26 Chatsworth Avenue
Larchmont, NY 10538 (Map it!)
Attendees: Pat, Reid, Shelley, Jeffrey, Sylvia
What I had: Ham and Brie Omelet, potatoes, multigrain toast, coffee
What it Cost: $10 on the nose
Worth It: Yes
The Rating: 4/5
The Details: Stan’z is a cozy counter top restaurant with limited seating in Larchmont. Knowing nothing about the restaurant, I was encouraged by two factors upon entering: First, it was packed. Apparently the locals appreciate Stan’z, even at 11:30 on a Saturday morning. Secondly, the breakfast offerings had a distinct gourmet aroma, with a variety of omelet offerings including such ingredients as brie cheese, arugula, maple ham, goat cheese, and prosciutto. However, I’m a wary consumer, having been fooled before by false promises of good breakfasts. Would Stan’z offer me a similar fate?
Fortunately, the answer is no: The quality of the food lived up to the promise of the menu. The Ham and Brie omelet I ordered was both delicious and reasonably priced. The potatoes (you may substitute fresh fruit) were also good, though my portion was a little cold by the time I received them, and the multigrain bread was a delicious and nutritious cap to a splendid breakfast.
One word of warning: We were a group of five, and it was difficult for us all to sit together. Eventually we found a way, but we were without a seat for ~10 minutes, and separated for another 15-20.
The Bottom Line: Among the better breakfasts I’ve had with the WBC.
The WBC has tossed around the idea of Stanz in Larchmont as a breakfast possibility several times, but each time it was proposed there was always some conflict keeping us from going there.
Unitl today.
We had saved just enough room from our Thanksgiving feasts to enjoy Saturday breakfast. I tracked down the menu for Stanz online and had already made up my mind about what to have for breakfast before we even arrived. So when we parked on Chatsworth Avenue and walked up to Stanz, my mouth was already starting to water. Then we got in and saw the line. Stanz is a small establishment, smaller than I was expecting based on how the exterior looked. Half of the interior is occupied by the counter where you line up to place your order; there’s also one small table for three tucked in the corner. The other half of the establisment has a counter with seating and maybe 8 small tables for two lined up against the wall. We placed our orders–mine was for an apple and cheddar omelette with homefries and multigrain toast–and waited for a couple of tables to become available. After about 10 minutes, two tables became available; unfortunately they were on different sides of the restaurant. We resigned ourselves to the fact that we may just have to split up this week, so Jeffrey and Pat took one table while Sylvia, Reid, and I took another one. Fortunately, right before our food arrived, the people at the table next to Jeff and Pat left, and we promptly relocated.
Just as we settled in at our new table, our breakfasts were brought out. Everything looked delicious–the omelettes (which several of us got) were large and fluffy, the toast was toasted just right–not too dark, just enough to give the bread that pleasing crunch when you bite into it. And, thankfully, the homefries at Stanz were far better than the pepper-fest that we endured last week. Stanz’ homefries were not greasy, they were properly seasoned, and they were soft.
As for my omelette, the unexpected combination of the apple and cheddar cheese that had caught my eye was perfect. The omelette was filled with deliciously melted cheddar and thin slices of sweet apple. The balance between filling and egg may have been a bit off, with there being somewhat more filling than eggs. But the overall flavor combination, balanced with bites of the potatoes and the yummy multigrain bread, came together to make for a flavorful and enjoyable breakfast.
The sides of butter and ketchup that I asked for were brought out in small white ceramic bowls, adding to the overall pleasant presentation. The interior of Stanz is sophisticated and clean-looking, with dark wood floors and benches, dark espresso-colored leather chairs, robin’s egg blue walls, and crisp white linens and white plates.
The price was also pleasant, with my omelette and a bottle water coming in at just over $9. (I only wish the person taking my order behind the counter had told me that there was a pitcher of compleimentary water available in the restaurant.) Between the good quality of the food, the good atmosphere, and the affordable price, Stanz ranks high on my list of breakfast venues. The breakfast menu is varied enough to have something to appeal to all different tastes, from those wanting something more basic (like pancakes or scrambled eggs) to those who want to try a more creative omelette creation (of which Stanz offers many). Not only is it worth going to if you live near Larchmont, I’d say it’s worth making a trip to Stanz even if you live further away in the county. But know that seating may prove challenging if you arrive with a larger group. The intimate seating in Stanz seems to make it more suitable for a couple or a small family.
