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Breakfast at Maple Counter Cafe – July 1 2013

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Let me tell you about this little place in Walla Walla named The Maple Counter Cafe…

There have been very few times where I’ve been impressed from start to finish at any restaurant. Now when I say I’m truly impressed, I’m talking about the entire experience. The food. The atmosphere. The staff. Everything. I’m talking about from the time I walk through the doors until the time I leave. I’m watching the host or hostesses, the servers, the managers, the bussers; I’m watching everyone. I do this because I can see very quickly how good a staff is based on how well they do the little things.

Even more impressive about The Maple Counter Cafe was our server, Casey. Something I haven’t seen in a very long time is a server as knowledgeable about his menu and product. Real simple, I asked him what a “first timer” to the Maple Counter should have. Casey was able to describe the entire menu, how every dish was prepared and cooked. He painted such a clear picture of every breakfast dish they offered that he actually made my choices more difficult because now I wanted to eat everything. Having a server go through a menu with the enthusiasm and knowledge he did was something I haven’t seen in a long time and it reminded me how a great server takes pride in his profession.

Normally, in any one of my reviews, this is where I would tell you about the food I ate. Long story short, I had the Classic Eggs Benedict. They were awesome.

It has been a very long time since I have been blown away by a restaurant. Just for a little background, let me tell you what I look for in every restaurant I go to. I look for the following things:

  • Pleasant atmosphere
  • Friendly and knowledgeable staff
  • Great food
  • Great value

Usually, any restaurant can hit some of these points. It’s rare if a restaurant hits them all. However, what I haven’t seen in a very long time is a “knowledgeable” server. When a server can describe how every dish is created, why certain ingredients are used, how it’s cook, I know I’m being taken care of by a professional server.

So let me tell you about The Maple Counter Cafe. After a great weekend of food and friends in Walla Walla, we decided to grab breakfast before heading back to the Tri-Cities. We were greeted by very friendly hosts and hostesses. Even though we had a party of nine, they got us in very, very quickly which was nice.

But here is where The Maple Counter really stood out above the rest. I asked our server Casey what a “first timer” should have to eat. He proceeded to tell me about every dish they offered, how it was prepared, how it was cooked, and any other little detail that could help paint a picture of the dish. Also, there was never one time where anything our group asked for was above and beyond. The bottom line is that Casey could put on a clinic all about what it takes to be a great server. He is truly a master at his craft. All of this made for an awesome experience that I will tell people about for a long time.

Let’s get into the food. I finally decided to go with their Classic Eggs Benedict. I love Eggs Benedict so whenever I can order it, I do. However, this was the first place I’ve seen that offers a choice of potatoes OR pancakes. I decided on their amazing sourdough pancakes. The whole meal was delicious. I wish I wouldn’t have inhaled it so fast and took a little more time to enjoy every bite of it.

My friends ordered a wide range of food. One got the biscuits and gravy (delicious), one got the Blueberry Cobbler French Toast (awesomely delicious), another got the Mexican Scramble (amazingly delicious), and so on and so on. Everyone’s food was simply delicious.

So, if you are ever in Walla Walla and are looking for an amazing breakfast, service, and atmosphere, I strongly recommend The Maple Counter Cafe.