Gail's Carriage Way boosts breakfast in Buffalo Grove

When I walked into Gail's Carriage Way in Buffalo Grove with a friend on a Monday afternoon, the first thing we noticed was a group of women quietly playing a game of mahjong at a nearby table. It was a great example of the restaurant's vibe: calm, casual, not too loud and overall relaxing.

There's a counter bar area with louder music, but the dining room overall was very pleasant. Service was friendly and fast, too. At no point did we feel rushed, even when we took a while to place our actual orders.

The menu at Gail's is big - almost too big - but it showcases something they do best: taking a standard dish and coming up with multiple riffs on it. There are seven types of oatmeal, 16 different crepes, an entire menu page dedicated to pancake variations, 14 types of waffles. And that's on top of an otherwise full menu of breakfast specialties like eggs Benedict, skillets, frittatas and an entire lunch selection of sandwiches, wraps, pitas and burgers. It's the perfect place for brunch with a group of friends or the entire family. Everyone will find something to enjoy.

If you prefer an alcoholic brunch drink, though, like a mimosa or a Bloody Mary, you're out of luck. The restaurant doesn't serve any alcohol. They counteract that with a wide selection of teas, juices, cappuccinos, pop (my friend was particularly excited to find Mr. Pibb on the menu) and a smoothie bar.

I ordered the Original Spud Omelet, the restaurant's signature dish that was featured on Chicago's Best. The original version is an omelet filled with bacon, onions and Colby Jack cheese, then completely wrapped in hash browns and grilled.

I was impressed. The eggs were fluffy and soft, cooked to near perfection. Big chunks of bacon and onion were in the middle of the whole concoction, and they were plentiful. My only issue was with the cheese. The dish comes with Colby jack, but my omelet appeared to have mozzarella instead. Regardless of the mix-up, there was still plenty of melty cheesy goodness to enjoy. The hash browns were nice and crispy, too, though somewhat bland; they needed salt and pepper. I got wheat toast on the side (you can choose from pancakes, toast or an English muffin), but make sure to ask for butter, otherwise the bread comes dry.

There are nine other Spud Omelet options to choose from if you want something other than the typical.

My dining companion ordered the standard French toast topped with powdered sugar and butter. The batter had a cinnamon kick to it, and the kitchen had sprinkled cinnamon on top as well. As for the toast itself, it was a bit elevated from the typical version because of the batter. It would make a nice base for the eight other French toast options on the menu. I would go back to try the stuffed French toast (stuffed with Bavarian cream and bananas) or the Kahlua French toast (topped with berry compote). My friend ordered hash browns to go with her French toast as well. Like mine, they were good, but needing salt and pepper.

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