Typically a cereal and milk person myself, this past week I opted to mix things up and actually get out of bed in time to enjoy breakfast with family and friends. From the moment I crossed the threshold until I walked out close to noon, my breakfast at Down House, a new restaurant in The Heights, can be summed up in one word: delightful. This was a meal worth getting out of bed for.
Locally sourced ingredients are spotlighted on the Down House menu; you’ll recognize names such as Slow Dough Bread Company, Dustin Hoeinhaus Eggs, Atkinson Farm and Pola Cheese, to name a few. Possibly the most shining example of a local ingredient at its best was the pork. Down House receives whole pigs weekly from Black Hill Ranch and breaks them down in house. The real show-stealer was the bacon, grilled rather than pan-fried, which gave it a smoky flavor. We snatched it up in seconds and quickly ordered another slab. If you go for anything, go for the bacon.
The rest of the food shone equally bright: My black bean taco with avocado, pico de gallo and queso fresco was absolutely delicious, though if you’re really hungry you might want to order two. My companions’ orders ranged from a whole grain waffle with house-made syrup, oatmeal with a generous helping of fresh seasonal fruit, breakfast torta with pulled pork, avocado, slaw and a fried egg on a fresh bolillo, and house-ground venison sausage omelet with roasted poblano and ghost pepper jack, and all I heard were sounds of approval as they chowed down.
Even after the food was gone and the check ($3 to $10 per order) brought to our table – in a vintage copy of Darwin’s Universe, no less – the service was exceptional, and everyone in the room was treated with the same accommodating, cheerful attention. We sat and chatted for over an hour and never felt rushed or ignored. Other diners (families and business partners alike) were also engaged in the same kind of laid-back, friendly conversation. And with such a cozy atmosphere created with charcoal brick walls, wooden décor and big couches, I can see how it would be easy to pass a morning drinking coffee and reading a good book after enjoying a great meal. If it means more breakfasts at Down House, I may just become a morning person.
DOWN HOUSE; 1801 Yale near W. 18th, 713-864-3696