FirstWatch

 Image from FirstWatch.com

FirstWatch - The Daytime Cafe has been on my radar for a few months and an early morning shopping trip with my mom proved to be just the right time to try it. I had driven by a few times as I frequent TJ Maxx and Metro Market on a monthly basis, but I never got a good look inside.

When I suggested this place to my mom, she was fine with it, looking for something light, but filling enough to get us through our shopping trip without needing to refuel. (We can get ornery if we don't have food in us - ok I mainly do!)

We walked in and I realized that it wasn't at all what I thought. I was going with it being a Panera-type place where you order at a counter, but this was more like a breakfast cafe with very cheery colors and decor. You wait to be seated by the host and the servers wear khakis and bright colored polo shirts and everyone was smiling.

We were seated at a table right by the kitchen, but with all the cooking they were doing on a busy Saturday morning, I had no problem conversing with my mom or the server at all. You can see into the kitchen and it was very organized and very clean. I knew I had picked a great place.

A large chalkboard on the back wall lists the specials of the day. We read through the entire menu of breakfast and light lunch specials and both of us found something right away. My mom asked about the size of the pancakes and we were informed they are the size of a dinner plate. Luckily you can order just 1 and not have 3 huge pancakes that you can't finish staring at you. She chose 1 cranberry nut pancake and I went with the fresh fruit filled crepes with organic strawberry yogurt over the top. It also came with granola and a muffin.

We waited just about 10 minutes and our food came out. Presentation is definitely something they focus on. The butter was placed very delicately on top of my mom's pancake and she thought this would be a new pancake she might attempt at home sometime. My crepes were filled with large pieces of strawberries and bananas with the melon pieces on top of the yogurt. The crepes were light and airy. I have never had yogurt on crepes before and that is a much heathier option than the cream or ricotta that I have had before. That's granola in the cup and check out the size of that muffin.

We both agreed that this was a solid breakfast for both of us to shop on but yet neither of us felt stuffed. I saved the muffin for a late lunch snack and didn't eat all the granola. We were both extremely satisfied with the food and my mom wants to take my dad there very soon. They usually go to different little breakfast joints and this will be another one that my mom is sure my dad will like.

 Check out the fun details on the napkin wrappers! 

I signed up for their FirstWatch club and received a buy one, get one breakfast just for signing up. Then with my birthday just this week, I received an email for a free entree! I'll take that as a great club already. I wonder what else they will give out throughout the year!