Zell’s Cafe

Zell’s cafe is quite a popular spot in SE Portland.  I’ve been there once before for breakfast, and waited nearly an hour to get a seat.  It’s been nearly two years since my last visit, and today I found myself in the area, so I thought I’d drop in for lunch.  The dining room is small, but laid out well to seat as many as possible without feeling cramped.  Each table was adorned with the standard fare: butter, jam, ketchup, and hot sauce.

After I sat, I ordered a cup of coffee from my less than friendly server, which she promptly brought out to me, along with a plate of three mini buttermilk scones.  The coffee was French Pressed and the beans were from a local roaster; it had chocolate overtones with a slightly acidic finish, but it was very smooth.  The Scones were fresh and flaky, but not warm when they were served.  I ordered the special “Reuben Scramble” which was described as a Reuben with scrambled eggs and ham.  It was delivered to me in about five minutes, which was quite impressive.  Less impressive, however, was the actual sandwich. 

The eggs were watery, which shed their liquid onto the bottom piece of bread, promptly making it soggy.  The ham was deli ham that had been diced into the eggs, and the rye was light and did not provide any flavor to the sandwich.  As I was eating the sandwich, the thought “I could make this at home” kept running through my mind.  The redeeming factor was the kraut, which was unique in that it was very hot and was actually grilled before being placed as a side, along with country style potatoes.  The potatoes were flavorful and cooked well, but held nothing unique in their flavor. 

The service was prompt, but as mentioned above it was atypical of Portland in that it was neither good nor bad.  It just was.  My coffee was kept filled, and my plates were cleared as I finished, and my check was brought just as I finished. 

I was disappointed in Zell’s Cafe during my visit because I’ve been there before and the food was excellent, as was the service.  I think this is a spot I’ll reserve for my early meal, and I think it’s a good thing they serve it all day.

1300 SE Morrison St – (503) 239-0196