Portage Bay Cafe

Yet another restaurant that comes with the cafe designation but works and looks like a restaurant.

The Portage Bay Cafe was referred to us for breakfast by the hotel, located 3 blocks from the hotel and it is enormously busy. Seeing the large set of people at the door we were worried that we would have to wait a long time.

The hostess told us the wait was 15mn but strangely as soon as wrote down our name she decided that we could sit down immediately. It looks like most of the people waiting were large groups.

Service was prompt but we had to wait a while for the food which wasn't unexpected considering. We ordered cinnamon twist french toast and Swedish pancakes and got huge portions (twice what we could eat)... Food is mostly from organic sources and the restaurant has a close relationship with the producers. The price is reasonable (33$ for two) considering the food quality, but the restaurant is very noisy (due to the cement ceiling) and the one stall toilet and one urinal for a restaurant that serves 191 persons is ridiculous.

The contrast in the ethnic composition is noticeable compared to Mountain View with a mostly white clientele with a few Asians sprinkled throughout and what seems to be a large amount of well-paid blue collars. The area around reminds us of the international district of Montreal just before the boom and the empty but very attractive leasing space.