49059759
I am a patient woman, but I do not like it when someone is rude or I am told there will be a one-hour wait for brunch. To this day, I still have not been to Honey’s Sit ’N Eat in Northern Liberties. We are always told there will be a long wait. The same held true on a number of occasions at Morning Glory Diner, 10th and Fitzwater streets. We took a chance and finally Edward, Sandy and I enjoyed brunch there. We only waited in the lovely sunshine for about 20 minutes.
I’m glad we did. While we waited for our table, a man sitting next to me looked familiar. He is a regular and told me the frittata and biscuits are delicious. As it turned out, I met Jason and his adorable sheltie Shelby Lynn last year while shopping. We made plans to meet.
Morning Glory is a cash-only breakfast, brunch and lunch spot that gained a loyal following as soon as it opened its doors. There’s a small counter where you can watch the short order cooks work their magic. There’s nothing better than a woman or man who can fry eggs, keep the bacon crisp and turn out dishes one after another. Rich dark coffee ($2.50) was served steaming hot in metal cups. Tables were set with a bowl of soft butter pats and a metal container filled with homemade jam. Even the ketchup was homemade. It arrived in a wine bottle, which I thought was kind of cute.
I ordered scrambled eggs with bacon, grits and the anticipated biscuit ($7.50). Sandy did the same, but opted for potatoes rather than grits.
I like my eggs gently scrambled. There is nothing worse than overcooked brown, rubbery eggs. They were creamy and required a dusting of salt and pepper. The bacon was crisp, but I thought the serving was rather small.
Now let’s focus on the grits and biscuit. Biscuits here were a big square of warm and crumbly dough. I smeared on some butter and homemade jam and was quite content. I love grits and have eaten them all over the south. A bowl of stone ground grits topped with lots of butter, salt and pepper is the perfect go-to side dish for breakfast. The ones at Morning Glory were cooked to perfection.
I watched as the soft butter melted into the piping hot bowl of goodness and marveled why so many brunch spots fail to serve them. Egg dishes come with a small ramekin of spiced apples which I thought was inspirational. They were cubed, cooked and dusted with cinnamon. They tasted just as fine cool as they did warm.
“I should have ordered the grits,” Sandy said as she pushed the pile of potatoes to the side of the plate. “They are not hot and are overcooked.”
Edward agreed. He ordered the shrimp wrap ($9.50) which came with a choice of a side salad or roasted potatoes. The shrimp salad, however, was unusually good. It was not packed with mayonnaise, which is the way you would find shrimp salad prepared in most diners. It was seasoned with herbs and rolled into a spinach tortilla.
Morning Glory closes at 3 p.m. on weekends and 4 p.m. on weekdays. In some ways, it reminded me of the luncheonettes of my childhood. They were comfortable, inexpensive and friendly neighborhood spots where consistency, in food and service, was important.
Since the cooks at Morning Glory turn out top-rated grits, I think they should offer the classic Southern dish, shrimp and grits. I first tried this breakfast years ago on Shem Creek near Charleston, S.C. This went through my mind as, ironically, Jason hails from Charleston, which, to me, is a little Philadelphia with palm trees.
Two-and-a-half tips of the toque to Morning Glory Diner. SPR
Morning Glory Diner
10th and Fitzwater streets
215-413-3999
www.themorningglorydiner.com
49059714
49059754
