FIRST WATCH - Raleigh, NC

There’s a new breakfast joint in town. Big Daddy is a breakfast aficionado and he has a favorite haunt that we frequent on a regular basis. First Watch opened its doors just over a month ago and we waited a week or two for them to get the kinks out. They’re still working on those kinks.

I tried it first, with Number One Son. We visited on a Sunday morning during the height of their brunch hour. The place was a madhouse! Despite the crowd we were seated quickly, in a booth by the window. For starters I liked the atmosphere. It had a very cool, organic vibe to it. I also like the little details; the raw sugar and it’s too cute single-portion dispenser, the water served in milk bottles, and the neat little coffee carafe. But I’m a sucker for the fine touches.

On this day the waitress was pleasant. I don’t know if I can co-sign on their statement that they are known for delivering an excellent dining experience and fast and friendly service because she was clearly overwhelmed and all the wait staff looked like they wished they were anywhere but here. But that’s just how crowded it was. To everyone’s credit they were giving it a rousing try and clearly earned an A for effort. Our waitress was polite but she didn't make any lasting impressions with her customer service skills.

All the food is made to order and they proclaim not to use heat lamps or deep fryers and to only use the finest ingredients possible for the freshest taste around.

I ordered their Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Hash. Its two eggs - any style - atop a hash of fresh, seasoned potatoes, avocado, bacon and tomatoes with melted Cheddar and Monterey Jack. It was served with English muffins and a side of fresh fruit cocktail. And it was good. Not great but I would eat it again. The hash was tasty and filling. The fruit was fresh and it was sweet, which was a big plus because the English muffin was ice cold. It had not been toasted and left much to be desired. I didn't think it worth sending back especially since the kitchen looked like a train wreck waiting to happen. It just felt like someone had missed a step somewhere along the line. One of those kinks I mentioned earlier.

Number-One-Son ordered the Beefeater. It’s a sandwich with roast beef, tomato, Cheddar and Monterey Jack on grilled Parmesan-crusted sourdough served with horseradish sauce on the side and a dressed spring mix salad. Now, here’s where the good took a decidedly quick turn to the right. This was a winner for me. The cheese crusted bread is a definite favorite with great flavor and just the perfect crunch and texture. The entire sandwich was heated through nicely and the horseradish sauce gave it a little extra uumph even though it was surprisingly very mild. The salad was dressed with a very light vinaigrette and was a nice addition to the meal.

We both had their coffee, the Sunrise Select Premium Blend and it was very good coffee, comparable to my favored coffee brand. 

Now, they were clearly still having some issues handling the crowd and this was most evident at checkout. It was a twenty minute wait to pay the bill. The gentleman at the cash register had problems with it, the credit card machine and a dozen other things. The line out the door was even longer than the line in, so much so that one young man in line behind us actually skipped out on his bill, clearly frustrated that trying to pay was making him late for something important. He walked out and no one but those of us directly in front of him and the man behind him noticed. By the time anyone of any authority came back to the front he was long gone.

The second time I visited Big Daddy joined me. We went midweek, just before noon and there was no line to get in. We were seated immediately as they had many seats to spare. This time I ordered the Beefeater sandwich and Big Daddy had the Trifecta. It was two eggs any style with a Belgian waffle and a sausage link. Neither he nor I was impressed. The waffle was not the best we've ever had, lacking the advertised light and airy. It just really fell short and they completely forgot the warm, mixed berry compote. What he got was a cool, berry-flavored liquid with no hint of fruit. I could have made scrambled eggs at home and that single sausage link should just have been left off the plate, not enough to satisfy. And sadly, this visit, I was disappointed with the sandwich. The bread was still good but the roast beef was actually cold and that really took away from my meal.

I won’t write First Watch off just yet. They had an interesting menu and there were a few items I’m still interested in tasting. Big Daddy, on the other hand, didn't get the excellent dining experience that was promised so he’s heading back to his favorite place where the waffles are always spot on and a side of sausage is actually a decent sized portion.