Clockwise from left: Katalina’s classic breakfast, the Big ‘Ol Breakfast Burrito and pancake balls.
Credit: Leah Alexander / Lantern reporter
Local favorite Katalina’s Cafe Corner has established itself as serving the best of breakfast and lunch.
Located at 1105 Pennsylvania Ave., Katalina’s is a local eatery that has been a community favorite since it opened its doors in the Harrison West neighborhood.
“We tend to focus on the people that we cater to … everyone has a voice here. We’re different than a chain restaurant,” Miller said.
The restaurant sits on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Third Avenue and appears rather small from the outside. Strings of colored lights surround the front porch area and a lit-up sign brightens up the ambience of the drab exterior.
As I walked into the restaurant, I was surprised to see it was just as small on the inside as it appeared on the outside. There must have been about half a dozen tables scattered across the small eating area.
The walls were all painted with chalkboard paint allowing room for hand-drawn menus and designs.
The main menus hung above my head on individual chalkboards. Katalina’s serves breakfast all day, as well as several lunch options.
Since it was 8:30 a.m., I opted for the breakfast menu. All of the choices looked amazing and picking one wasn’t going to be easy. I was dining with two other people, so we decided to each pick something different.
I went with the classic breakfast: two eggs prepared any style, hash browns, a protein of choice and two pieces of toast ($8.55). Simple, yet classic and always delicious. My friends got the Big Ol’ Breakfast Burrito ($8.75) and the famous pancake balls ($9.95).
We waited no longer than 10 minutes for our food, and as we saw the three plates emerge from the kitchen, I knew this meal was going to be good.
My classic breakfast looked as classic as it gets. The scrambled eggs, two pieces of bacon, two pieces of whole grain toast and a pile of hash browns made my mouth water.
The pancake balls were perfectly golden brown and lined up in a circle surrounding a dollop of whipped cream. Three pieces of crispy bacon sizzled next to the decadent cakes.
The burrito was served in a spinach wrap and filled with eggs, green peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms. Hash browns and bacon were the perfect addition to this savory breakfast meal.
After trying each dish, I honestly had no complaints. The eggs and bacon were still hot, yet cooked to just the right temperature. The hash browns were warm and crispy enough for my liking.
Hands-down the best part of our meal was the pancake balls. They were unlike anything I’ve ever had before. Filled with Nutella and covered in powdered sugar, they were the consistency of the ultimate fluffy pancake in the shape of a small sphere. I definitely would recommend these to anyone with a sweet tooth.
Breakfast options range from $8 to $11, and lunch options are between $4.50 and $11. Katalina’s is open every day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Grade: A
