Are you hungry? Or are you HUNGRY? Evergreen Inn is the temple of the gourmand and just the place to satiate your empty, growling, ready-to-concave-if-you-don't-eat-now hunger. To put the "Evergreen Inn state of mind" into perspective, there are no less than 302 heartily proportioned items on their voluminous menu (not including side orders or beverages). One hundred thirty of those items are dedicated to that special time of day known as breakfast, which at EI is all day. And why not? Especially when you can get eggs with anything: chorizo, chicken fried steak, halibut steak, pork chops, teriyaki steak, Italian sausage, Cajun hot links, corned beef hash, liver, grilled mushrooms, Canadian bacon, or porterhouse steak (TO NAME ONLY A FEW). You can also get eggs any style such as: scrambled with wedge cut potatoes, Spanish style on top of tortillas and beans, Benedict with hash or Canadian bacon and a rich Hollandaise sauce....or my favorite and an EI specialty: the "omelette-souffle."
The largest omelette on record was made in Yokohama, Japan and contained 160,000 eggs. Coming in at a close second in giganticness would be EI's omelette-souffles which are made with 4 extra large eggs and are completely luscious and so super fluffy that I liken the texture and thickness (but not flavor) to memory foam or a tempurpedic mattress. There are no less than 38 variations however, cheese lovers rejoice over the "Cheese Combo Omelette" that features all of the following: American, Swiss, jack, and cheddar. Of course there is the classic Denver omelette (ham, onions, and bell pepper) for the traditionalists or the more funky "Pizza Style Omelette" (Italian sausage, linguica, ham, pepperoni, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, meat sauce, jack, and cheddar cheese) for the hipsters. My all time favorite is the magical "Chili Verde Omelette": succulent chunks of tender pork in green chili sauce all smothered in jack cheese. I call it magical because of its health benefits (chili peppers are high in vitamins and one green chili pepper contains more vitamin C than six oranges) and its curative properties in relation to hangovers. Plus, the chili verde omelete tastes really, really good.
Okay, so you've chosen to have breakfast and you have narrowed down your selection to a scrumptious omelette-souffle, but hold on to your forks because that's only half of the EI decision tree. Now, you must decide on the sides. First, you have the option of country potatoes, homemade hashbrowns, or grits. What? You've never had grits? Well, you've may have spent your entire life this side of the Mason-Dixon Line, but that does not mean you can't love grits. You'll get a cup of ultra creamy hominy grits so good that one taste and you'll jump up and play the banjo. The country potatoes are no less tasty; onions, green bell pepper, and chunks of skillet crunchy potato. But on second thought, you can never go wrong with the homemade hashbrowns which have the perfect balance tooth-tender and crusty potato shreds.
The potato/grits decision is entirely up to your feeling of the moment but the second decision will require some strategizing. Choice #2 is between toast, biscuit, two buttermilk pancakes, two Swedish pancakes, or biscuits and gravy. Please note that toast includes the secondary choice of white, wheat, sourdough, or English muffin so I usually just avoid the subject of toast. I eliminate the plain biscuit choice all together because I feel that it merges with the choice of biscuits and gravy. I don't think I could be friends with the person who would pick a plain biscuit to a biscuit blanketed in thick n' rich country gravy. If the biscuits and gravy are not calling my name, I then group the buttermilk and Swedish pancake decision together; do I want the comfort of fluffy dessert plate sized buttermilk pancakes or the adventure of pink lingonberry crepes sprinkled with powdered sugar? But again, more choices accumulate as you also have the option of adding a fruit topping to the buttermilk pancakes: blueberry, apple, peach, cherry or strawberry --go for the extra fruit and it may just be the happiest George Washington you ever spent.
Let's take a moment to review our order: an omelette-souffle with (insert your favorite toppings/accoutrements), grits (or country potatoes or hashbrowns), and biscuits and gravy (or pancakes with fruit topping option or Swedish pancakes). I admit the decision making process may expend enough energy to counteract the caloric consumption but if you are feeling overwhelmed, my recommendation would be the waffle sandwich: two eggs, choice of bacon or sausage, and a light, golden, and ever-so-slightly-crunchy waffle. Filled with maple syrup, the waffle wells are deep enough to drown sorrows, guilt, or the occasional small dog.
Still haven't convinced you yet? I may have saved the best reason to try Evergreen Inn for the end of my argument: THE BAR! The Elegant Pub is next door and is connected to the EI dining area. Try getting a scotch and soda before breakfast at your common, blue-roofed, franchised pancake house -- unlikely.
Evergreen Inn has everything you are hungry for and something for anyone (including lighter/smaller portion selections and a great kids menu).
Evergreen Inn is located on the corner of South White Road and Aborn Road in the Save Mart shopping center.