After breakfast we walked down the block to Bradley’s Desserts & Catering. For better or worse, I’ve gotten into the habit of having something sweet on our WBC outings and in Bradley’s, the lemon bar caught my eye. The bar was pleasantly chewy, but was perhaps a bit more sugary than I would have liked; I would have liked a touch more emphasis on the citrus flavor with a little less sugar. But this is a minor complaint and the lemon bar was still a good way to end my morning meal and a nice way to cap off a successful trip to Larchmont.
All right, Stanz of Larchmont. Let’s see what you’ve got. We all know you’re too cool to use the conventional “s” at the end of your name. No, you throw convention into the wind and use a “z” in order to be cool. Well, your coolness is in question now, BY THE WESTCHESTER BREAKFAST CLUB!
Well, finding this place isn’t all that difficult. The GPS got us there pretty easily. We passed it and parked on the street, which was free parking. We were a bit far, like two blocks, but it was okay. There is a parking lot right across the street from Stanz, but it’s really the CVS parking lot. If you don’t care about social stigmas, you go right ahead and park in there.
So, this place is kind of weird. You walk in and you’re confronted with a counter. You order, then there’s a sign that says, “order first then we’ll seat you”. Well, it was more like us stalking people for seats. You pretty much have to look at people’s plates and estimate how much more time they have left before they eat all their food. Then you have to rush the table in order to get a spot. There are only a handful of tables. There’s only one larger table for large groups. We weren’t lucky enough to get that table.
We were eventually able to get two tables together and drag them close to each other. The waitstaff was confused for a second because we kept moving around the dinning room. Whatever, I got my food. I ordered a goat cheese omelette with bacon and arugula. It was good. I’d order it again. I just have this great love of goat cheese. It also came with home fries, which are nothing to write home about. Shame really. I usually love potatoes. C’est la vie.
So, is Stanz worth it? If you’re a small party, yes. Is it worth the spitting in the face of convention and using a “z” instead of an “s”? I suppose. Stanz. You get a pass from this reviewer.
This place is tiny, seating availability is a toss up, and patience is needed when the place gets busy. Those were the only negatives, and they aren’t that bad. We ordered at the counter after studying the menu presented on the blackboards above the counter. The breakfast offerings were limited, but every one sounded delicious. It was hard to choose. There were a series of omelettes with unique combinations on one blackboard, and many other egg and non-egg dishes presented on the other blackboard. No diner food here!
I settled on a roasted corn, pepper, onion and goat cheese omelette with potatoes (or fruit salad can be had) and raisin nut toast (the choices for toast were all so intriguing, it was hard to choose). I also topped it off with a cafe latte.
After we all ordered and paid, we stood around until a table opened up. After a bit, two tables opened up, so we decided to expedite things and just split up for the time being. But then the table next to Pat and Jeff opened up and we were able to put two tables together, and squeeze three on the bench side, and two in chairs. They were tiny tables, so it was a squeeze. As this was all happening, our food was brought out to us. How they figured out what tables we ended up with and matched us to our orders, I’ll never know, but it was pretty impressive.
The omelette was delicious. The corn and the sweetness of the peppers and onions were very well matched with the few blobs of goat cheese in the omelette. There wasn’t a lot of cheese, but the little that was there was the perfect amount, otherwise it could have completely overwhelmed the omelette. The toast was also delicious. When I ordered, I was asked if I wanted butter on it or dry (I like the option), and I chose just a little butter. Just a little butter was spread on the toast and it was very yummy. The latte was also pretty good, and no complaints.
After breakfast, we took nice brisk walk down the street to Bradley’s for a little dessert. The menu was cutely but really unpractically placed on a column in the middle of the establishment. I ordered a pain au chocolate, which wasn’t really that great. But I did get a portion of the huge lemon coconut bar that Jeffrey got. That was really good. Nice and lemony, but not tart at all.
The czar says: I’d gladly come back to try some of the other offerings at Stanz. Just be mindful that you are at the mercy of the self-seating in a tiny dining room with tiny tables, so prepare accordingly.
Leslie Brill
April 27, 2011 at 11:34 am
Good news–they recently expanded, so there are more seats now.