Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

While so many places in Seattle keep trying to be more and more hip, but a holdout still thrives on the shores of Lake Union. Tucked behind the boatyards a few doors down from Dunn Lumber, Voula's Offshore Cafe serves breakfasts substantial enough to power fishermen through chilly days at sea -- or weekend rowing-club warriors, as the case now may be -- and there's not a latte machine in sight.

Pouring strong drip coffee since the 1950s, Voula's has been operated for the past two decades by Voula Vlahos and her sons, Sikey and Nikos, who add unabashed Greek zip to American diner classics. The Greek Hobo Breakfast ($9.95) is a snappy example. It's home fries and scrambled eggs, but with extra zest from feta cheese, mushrooms and Greek sausage. It tastes a lot better than it looks.

Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" stopped by a few years back and they highlighted the following:

PIÑATA BENEDICT.................................................10.95
Our in-house smoked pork and poached eggs on grilled English muffins,
topped with chipotle hollandaise sauce. Served with hashbrowns.

SMOKEY THE SALMON...............................................10.75
Three eggs scrambled with our in-house smoked Alaskan King salmon,
cream cheese and green onions. Served with hashbrowns and toast.

HOBO............................................................ 9.95
Country sausage, onions, mushrooms, hash browns, and eggs
scrambled together and topped with cheddar cheese.

GREEK HOBO...................................................... 9.95
Greek sausage, onions, mushrooms, hash browns, and eggs
scrambled together and topped with Feta cheese.

NAKED HOBO...................................................... 9.95
Mushrooms, onions, green peppers, hashbrowns and eggs
scrambled together. Topped with choice of Feta or Cheddar cheese
and tomatoes.

BILLY BISCUITS.................................................. 9.95
Biscuit and gravy, hashbrowns and two eggs.

CHINESE PANCAKE................................................. 7.65
Plate-sized pancake with minced ham and egg inside.