If you love breakfast food but lack motivation to cook before class, you need to try Carlos’ Country Kitchen.
Conveniently located one mile away from the Santa Rosa campus on the corner of West College and North Dutton avenues, Carlos’ Country Kitchen opens at 4:30 a.m. every day; so there’s no reason not to grab a bite before that 7:30 a.m. class.
As you enter the restaurant, there is an immediate smell of bacon, eggs and pancakes. Cheerful red-checkered curtains line the windows. In addition, Carlos greets, waits on and cooks for long-time regulars, creating a home-style feel perfectly matching the amazing breakfast aroma.
I went at about 9:30 a.m. before a 10:30 a.m. Tuesday class. I sat down and within two minutes was asked if I was ready to order. The menu is fairly large with primarily breakfast items and a small lunch section.
I decided to go with the classic bacon and eggs country breakfast. They come with cottage fries or hash browns, eggs and toast, and you can add biscuits and gravy for only $2.75.
The breakfast was everything I expected and more. Not only did it take just seven minutes to receive my food, but I couldn’t believe how much food was included: two large eggs cooked to order, four pieces of bacon, four pieces of buttery toast and a more than healthy serving of hash browns.
Bacon, the staple of the American breakfast, can make or break a restaurant. At Carlos’ Country Kitchen it definitely made it. The bacon was thick cut and crispy, and you could tell by the taste that this bacon was fresh, never frozen.
The biscuits and gravy were by far the best biscuits and gravy I have tasted in Santa Rosa, and that’s saying a lot. The gravy was thick and creamy with pepper and ham chunks throughout. The biscuits were homemade, which in this day and age is a big plus, considering you can buy already made versions from restaurant supplier Sysco for a fraction of the cost. The biscuits were fairly doughy and perhaps could have been a little fluffier, but they were the perfect size to curb your appetite. I could have eaten just the biscuits and gravy and still left full.
I paid $15, including tip. The amount of food that came easily could have been $35 at a place like Hank’s Creekside or Omelet Express.
So if you’re looking for a quick bite before class with enough food to last through a long day of lectures and learning, hit up Carlos’ Country Kitchen. It’s a meal that won’t disappoint.
-Ali B
