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Elmhurst's new Stray Hen Café caters to breakfast lovers

Many times now, my suburban eatery assignments have meant pointing my car toward Elmhurst. My latest trip took me to Stray Hen Café, a new breakfast and lunch spot that opened its doors in May.

Although it was nice enough to have breakfast outside, we ventured inside Stray Hen's vintage building. It's a loft-like space that's been completely remodeled with side-of-the-barn wood paneling featuring rectangular sections of field turf — sort of like Wrigley Field ivy growing in a picture frame. Though the interior is a bit tight and background noise may cause you to speak up a little more, the high ceilings and window views of downtown, with occasional trains rumbling through, add to the character.

Before we get to the food, let me point out something about Stray Hen's coffee: It's fantastic.

Chicago's own Dark Matter coffee is the featured morning brew. If you are a coffee lover who has not experienced a cup of Dark Matter yet, well … it's about time! And you can enjoy a cup as you watch the beautifully presented dishes leaving the kitchen: Eggs sit perfectly on top of Benedict dishes, pancakes and waffles are carefully drizzled with sweet sauces and syrup and even the Bloody Marys look great as they are served with a long strip of bacon, celery stalk and other striking items.

For us, the Bananas Foster French Toast looked too good to pass up, so we ordered that to start. The gorgeous dish featured thick French toast squares layered corner-to-corner across the plate and covered with caramelized banana slices.

There's nothing like a heaping flavor swirl of caramelized banana mixed with anything in the morning. There's also a dollop of whipped cream on the side in case you need just a wee bit more sugar to get you energized.

Among the egg options, I went with the Shepherd Omelette, featuring goat cheese, avocado, spinach and mushrooms. Goat cheese adds a nice flavor and made this omelette spring to life.

Omelettes at Stray Hen come in plentiful portions. It was tough to finish the entire dish and the optional fruit cup on the side in one sitting, but I powered through.

My dining companion ordered the Breakfast Chilaquiles, also known as Breakfast Nachos, featuring scrambled eggs, chorizo, grilled jalapeño, onions, tomatoes, cilantro with Chihuahua and pepper jack cheeses, tortilla chips and pico de gallo all cooked up on a round plate with a sour cream drizzle. Again, the presentation was spot-on and inviting, but the taste just didn't measure up. A delay from the kitchen to our table could have been to blame for the soggy chips, but there were so many ingredients on top of ingredients that the heaviness outweighed the flavor.

In addition to a wide variety of skillets, scramblers and pancakes, Stray Hen has a creatively named meat-lovers dish called the Perfectly Un-kosher, made with bone-in ham, bacon, sausage, green peppers, caramelized onions and cheddar cheese. Oy vey!

Stray Hen also features an ample lunch menu of salads and sandwiches. For a return lunch trip, I'd go with the Spicy Tuna Panini, made with an enticing combo of albacore tuna, jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and pepper jack cheese.

Overall, Stray Hen Café is a nice addition to downtown Elmhurst that's brimming with potential. With a steady crowd of hungry commuters, students at nearby Elmhurst College and weekend visitors, Stray Hen has ample opportunity to win over diners seeking a new spot for breakfast.

• • •

Stray Hen Cafe

105 S. York St., Elmhurst, (630) 359-5282, strayhencafe.com

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

Cuisine: Breakfast and lunch

Setting: Casual

• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.

  Apple churros are among the sweet options at the new Stray Hen Café in Elmhurst. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Stray Hen Café's lunch menu includes a poke bowl, with marinated ahi tuna, basmati rice, avocado, jalapeños and more. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Avocado toast comes topped with sriracha aioli and poached eggs at Elmhurst's Stray Hen Café. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Stray Hen Café opened in May in Elmhurst. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
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