Garden Gate a relaxing, reliable breakfast spot in Niwot: review

For some restaurants, comfort and familiarity, as opposed to an avant garde experience, serve as the main attractions. Niwot's Garden Gate Cafe epitomizes this type of spot, as it's a breakfast and lunch venue offering a reassuringly relaxed feel comparable to a lovingly worn pair of jeans.

Contributing to the comforting vibe, the cozy country kitchen ambience is one compelling draw for the weekend capacity crowds. Consequently, the wait for a table can be on the long side if one arrives around midmorning. Another persuasive attraction is the expansive breakfast menu, which offers a variety of both meatless and meat-laden options.

Selections range from basic egg and breakfast meat plates to a full complement of various Benedicts and a multitude of Southwestern-influenced choices such as huevos rancheros and burritos. Variations on the pancake and French toast theme are also on tap. Those seeking a more minimalist morning meal can content themselves with simpler choices, such as berry-topped granola, oatmeal, and a muffin of the day.

The late riser can partake of lunch offerings, including such old chestnuts as main course salads, including a Cobb, and a chicken take augmented with apples, walnuts and dried cranberries. Classic deli sandwiches, with gluten-free bread as an option, such as a Reuben are also available, as are burgers, and entrees like fish and chips.

The Garden Gate, perhaps unsurprisingly, pours straightforward diner coffee as its hot drink of choice, and this cafe generously leaves a pot at the table for those ordering this beverage. But the eatery also offers a reasonable selection of espresso-based eye openers with both dairy and non-dairy add-ons. While the java specialties here might not be the equivalent of those from a boutique roaster, they are fine accompaniments to the breakfast fare. For example, a $4.50 cappuccino was more than decent, with a strong but not bitter coffee foundation and an acceptably frothy head of milk.

While during a recent weekend excursion there was an initial mixup with my dining companion's breakfast order, our server quickly and gracefully corrected the problem. When the requested $13 crab cake Florentine Benedict arrived, it proved itself to be worth the wait.

Some crab cakes possess a flavor where one can hardly discern the taste of authentic shellfish, or in some instances, the main ingredient is ersatz krab, spelled with a "k." That's not the case here, as Garden Gate's take is assertively flavored with the genuine Maryland article, and there's no mistaking this element's crabby bona fides. Sautéed spinach added a lighter juxtaposition to the crab cake when it came to both bulk and flavor, and golden Hollandaise, dusted with scarlet paprika, provided the finishing creamy touch.

My dining companion, a self-styled hash brown connoisseur, registered a high satisfaction level with her generously-sized fried potato side. Properly crisp on the exterior and correctly tender on the inside, this preparation hit all the right notes when it came to this diner standby.

There's a voluminous amount of pancake choices on the menu, starting with a most basic cream and buttermilk version as well as several selections adorned with such add-ons as chocolate chips and fruit. What caught my eye, however, was the $11 English pancakes. Unlike its thicker and fluffier American cousin, this griddle specialty is a thinner, more pliable creation, with a more than passing resemblance to a white flour French crepe.

I later learned that English pancakes also play a more ecclesiastical role than their stateside peers. These sophisticated flapjacks are traditionally consumed on Shrove Tuesday, aka Fat Tuesday, as a way to pack in butter and sugar before doing without during Lent.

This British take also differed from American style pancakes in that these were rolled, dusted with crystalized raw sugar, and filled with mascarpone. Smooth and rich cheese filling created a luxurious pancake experience that was well above average in complexity and creamy flavor and texture. Rather than maple syrup, plump fresh blueberries and lemon juice provided a comparatively more delicate and fresh tasting complement. If one wishes to expand their pancake horizons — and who doesn't — this unique choice is the way to go.

The Garden Gate Cafe has remained relatively unchanged over the years, and in this instance, that's not a bad thing. A comforting small town atmosphere and a reasonably-affordable-something-for-everyone menu help this spot maintain a reputation as a reliable, if not relaxing, breakfast favorite.