Jake rarely ever suggests a “new-to-him” restaurant to try out. He’s very much in the “I want to eat at places I’ve been to before” camp and I’ve often dragged him off to try new places. When he suggested we go to D.Z. Akin’s one evening, I said to him, “Who are you and what have you done with Jake?”
I’ve been here before but he never has and I guess curiosity finally got the better of him. I think I like this change of pace!
We both ended up ordering breakfast for dinner after spending a good long while looking at their HUGE menu. They seriously have a page with over 100 sandwich combinations. It was a bit mind boggling for Jake but he and I eventually narrowed it down. His breakfast meal came with a choice of bread and he opted to get this Egg Bagel with cream cream. It was a nice, chewy bagel and was slightly warm. I like how it looks like it was just barely formed together at the ends and not perfectly round.
Jake tried to guess what bagel flavor I would have picked while we were waiting and he couldn’t guess. But when I told him I would have gotten garlic, he rolled his eyes at himself and said, “Duh. I should have known that.” It was cute.
I opted to get the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs for my tummy. I got scrambled eggs, which were fine and home fries. I don’t usually like home fries, but these were pretty good. The potatoes were nice and crisp in parts and had a tender inside. They didn’t have a lot of “stuff” with them (like onions, bell peppers and the like). The real star of the show was the corned beef hash.
It has a wonderful crisp texture on one side – it looks almost burnt but it’s not! Just extra crisp. It was a nice proportion of potato and meat and the meat was soft, flavorful and smooth on the inside. I really liked it a lot. I had the leftovers for breakfast the next day and they were very enjoyable then as well.
Jake got the Chicken Fried Steak breakfast with over easy eggs and home fries. I remember liking the gravy but thinking that the steak itself wasn’t really very crispy, which was a turn-off to me and my crispy lovin’ ways. Jake ate it all though but he commented that it wasn’t the best he’s ever had, but just eh.
Biscuits n’ Gravy. Carb overload! The biscuits were okay. The gravy is the same that’s topped on the chicken fried steak and was still pretty good poured over these biscuits.
I was too full for dessert, but I did take some goodies home. I spied this incredibly tall cream puff in the case, but I resisted it’s temptations. It was close though. I almost didn’t get away from it.
Jake got this rolled cinnamon baklava. Ever since we discovered the rolled baklava from San Diego Desserts (which we love) if we see it somewhere else we must get it! Very nice and crisp with a lovely honey-cinnamon flavor.
I got a Black & White Cookie. I just love how the cookie looks with its two frosted sides. Every time I order one I think of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry gets one in a bakery and starts talking about racial harmony. “Look to the cookie!”
My final purchase was a Napoleon pastry. It took me about 3 days to eat this. Lovely layers of custard and puff pastry. Lovely sugary bites. Oh, heaven.
The bakery counter is my favorite part of any visit to D.Z. Akin’s!
D.Z. Akin’s
6930 Alvarado Road
San Diego, CA 92120
619-265-0218
I haven’t been to DZ Akins in years! I used to have a field project out there, so I would get a sandwich for lunch every day. I really like their pastrami sandwich. That corned beef hash looked amazing!
Man – your posts always make me hungry!
I hadn’t been in awhile either. I had forgotten about their bakery counter! I always read posts right before lunch and it makes me hungry, too! You think I would learn… 🙂