Treat Yourself to Hayden’s for Breakfast

Twice a week I join five of my favorite ladies for an hour-long walk through Sherwood, Oregon. Over the years, we have occasionally sabotaged our calorie burning by following up our walk with a hot, yummy breakfast. And, sometimes, if the rain and cold is just too much, we have been known to skip the walk and go straight to breakfast.

The ladies and I have tried quite a few stops for our breakfast treat: Shari’s, Rose’s, Biscuits and even Farm to Fork in Dundee (for a brunch followed by wine tasting in Newberg). But, the winning destination choice for birthdays and special occasions is almost always Hayden’s Lakefront Grill.

Hayden’s is casual enough to wear your running hat and jogging shoes, but it is also quiet, spacious and very comfortable. Hayden’s offers intimate booths and large, round tables beside a wall of windows. The view includes the ducks and swans swimming on the Tualatin Commons three-acre manmade lake that is surrounded by a wide public promenade, plazas and a fountain.

And, then there’s the food. When I go out to breakfast I love to order something I would never put together at home. Naturally, I fell deeply in love with Hayden’s Dungeness Crab Cakes Bennie. The dill hollandaise sauce with the home fries and eggs and crab cakes has appeared in some delightful dreams. It’s a dish you want to pass and share around the table.

Sadly but not surprisingly, the Crab Cakes Bennie is spendy at $18.95. So if you can’t get someone to split it with (which would be plenty of food to satisfy) then there are other wonderful items on the menu. If you enjoy salmon like I do, definitely try Hayden’s Salmon Hash with Horseradish cream fraiche. I swear it gets better with every bite as the flavors awaken your taste buds. I am also a big fan of the Lazy Cajun Breakfast. The roasted red peppers and onions meld perfectly with the Andouille sausage. Both of these dishes come with hash browns, though I have requested the home fries instead. Both ways are excellent.

Hayden’s also offers some petite breakfasts that are a fantastic deal at just $4.99. The choices are simple and a bit less interesting for my tastes, but the ingredients are fresh and well-prepared. I once asked to have the petite BLT omelette made into a scramble with excellent results.

Hayden’s is the complete package for breakfast. My walking group has another birthday in February…I wonder where we’ll go for breakfast? 🙂