Andrea MacMichael

Food and Travel Seminar

Intended publication: The Index

A Trendy Spot for a Special Taste of Kalamazoo

            Don’t get confused. That skinny staircase is actually the way to the restaurant. That lady wearing khaki pants up there is one of the waitresses, and those glass doors to your right, well, even though it’s so tempting to push through them, they won’t get you to a table at Crow’s Nest any faster. What they can give you is a warm cup of tea or coffee to sip on as you wait for the line on the staircase to move.

            Crow’s Nest is a cozy breakfast spot that is nestled among a café, a tattoo parlor, and various other establishments on Westnedge Avenue in the diverse Vine neighborhood of downtown Kalamazoo. A local favorite, this quaint and quirky establishment is adored for its breakfast menu available 7 days a week and 24 hours a day on the weekends. Closely connected with the Fourth Coast Café located below the restaurant, fresh baked breads and brewed coffee are available from local co-ops and farms in the area.

At busy times such as brunch on the weekends, the line down the staircase from the restaurant resembles that of a crowd waiting in line at an amusement park. Grabbing a bite to eat sometimes requires an undesirable wait time. Surely a place for a good bite to eat when the timing is right.

            Friendly hostesses lead customers up from the dark staircase into the inviting, brightly lit space of the small, apartment size restaurant. Colorful vase-patterned half-drapes decorate the many windows and blend with the golden yellow paint and wooden trim of the walls. Families, college students, couples and friends frequent the intimate dining experience of Crow’s Nest.

            Scrambled eggs, omelets, breakfast burritos and other egg variations make up a large portion of the menu. Lunch and dinner options such as burgers, salads, and sandwiches fill up the remaining space on the menu pages, but delicate creations stand out. Banana bread French Toast is a beautiful, thick hunk of banana bread topped with a light and lovely fluff of whipped cream. The golden brown slice bathing in a thin pool of sweet cinnamon cream syrup and pecans is like a dessert. Superbly moist and tangy, the plate is far more elevated than the usual oily French toast of most breakfast restaurants. For only $4, a single slice is plenty of decadence, while adding a side of bacon or eggs is best for a more filling meal. Berry Cream Pancakes and Biscuits and Gravy with a side of Potatoes lack such a saliva-stirring presentation. Minimal strawberries and a sad dollop of whipped cream and powdered sugar add little aesthetic or flavor to a plate of satisfactorily fluffy, golden brown pancakes. On the savory side, salty, buttery biscuits are masked by a crusted layer of chunky gravy that taste better than they look. The potatoes are a crispy delight on the side, producing a satisfactory crunch in the mouth and make up for the strong pepper and salt seasoning that the gravy lacks.

            The food is easy to devour, but not especially unique enough to make this a go-to stop for brunch. Some dishes sparkle off of the menu, while conventional burgers and greasy bacon and buttery sides of eggs constitute the rest. For around $10, much of the menu resembles that of Sophia’s House of Pancakes in price and presentation. A side of bacon and scrambled eggs looks like a sad afterthought on an oversized plate and glistens of butter. Dishes like this aren’t worth the wait at Crow’s Nest.

            The artsy atmosphere is a refreshing change from the diner style brunch restaurants in the area. Some dishes match this uniqueness and make for an unconventional taste on the town that is truly worth a bite. As for the food at 2 am? Well, I guess that is a reason to go back.