The Fireman and I don’t get out much for dates, if you base “much” on the popular idea of “dating your spouse,” similar to pre-nuptial dating. We don’t have a set date night every week or month; it’s more of a oh-we-haven’t-talked-in-two-weeks-without-three-kids-in-between-us-CALL-YOUR-MOM-NOW kind of system. My mother-in-law is a saint; she has never turned us down and always seems so happy to take the crazies off our hands. She’s either a great actor or I have a super short fuse with our children.
Our dates are typically evening dinners out eating or shopping the clearance aisles of Home Depot.
We don’t usually plan a date in the morning. It’s just easier to find time in the evenings. When I decided I was going to check out what First Watch had to offer, I immediately thought of finding a post-workout girlfriend to join me. After going through five people who couldn’t make it, I finally turned to my husband and asked if he would come with me. Thankfully he is much more forgiving about being the last choice than I’d be. We used to go out for Saturday breakfasts in college when one of us had a game and needed to eat earlier than the cafeteria opened up, but in the years following having kids, working on home projects, and 24 hour shifts, weekend breakfast has become whatever is available and quick…because kids don’t know it’s the weekend anyway.
So we scheduled Grandma to pick up the boys and headed to our first breakfast date in years.
By the looks of the waiting area at First Watch, it might have been everyone else’s first breakfast date in years, too. We were cheerfully given a wait time of 20 minutes and then tried to find a place to stand without blocking the front door. The best way to review a restaurant or business is to observe their workers under stress, so I suppose our positioning was a good thing. All the customers who walked in were greeted immediately with smiles and attention, and were offered to wait while seated at the community table — a table with about 12 chairs. It’s always more pleasant to be waiting with staff who are eager to help and to please, than with those irked by having so much business that they are constantly on their toes.
A family with a two-year old and five-month old twins came in (bless you, mother and father) while we were waiting; I noticed they had used the NoWait app and were seated in about five minutes — it’s great that First Watch participates in the NoWait app!
Our table was in the back room, so it was a little quieter than the main section of the restaurant. Our waitress came quickly and brought us an insulated coffee carafe and ice water. People, this met me at my heart level. Please, can more restaurants do this? I like to be able to have hot coffee at my leisure, instead of waiting until the waitress comes around every 20 minutes. I haven’t been able to drink that many hot cups of coffee in years. Delightful!
For the past six months I’ve been trying to avoid sugar. Eating out has become a bother and is usually accompanied by an expensive stomach ache. Although some of my issues with sugar seem to have resolved, I was interested to see whether First Watch could accommodate my dietary needs. I found so many options on the menu and was delighted to know that I didn’t have to endure plain scrambled eggs; you can get an omelet filled with delicious veggies, herbs and cheeses! It was a hard choice, but I ended up with a breakfast sandwich on a brioche bun with bacon and avocado…YUM!
The omelets are so good, they are still calling my name. First Watch also offers a chia pudding topped with fresh fruit and granola. I had never seen chia pudding — except on my Pinterest boards and cookbooks — and it looked delicious! Could I eat three breakfasts, I wondered?
During my pre-brunch workout, I watched Bobby Flay’s cooking show where he talked about brunching with friends and how he always orders a sweet entree “for the table.” I dutifully took his advice and ordered the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes for the table. Mostly for me, but hey, Bobby Flay said to! Um, so yes, get those every time. So light, fluffy, sugary…and needed. The Fireman is not a lemon fan, so the cooks put the lemon curd on one side of the top pancake, and he was able to enjoy the other half lemon free. The waitress informed me (after all the food was devoured quickly) that we should ask for the blueberry butter next time. Yes, please.
After an hour of delicious feasting, caffeinating, and talking peacefully, we walked out contented and wondering why we had given up this glorious notion of brunch dates. Whether is was due to the four cups of coffee, or those lemon pancakes, or the chance to communicate and enjoy each other’s company, the rest of the Saturday went really well. It seems that maybe if your day starts on a good foot, it’s easier to keep your head up.
So, First Watch and brunch dates? Yes, do it and often. There were many families coming in and it seemed like the staff was very welcoming to children. So, get your brunch on and don’t forget that the table needs an order too. Comment on this Facebook post by telling us why you need a brunch date and you could win a meal for two!
{Suggestion: Sign up for First Watch’s Sun eClub and receive a Buy One Get One Free just for signing up! And you get a free meal on your birthday as well as other offers throughout the year!}
Stay tuned–a new location will be opening in Hixson later this year!
Disclaimer: I received a meal in exchange for this review, but my opinions are 100% my own. First Watch is so delicious you must check it out!
