Auntie Mame’s Cafe, Scotts Valley
Auntie Mame's Cafe, Scotts Valley, California
This was our third choice. Our first choice was the Summit Roadhouse on Highway 17 but when we walked in we were told that they were having trouble with the gas line and would not open for another hour. We’ll give it a try next time we come this way.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
Scotts Valley was just down the road so we decided to look there. The nearest place was Denny’s but that was a definite no no. Second nearest was Mollie’s Cafe but we thought it was on the right in the King’s Village Shopping Center. After driving all around the shopping center we couldn’t find it so went to search for somewhere else. Just down the road, on the corner of Mount Hermon Road and Scotts Valley Road, we spotted Auntie Mame’s Cafe. There was lots of parking right outside. It is a small, homely looking place.
Inside it is clean and bright, due to the many big windows – by the way they still have Valentine hearts on all the windows so it is easy to spot. There are no booths, just dark wooden tables and chairs and 7 stools up at the L-shaped counter.
We were told to sit where we liked. There were a few other customers, so not at all crowded. Our server was a pretty girl who was efficient but not overly friendly. The menu was large with lots of choices plus 7 specials written up on a couple of whiteboards. Tom chose the Joe’s Special $7.95 and I went for the oatmeal – served with raisins and seeds – for $3.50.
The decor is pleasing and not over the top. Apart from the hearts on the windows, there are several other decorations along the same line, with artificial red roses on the tables and a flashing pink heart behind the counter. The pictures on the wall are a mix of old advertisement posters and photos of the cafe and the immediate locale, including an aerial photo of Scotts Valley.
Our food arrived promptly. The plates were quite a bit smaller than most breakfast places we’ve been to but that is not a criticism. What we had was adequate. My oatmeal came in a small, round, deep bowl with the raisins and seeds (shelled sunflower seeds to be exact) already on top. The sugar was in a small paper cup and the milk in a cute stainless steel jug with a lid. The oatmeal was good – equal to Hobees but without the refill of course.
I had to ask the way to the restroom as there were no signs, but was impressed with it when I finally found it; apart from the overkill on the signs asking customers not to flush paper towels, etc. One sign would have been enough but there was one on the outside of the door and three inside and it was not a very big room. It was a nice room though. In the corner was a small round table with a huge flower decoration (artificial) on it. There was also another couple of artificial plants on top of the cistern, one a green plant and the other a hydrangea in a small pair of ceramic boots. I liked the pictures, if you could call them that, on the wall. They all had a beach theme. One was a scene painted on a small section of a picket fence and the other three were picture boxes. One other nice touch – a large red decorative candle on the wall.
The facilities were not brilliant and the sink was very small. To boot there was no hot water.
Our verdicts – Tom said his Joe’s Special was just OK but I enjoyed my oatmeal. On the whole it was an OK place but the atmosphere was a little subdued. We may go there again but we wouldn’t be in any great rush.
Related posts:
- Old Town Cafe, Grass Valley
- Daybreak Cafe, Penn Valley
- Mama’s Royal Cafe, Mill Valley
- 3-Zero Cafe, Half Moon Bay Airport
- Seabreeze Cafe, Santa Cruz
February 23 2009 06:50 pm | Breakfast Log
