One of my earliest childhood memories is from visiting my grandma in Sacramento. I remember walking hand-in-hand with Dad down the street and around the corner from Grandma's house, to the old-fashioned diner (with the counter top facing the grill) that doubled as a Chinese bakery. I'd get a bao or daan taat and Dad would order coffee and breakfast. I guess those memories made a lasting impression on me. Even now, I always associate breakfast foods with Dad. So when I read about the Sugar Rush Cafe, I told Dad we had to go try it.
The cafe is on Valley Blvd., between Temple and Grand Ave., near where the 57 and 60 freeways intersect. It's right in the middle of an entirely industrial area; if you aren't looking for it, you'll probably drive right by it. From the outside, it really does look like a hole in the wall.
Sugar Rush Cafe, despite the strange location, is actually very cute and trendy, with a coffee barista area, a couch/lounge area, and normal tables for dining. It's quite small, but the yellow walls and fun paintings make it a very friendly, cheerful atmosphere.
The barista/waiter told us that we came at the very end of the lunch rush (usually between 11-2), so when we sat down there was only one other table of customers. Apparently they get quite a lot of patrons from Cal Poly Pomona--students, professors, even the dean. But Dad doesn't like crowds, so we were glad that it was quiet.
Dad ordered the three-egg omelet with sausage, spinach, mushrooms and cheese, which came with hash browns and wheat toast. I asked for my caramelized onions on the side, so Dad got to put them into his omelet as well. It was really tasty; they didn't skimp on their ingredients. It didn't seem too eggy or too cheesy, and there was plenty of sausage, spinach, and mushrooms. Between the three of us, we finished the entire omelet (which was a pretty good size).
I ordered the hot roast beef sandwich with provolone, and that came with homemade Yukon Gold french fries (you get to choose between fries and chips). Mom and I split the sandwich, which was plenty for both of us. It was almost like a french dip sandwich; I love the combination of roast beef, provolone, and my favorite horseradish.
Because Mom had read that they're known for their coffee, Dad asked the waitress for her recommendation: Otoño--a stronger (and direct trade) blend. I'm not a coffee drinker, but Dad said that it was good. Usually people add cream and sugar to get rid of the acidity, but people drink it straight because it isn't necessary if the coffee is good.
My dad asked the waiter for future recommendations. He told us that their signature breakfast item is Cinnamon Raisin French Toast. The most popular sandwiches are the Chicken Spinach Melt, the Hot Roast Beef and Provolone Sandwich, and the BLT with Avocado (in that order). And his personal favorite is the Bacon Avocado Cheeseburger
We were wondering if the Yelp reviews (4.5 out of 5) were accurate or not, but we were pleasantly surprised. The food was good, the menu reasonably priced, the cafe nicely decorated, and the staff was friendly and attentive (without being obnoxious). Probably the only downside is that they close pretty early*. I think we'll definitely be going back to Cafe Sugar Rush soon.
Sugar Rush Cafe3900 Valley Blvd, Ste A
Walnut, California
(909) 869 - 7969
http://cafesugarrush.com/
*check webpage for hours
I've heard that they don't have much indoor seating, but fortunately it was a nice enough day to sit outside. And they had heat lamps outside so Freddy didn't freeze. Tony recommended the omelets and scrambles, so I ordered the Old Towne scramble and added sausage to it. They mistakenly gave me a fruit cup instead of hash browns, but quickly remedied the situation.
