Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

I knew The 5 Point Café by reputation. Dive bar, open twenty-four hours, supper for the inebriated, sustenance for shift workers.

I’ve walked by many times to get to Tilikum Place Café and there are always patrons inside and out. Curious about how they’ve been ‘cheating tourists and drunks since 1929′, we picked a bench for breakfast.

The patio is fenced off from Tilikum Place and has a view of the Chief Seattle statue and the Space Needle. A leafy plaza, the lush trees are a natural canopy for the outdoor seating.

Cluttered with kitsch collectables, the interior is a little claustrophobic for me.

Presented with a long menu, we changed our mind several times before ordering. I spotted a breakfast skillet being delivered to another table and regretted not choosing one.

Sauces, jams and seasoning – a variety of condiments were available at each table.

When we got our meals, I thought they looked exactly the same. Upon closer inspection, the difference between a breakfast classic and breakfast special were bacon and catfish.

The strips of bacon were salty and crispy, and the fillets of Cajun catfish were lightly crumbed, a pleasantly peculiar breakfast item for me.

And there was the hash brown. A golden rectangular tile of what appeared to be grated potatoes was sadly too oily and bland.

Reputation aside, The 5 Point Café serves hearty comfort food with a Southern influence.