diner wouldn't be complete without menu, including the Greek Burger. 1101 1)(1_!, I I nothing like a round of Greek tries and hot ( 1 02 , night of drinking with friends. The Bleaktast to GO, - a choice of either six Greek Do , ._ ! . or 57.99, something I plan on taking ads .umige 01 II One thing I noticed about the interior is th e t a e between smoking and non-smoking sections. VY a problem at all because I just sat on the lay side tion, but for someone allergic to smoke that has smoke could become an issue. I lowes er. don't great food. Other than that. the ittmospheie is , 21 feel unlike the cookie cutter design brunt u ; it rr i, r was designed by the owners and has sports Inc Alessi credits the cleanliness of the iestatu ant t, about cleaning. - said Alessi. Breakfast is a sacred meal. Most people kin breakfast, where they want to get it. and how mu, it. and this means a lot of people end up going to Bruno's without a second thought. And v a dk, around to exploring the area tor the unique I las The Breakfast Place rivals any local or chain restaurant in the area experience is exhibited by their friendly and speedy ser‘ ice: it otters made to price. of on the East Side ular breakfast s diners have Top three donut sho Donuts. the favorite food of Homer J. Simpson. !email diets and Erie is home to some of the greatest donut shops I sampled the donuts from all around the Lite area: Tun I Jack Frost Doughnut Shop, you name it I tasted it. I did t with what I think are the top three donut shops in the area. a few things in common. they are locally owned and. petit the college student. are the cheapest donut places around. I. Mighty Fine Donuts (2612 Parade St.) Open 24 hours a day and located near the corner of 26111 and Parade St. it is easy to find. Out of all the places vis ited. they had the widest selection. Their chocolate angel donut, a creme filled chocolate-covered donut. is the best in the area. Chrk Brim n/ The Behrend Rea,on 3. Jack Frost Doughnut Shop (2119 Buffalo Rd) The closest one to campus and a great place to stop for breakfast. If you're looking for more than just donuts, their wide selection of breakfast sandwiches and pastries makes it a great stop for that pick-me upper on the way to school in the morning. MIXOLOG The Behrend Beacon does not condone underage drinkin, bly. Don't drink and drive. cek [mail cmhsll3(a psti.edu with ()Lir I,l\ dunk iccipc., The Beh By Chris firms') tood drink 2. H & K Donut Shop (371 2 Out of the way for campus makes up for the distance at stop before heading out to Dist bar is a great spot to , 40 1 fee while out with \ ou r frier ~, F 7'" <I; . • - -,.4. fig A ( hii, d'u'd 1 1:1 / °NUTS CONTRIIR
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