Breakfast at Genies

If you’ve ever driven past the corner of 11th and Division on a Saturday or Sunday morning surely you’ve noticed the hoards of sleepy looking hipsters huddled in packs on the sidewalk, coffees in hand, waiting patiently for something to happen. Well, if you didn’t already know, that something is Genies. And it’s well worth the wait! I’ve been eating breakfast at Genies on and off for the last four years and it never ceases to amaze me. What first led me there was the promise of a great Bloody Mary. I’m from Wisconsin, where finding a good Bloody Mary is like fishing with dynamite. Yet in Portland, for whatever reason, finding even a passable Bloody has proven at times to be an elusive dream. Genies is one of the exceptions. They make a slew of delicious Bloody Mary’s with house-infused vodka’s (try the basil) and serve them in pint glasses, which, for all you bartenders out there, is the RIGHT way to to serve a Bloody Mary (and yes, I tended bar for many years).

After your drink order is taken care of, check out the food menu. My stomach almost always steers me toward the Eggs Benedict meals. The Dungeness crab cake Benedict is completely decadent and over the top, served on a puff pastry with grilled asparagus. The Vegetarian Benny is also quite remarkable, served on Risotto cakes with house smoked tomato, spinach and mushrooms. The hollandaise at Genies is out of this world–lemony, fresh and not too rich. I rarely stray from the Benedict menu, but I can pretty much vouch for anything at Genies. The scrambles and omelettes are damn tasty, and there are always a few creative specials to tempt you. Whatever you end up choosing, make sure to get the roasted potatoes on the side. They are perfection incarnate: brown and crisp on the outside and melt in your mouth gooey on the inside. The service at Genies is usually really good considering the amount of tables they turn over on a good day. While the “sit at your table” approach to order taking is getting a lot less charming and a little more played out over the years, its still nice in that you don’t feel rushed.

Genies Cafe
1101 SE Division St
(503) 445-9777