Mama’s Royal Cafe, Mill Valley
Mama's Royal Cafe, Mill Valley
This weekend I am on a course in Sausalito and Tom came along for the ride. Of course he brought his camera along but so far has not been able to use it because of the rain. I do not know how he is going to entertain himself today while I am working.
Once again, I checked out Anna’s Cool Finds to see where to eat and she came up trumps. Mama’s Royal Cafe is an absolute treasure but how to best describe it is going to be a challenge, but I’ll do my best.
The cafe is set back from the road but look out for the brightly colored sandwich board on the sidewalk. Parking is minimal so get there early (they open at 7.30 am.) Outside are few tables under cover and on a sunny day or even a dry one, it would be nice to sit outside but the inside is not to be missed.
There is just one booth and no stools at the counter so not your normal diner. All the tables are covered with a thick, plastic cover which sounds dreadful but every one is different and patterned with vibrantly colored fruit. The chairs are a complete mishmash – Tom and I sat on garden benches.
But the biggest impact to the eye is the walls, which are literally covered with a huge assortment of paintings, photos, posters and curios. For instance, within touching distance of where we sat were a photo of an old boat; paintings of a mermaid, an ocean liner, James Dean, a huge swan with a woman on its back, an elephant and a green plant. At the end of the table is a mural of an idyllic sandy beach with palm trees. There is more! A huge wooden mask, a wooden parrot on a swing and an oversize white cup and saucer.
One wall on the other side of the cafe is dedicated to Marilyn Monroe. Nearby is a cutout of a nun with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and a sign which says ‘Nun Smoking Area’. Other curious objects which caught my eye – a four foot giraffe with a lei around its neck and above our booth, fixed to the ceiling, four place settings decorated with pineapples and flowers complete with knives and forks.
Must mention the pillars – each one is painted differently - palm tree, pencil, Egyptian hieroglyphics (plus Charlie Brown) and a red, white and blue striped one which I thought represented a stick of rock (you’ve got to be English to understand that) or a barber’s pole but probably meant to be patriotic.
I could go on and on but the primary reason we are here is for the food. The menu is an art form all of its own. The Benedicts looked tempting but I asked about oatmeal – which was not on the menu. The server, who was the only person we saw, though I’m sure there must have been someone in the kitchen cooking, said they did have oatmeal. I asked for it with raisins and banana ($6.95). Tom ordered a bacon and cheddar omelet (8.25).
It didn’t take long before the food arrived but that was probably because I was so fascinated at looking at my surroundings. The oatmeal came in a large, deep, round bowl on a decorated plate. The sliced bananas and raisins were on top. Milk was already on the table. Tom said his omelet was good with lots of bacon and my oatmeal was great and hot into the bargain. The oatmeal was coarse cut, so nice and hearty.
Now my trip to the restroom. On the way there I passed a very nice secluded booth. The thee walls were covered with a mural depicting Rick’s Café Américain from the movie, “Casablanca”.
The bathrooms are down a rather gloomy passage. I had high expectations that it would be as richly decorated as the restaurant but was hugely disappointed. The room was large and rather tatty and it was completely bereft of any adornment whatsoever. Even the pillar in the center of the room was painted a stark white.
For a real funky experience, we would highly recommend Mama’s Royal Cafe.
Mama’s Royal Café
393 Miller Ave
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-3261
February 25 2010 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
