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In the small north-central town of Grand Coulee, Washington, you won't find any fast food restaurants, nor will you find any national chain restaurants. But if you're looking for great small-town diner fare, especially breakfast, you'll find some really good eatin' at Flo's Café, located on Spokane Way, on "Motel Row," in the small town of Grand Coulee. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: Flo's Café is located on Spokane Way, in the town of Grand Coulee, Washington, next to most of the motels in the small town. Flo's is open for breakfast and lunch and offers outdoor seating. It's a little past 7 in the morning on Sunday, August 20, 2017, and I'm hungry, and ready for breakfast.
Photo: The small counter and dining room make up the restaurant with the kitchen to the rear of the photo. There was nobody seated at the counter, but on this early Sunday morning, the dining room was packed with local residents and tables piled with dirty dishes. Whatever... I seated myself at the counter, grabbed a menu, and waited, waited, and waited some more...
Photo: I parked myself on the counter, at a stool next to the kitchen, waited, and watched what was going on. It soon became apparent, much to my chagrin, on this busy Sunday morning, there was one, count 'em, ONE gal working the restaurant, and she was doing everything, including greeting customers (nonexistent,) taking orders, cooking, delivering orders, working the register, and attempting to bus tables. Now I know why I was waiting so long. I waited for over 10 minutes, as she hurried between the kitchen, the front door and the other customers before she made eye contact with me, and asked me what I wanted to drink. Coffee, naturally. As she placed my coffee before me, she apologized for not acknowledging me, but she said she thought I was a salesman. Really? I laughed and told her it was ok, as the restaurant was busy, and she was the only employee, and she was doing everything. She thanked me and asked me if I was ready order, so I gave her my order of chicken fried steak. This is my view of the mostly open kitchen, as I sat at the counter, sipping a cup of delicious coffee, and watching this very busy gal single handedly take care of business.
Photo: The first page of the breakfast menu. Nothing really appealed to me on this page, but my eyes fixated on the dollar coffee, as it's been many years since I've seen endless refills of coffee for a dollar.
Photo: The second page was more like it, as the "Chicken Fried Steak" really caught my eye, however it was a close call between the German sausage. (I'd enjoyed German sausage for breakfast yesterday at Pepper Jack.) Since I'd been camping out on the Columbia River during my stay in the Grand Coulee area, and the night before, I'd feasted on cold canned chili and corn, I was definitely in the mood for a proper breakfast.
Photo: The kitchen is compact, and mostly open to the dining room, so you can watch the chef in action. Cassie was busy cooking, so I just sort of stood in the doorway, watched her in action, and snapped a photo.
Photo: Because Cassie was so busy, she simply didn't have time to serve coffee, or much less make a new pot of coffee. Coffee was pre-loaded in the paper filters, so this gentleman - who seemed to be a local and a regular patron - took it upon himself to make a new pot of coffee. My coffee cup was just about empty, so when the pot was full, I simply crossed over the counter and helped myself.
Photo: My breakfast of "Chicken Fried Steak" is placed steaming hot, on the window the kitchen, as Cassie looks on. After snapping this photo, she hurriedly delivered the plate to me, and I didn't even consider asking for her photo, as she was "an army of one" on this Sunday morning.
Photo: I get ready to enjoy my breakfast, and I asked a friendly gal sitting next to me at the counter to snap my photo. Notice the gnome, who seems to be my companion.
Photo: My breakfast of "Chicken Fried Steak," along with hash brown potatoes, two eggs, sourdough toast, and some of the best breakfast gravy that Grand Coulee has to offer. Despite the fact that Cassie was super busy, and obviously overwhelmed, my breakfast was cooked perfectly, and simply delicious. In retrospect, just as I finished my breakfast, two employees walked in the door, and immediately went to work helping Cassie run the restaurant. I basically was in a hurry to move on, so I just placed $15.00 under my coffee cup, told Cassie about it, and wished her a pleasant day. When you're visiting the Grand Coulee area, and you're in the mood for a great breakfast, along with award winning dollar coffee from a bottomless cup - maybe serve yourself? - stop by Flo's Café. It's busy on weekends, and if you catch them when the restaurant is adequately staffed, or if you don't mind a wait, you'll enjoy a great breakfast, at a small town diner. Flo's Café Copyright(c) 2017 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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