On Saturdays, when we both are not busy, I love to spend quality time with my father by going out to breakfast. Breakfast — or brunch if it is later in the day — is our favorite meal. This is why, when we heard about a breakfast and lunch restaurant called Huckleberry’s, we eagerly made plans to try it.

Having heard praise about their food from a friend, my father and I entered the restaurant with high expectations, many of which were met.

When we opened the doors, we were instantly greeted by the hosts and nearby staff with happy shouts and smiles. This, combined with the Cajun decor, the forest hues and the comfortable, clean booths, created a warm atmosphere. So far, this was exactly the kind of place that my father and I were looking for.

Sitting among laughing costumers and a cheerful staff while surrounded by the decorations made me feel right at home, even though we were in a restaurant. While waiting for our waitress to deliver menus, my father and I enjoyed talking and looking at all of the frills that covered the walls. These types of things succeeded in taking away that “new restaurant awkwardness” — that feeling of not knowing what to order, how to act or if you wore the right type of clothes.

When the waitress arrived at the table and gave us our menus, she asked what we wanted to drink. With a smile on her face, she answered all of our questions.

Our first order was juice; I ordered apple and my father got cranberry. Though it was good, we were both expecting a larger serving due to the $2 price, which was a dollar more than it should have been.

After we received our drinks, our meal orders were taken. My father’s order featured a tuna melt on sourdough with fries, while I decided to go with something a bit more classic for brunch: two slices of French toast, two strips of bacon and two scrambled eggs.

Our food took 10-15 minutes at the most to be served, and, when it was, we were not disappointed. The well-balanced seasonings of the food created a light, yet mouth-watering aroma, and the meals’ appearance was charming with a casualness that fit the restaurant’s atmosphere. The serving sizes were also fairly generous.

The taste of the food matched its price: decent. While my French toast was fluffy and golden, the flavor was not as strong as I had hoped for. My father also made a similar comment about his tuna melt. It was tasty and satisfying, but the food overall needed a little more “color” in its flavor.

However, there were two items that stood out to me. First off, the bacon was thick, crispy and absolutely delicious. So often, breakfast joints serve especially thin slices of bacon that mainly consist of salt. This lovely surprise made me pretty happy.

Second, there are two syrup options: maple and huckleberry. While they were both good, the huckleberry syrup took the prize. Its dark berry sweetness complimented the lightly-flavored French toast very well.

After we had finished our meals, we felt very satisfied with our visit. In an area surrounded by eateries that are mostly on the expensive side, Huckleberry’s proved to be a nice, well-priced place to get pretty good food.

Overall, I found eating at Huckleberry’s to be an enjoying experience, and the customer service was phenomenal. While it did not necessarily make a memorable impression, it is a delightful and inexpensive place to get breakfast, brunch or lunch with family and friends.

Huckleberry’s has two locations in Fresno, a northern one at 1083 E. Champlain Dr., and a southern one at 222 E. Bullard Ave. The restaurant’s northern location can be reached at 559.433.4840 and its southern one at 559.440.9045.

For more food reviews, read the Feb. 25 article, Helen’s Gourmet serves authentic Chinese fare.

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