Honey-Jam serves up creative twists on breakfast favorites

They had me at “raspberry white chocolate pancakes.”

Fresh, sweet raspberries dropped into fluffy pancakes and topped with shavings of decadent white chocolate. My morning was complete — even more so with a side of wonderful smoked bacon.

Honey-Jam Café, with locations in Downers Grove and Batavia, is the latest entry in the suburban Chicago specialty breakfast market, and they've hit the mark in quality and wide-ranging menu. The newest facet of the Portillo's restaurant corporate chain, Honey-Jam offers classic American breakfast options with several twists and innovations.

With an extensive menu, my eyes went immediately to the aforementioned raspberry white chocolate pancakes, which highlight a pancake selection that also includes tiramisu, bananas foster and chocolate chip varieties, I was not disappointed with my choice — a filling, sweet and luscious offering with no need for syrup. The pancakes were perfectly complemented by the smoky and salty bacon.

Even with my delight in the pancakes, several other breakfast menu items would tempt me to come back for more visits.

A nice range of fluffy waffles include a classic Belgian, the crisp country bacon, very berry and the crazy monkey, which features peanut butter sauce, bananas, chocolate chips and whipped cream. Honey-Jam offers special seasonal waffles as well, such as autumn's popular pumpkin pecan.

Egg dishes go from the classic to the innovative. One of my breakfast companions chose the impressive Tuscan omelet, a huge and fluffy creation stuffed with sauteed spinach, fresh asparagus, portobello mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian sausage and Monterey Jack cheese.

Another excellent choice was the classic eggs Benedict: Perfectly poached eggs were smothered with tasty Hollandaise sauce and smoky Canadian bacon. I might go back and try Honey-Jam's twist on this classic — Julian's Benedict, which replaces the bacon and adds sauteed spinach, artichoke hearts, Portobellos and tomatoes.

For those who want to skip the breakfast menu, Honey-Jam has a nice selection of sandwiches, soups and salads. Specialty burgers include the Bacon blue, the sourdough melt and the hickory. Paninis, wraps and sandwich classics like the Reuben and BLT complete the picture. Veggie lovers will be drawn to the Portobello sandwich — a charbroiled mushroom topped with roasted red peppers, sauteed spinach, caramelized onions and provolone, served with garlic mayo.

Honey-Jam Café also gets high marks for attentive service by both the wait staff and the management team, and the prices are well in line with many other breakfast and lunch restaurants. While the seating was comfortable and spacious, one thing that I was put off by was the darkness of the dining area. Low-lit rooms with dark decor create a nice mood for dinner, but I expect a sunnier approach for breakfast. Yet, that won't prevent me from going back many more times.

Honey-Jam Café offers high-quality, large-portion dishes that stay true to classic breakfast food while hitting high marks on creative twists. This is definitely a place to go again and again.

<b>Honey-Jam Cafe</b>

3000 Oak Grove Road, Downers Grove, (630) 963-2233

521 N. Randall Road, Batavia, (630) 406-0100

<a href="http://www.portillos.com/honeyjamcafe/" target="_blank">portillos.com/honeyjamcafe</a>

Cuisine: Fresh and innovative breakfast and lunch fare

Entrees: $3.95 to $13.95 for breakfast items, $6.95 to $10.60 for lunch

Setting: Comfortable, spacious dining areas

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday