Sunrise Café

***This location is closed but relocating as of 1/1/12

This place used to be one of my favorite breakfast places when we first moved back to Indy.  I have to say though, I have seen quality shifts in the time since I have been going, and was motivated to try other places in the meantime.  But we went back the other day for a nice fried breakfast after a night of a bit too much wine (my favorite time for these kinds of breakfasts) and had a meal that was back up there with some of the best experiences we have had.

I just had my usual basic breakfast—2 eggs over medium (they do it right here), bacon, hash browns and toast ($7.75).  The eggs are cooked perfectly over medium the way I like, with a nice runny yolk, but no runny whites.  The hash browns were perfect on this trip—perfectly browned and crispy on both sides. Crunchy and delicious.

The factor that has made me lose interest in this place on and off is the bacon.  I have been there when the bacon was dry and flavorless to the point that I didn’t go back for awhile.  This time the bacon was thicker and had great salty bacon flavor.  It isn’t super fancy bacon or anything, but was good and it hit the spot.

They also make their bread themselves, and it is very good.  I just had the white, and it was obviously fresh.  The one thing that I didn’t like, and depending on how much is used, can make a meal a little too greasy for me, is the “butter” type stuff used on the bread and to cook the eggs in (I think they are using the same for both anyway). It think it is a buttery oil, not actually real melted butter, and a little of it is ok, but when you get too much, it just tastes like oily toast.  On this particular trip, it was a little borderline.  I think next time I will ask for the toast dry and for actual butter on the side. (I will note for the record that hubby and I have a disagreement on this issue and he does not think it is oil.  But we will have to agree to disagree).

So I am not sure why it is so challenging to find a really good, divey breakfast in Indy.  This totally seems like something that Indy could excel at, but I have yet to find a single spot that can pull it off every time. I have had some good breakfasts, and this was one of them, but the consistency has been a little questionable sometimes.  Hmmmm…wonder what it is that makes it such a challenge to find.

Sunrise Café

3309 East 86^th Street

Indy 46240

317/253-8266