Review and photos by Kurt Kwon
The newest addition to the Hilltop neighborhood does not disappoint. Finding breakfast near the Esplanade has been challenging until now, but Red Elm combines great service, quality ingredients, tasty menu items and a very inexpensive meals.
Only after a week of opening I expected this new restaurant to be a disaster, like normal new restaurants. The operation ran very smoothly -- like a seasoned veteran. You order at the counter, take your number and go find a seat. The interior is decorated nicely with a modern flare, and there's a separate room for group events too. The space is deceptively large and open.
The menu items consist of coffee and traditional espresso beverages, however, the most expensive drink was only $3.75 for a large. The breakfast menu includes Belgian Waffles, egg sandwiches, and their version of an omelet called "womellettes". The womellettes are made in a waffle maker, and it apparently is extremely popular because they didn't have any available when I ordered -- Darn! Next time, I guess. Lunch items include traditional sandwiches grilled on a panini press. There's a salad and soup of the day too, but again the prices are super cheap! Nothing is over $5.
I ordered the bacon and cheddar egg sandwich on sourdough. It had the perfect amount of cheese and was seasoned very well. A simple meal but that's what they do well. My friends had the chicken and avocado grilled sandwich, which included spinach. They both seemed to approve. I had to try the waffle dog: think of a corn dog but with a waffle batter instead. They serve it with ketchup or mustard but my server recommended syrup to have more of a breakfast feel. It was quite good with the hot dog actually having a slightly salty flavor that counterbalanced the sweetness of the waffle and syrup.
Red Elm is run by three sisters who all seem to have a good time together and truly appreciate their customers. Give them a try and definitely try the waffle dog!
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