Jack: Your still can't go wrong with James griddling up a half-stack of Silver Dollar Pancakes and don't forget the Huckleberries. Beyond that it's pretty regular diner breakfast fare. The eggs are fresh and not out of a mystery pitcher. The omelets are decent. And, they serve the (in)famous Joe's Special with its burger, spinach and onion goodness. Hash browns have a good amount of crisp (they used to be undercooked most mornings). They offer up cheese and sausage gravy on just about everything (yikes!). And beware of the "Go-go-juice" or as some might call it, coffee. Their coffee has improved as they are now serving Craven's Coffee, and the first cup or two taste great. The rest may haunt your morning--I think it's how they brew the coffee. Oh, and, don't bring your important documents, they're bound to get splashed with the ever-flowing coffee, or set in a coffee drip.

Jack: Cafe Marron has recently revised their menu. Out are the standards I raved about in my previous review, and In are a new, more refined selection of breakfast fare. The "Eggs with herbs" are well done with a delightful selection of fresh herbs. The red potatoes are perfectly browned and wonderfully seasoned. Kim shared a bite of her French Toast the other morning, and it was like eating French Toast made from pound cake: sweet, delightful, but way to rich for my tastes. The coffee mugs no longer suffer lipstick stains, and the coffee is gourmet and plentiful.

Kim:

Jack: This a quaint and friendly cafe located in the Perry St. District. The food is plentiful and extremely reasonable in price for the portion. Taters are to perfection, and my veggie omelette was stuffed with all sorts of good things, including black olives--definitely a different omelette. The place is clean and owners dedicated and friendly. Coffee is your standard diner fair, hot and plentiful.

Kim:

Jack: A working man's (and women's) joint with an extremely reasonably priced early bird menu. You might miss this place as you speed down the Division St. Hill. I ventured forth with a mushroom and swiss omelette. It was your classic flat-top griddle fried egg filled with plenty of mushrooms, but very salty "American-Swiss" cheese. The home fries were fried perfectly, but a bit salty as well. Coffee is your standard diner fare, plentiful--I don't think I ever saw the bottom of the mug.

Kim:

Sadly, Meritage closed shortly after Christmas of 2007. We wish Rhonda and her crew all the best, and look forward to their future culinary adventures.

Jack: Their Pumpkin Pancakes are rich and dense and reminds me of pumpkin bread I make around the holidays. I also enjoy their cheddar omelet kicked up with a little mushroom, onion and tomatoes. Even if you are not a Veg, you really should try the Thai Tofu Scramble; the Thai spiced scrambled eggs and tofu, cooled by coleslaw are amazing. Meritage's Veggie Omelet has no sprouts, and the avocado makes for a rich but healthy breakfast. Hashbrowns are always crispy and done just right. The coffee is gourmet, delicious and plentiful.

Kim: Jack, speaking for Kim... Three little words: Crunchy French Toast.

Jack: The eggs are bland, but the service is usually quick and entertaining. Coffee is your standard diner fare, but your cup is never left empty for long. When ordering your hash browns, be sure to ask for the O'Brien, the added bell pepper and onion goes a long way with flavor on the browns.

Kim:

Jack: The Bistro Scramble is a tasty mix of bell peppers and onions with eggs holding it all together. I ordered the multi-grain blueberry pancake instead of the potatoes. It is by far the healthiest pancake I think I've ever had. The blueberries are only sprinkled in the center, and you'll likely need every ounce of maple syrup. The scramble includes a cup of coffee for the amazing price of $4.99. They have a great variety of coffee and all are self-service.

Kim:

Jack: Their savory crepes are a definite change of pace from the usual breakfast fare, and remind me of the mornings in Paris many moons ago. The selections are slim in this department, but always really tasty and filling. The coffee is excellent here and self-service.

Kim:

Jack: Friendly service and a great setting way off the beaten path of Downtown Spokane. The Mexican Scramble is mighty tasty. The Mexican Omelet is respectable despite the two slices of chewy cheese stuck to the top. The Veggie Omelet has a definite twist with sprouts, spinach, and avocado tucked away inside. Coffee is no gourmet, but good and plentiful.

Kim:

Jack: Well, This is a breakfast spot of the unhealthy kind, but delicious nonetheless. Donuts are one of the four food groups, and given the occasion for indulgence, Donut Parade should not be passed up. This place has been around for decades and the decor shows it. That is, if you can find it, because the big "DONUT" sign blew down in the Winter of 2007 when a huge wind storm blew through, and they just haven't gotten around to putting it back up. They start cranking out donuts sometime between 5:30 and 6:00 AM, but only Monday through Friday.

Breakfast in Spokane, Washington can be a surprising challenge. Maybe it's the college-town vibe that has hardly a soul wanting anything more than a latte before 8:00 AM, or maybe so many are so accustomed to not having good breakfast joints that the demand has waned. Whatever the case, the folks here at J-D Strong Consulting enjoy a good breakfast to meet over. Within these pages, we will chronicle our breakfast adventures, just in case you might be looking for breakfast in Spokane. A few ground rules, we lean heavily towards the local breakfast spot. Denny's, Sharri's and Perkins hasn't served food in years and are automatically disqualified for being national chains. Secondly, we'll do our best to keep this up to date and accurate, but please don't hold us responsible if a recommended breakfast spot isn't open at the hour we stated. Trust us, we've all had to fall back on second choices due to closings, changed hours, etc. And now to begin: Breakfast