There just aren't many restaurants on Beacon Hill, so when you start hearing about a good one you have to wonder whether the place is really good, or just the best of a small group. Wonder no more. Baja Bistro, the dining room that was added to the Java Love coffee shop last October, is first class.
Above the door at Baja Bistro, 2410 Beacon Ave. S., a block north of the intersection with 15th Avenue South, is a printed banner announcing the restaurant's name. It is flat against the building and not obvious, which is why my son and I went into the Java Love at 2414, asked about brunch, and were led through a short hallway into the dining room next door.
The dining room is sparse and open with a dozen small square tables in light wood with matching chairs. Each table has a bright red checkered tablecloth and the yellow walls are decorated with attractive acrylic and oil paintings by Jason Waskey. (He calls it contemporary, realist art; I call it modern impressionism.) The paintings are for sale.
Baja Bistro is open for lunch and dinner, but we chose the weekend brunch, strolling in Saturday morning around 10:30 or so. The brunch menu offers eight different entrees from hotcakes ($4.25) at the low end to Huevos Rancheros ($7.95), served with refried beans and corn tortillas, which shares the high end with Huevos con Chorizo (scrambled eggs with sausage and onions, with potatoes and refried beans) and Huevos con Machaca (scrambled eggs with shredded beef, tomatoes, onions and jalapeños).
While we were there a family was escorted into the dining room through what I was thinking of as the secret passage, and three more came in through the street door.
I started with a cup of coffee that was served in a cup the size of a soup bowl. It was excellent. There is something to be said for morning coffee at a genuine coffee shop. My son, Tor, ordered orange juice. When it came he insisted I take a taste. It was fresh squeezed.
"Wow, it's real orange juice!" he enthused. We were both impressed with the overture and looked forward to the main act, which was huevos con chorizo and huevos con machaca.
I had expected that we would share bites, but both of us went head down into our plates like famished dogs. I never got a bite of the chorizo, mother and grandmother, but he does not do the cooking.
Jane Tudor, holding down the counter in Java Love, said she has worked there about three years and lived on Beacon Hill for the last two years. She loves living and working on Beacon Hill.
"We actually get busy about 10:30 and 1:30," Jane said of the weekend brunch. "We have a lot of regular customers coming in."
Apparently a lot of repeat customers frequent Java Love as well. Vesna was one of those.
"I've been coming here as a customer for two or three years," Vesna said. "I have switched sides of the counter since October."
Besides brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and dinner is available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and until 10 p.m. Saturday.
"You should come for dinner," Jane recommended. "We have a really good Margarita."
Java Love Café is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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