Sugar Shack still sweet

John Volo

On a recent Tuesday with both kids settled in school and my wife off

from work, we decided to reconnect over a late breakfast at a

Huntington Beach institution, the Sugar Shack. The Sugar Shack has

been serving up hearty breakfasts and tasty lunches to surfers and

nonsurfers alike since 1967.

Since it was such a beautiful day, we were looking to dine

outside. The Sugar Shack, which is Downtown, offers both front and

back patio seating as well as indoor table and counter seating. We

signed our name on the waitlist clipboard hanging out front and were

seated at a table alongside Main Street within five minutes.

Seconds after being seated, we were offered drinks, and we were

quenching our thirst with freshly squeezed orange juice ($2.50)

within minutes. Did I say fresh? I thought my straw was connected to

an orange.

Since this was my post-workout meal, I was looking for something

to replenish my body without an excessive amount of calories or fat.

Michele’s Special ($6.25), named after longtime owner Michele Turner,

was a perfect combination of three egg whites scrambled with bell

pepper and tomato, a grilled chicken breast, a bagel on the side and

a bowl of fresh fruit.

Mixing in pepper and tomatoes successfully spiced up the

traditionally-bland egg whites. My chicken breast was moist, tender,

and lean -- just the way I like it. The fruit dish was not content

with just a supporting role. , The combination of banana, watermelon,

peach, cantaloupe and honeydew melon were so juicy and so flavorful,

my taste buds were dancing.

My wife went for the Popeye and cheese omelet ($6) and requested

tomato with it. Her meal came with hash browns and cinnamon toast. As

the name would imply, this omelet had plenty of spinach, although the

cheese was scarce. Maybe the addition of tomato resulted in a

reduction of cheese. Nonetheless, my wife said this omelet was very

tasty.

The breakfast menu has all the traditional fare along with the

Main Street specials, which all incorporate avocado and mushroom into

the mix. The HSS special looked really tempting -- scrambled eggs,

cheddar cheese and ham between grilled sourdough bread, served with

spud fries.

Although breakfast is served all day, don’t overlook the lunch

menu of flavorful burgers and sandwiches. Each day brings a different

special. If you’re hankering for some comfort food, stop by on

Tuesdays for the homemade meatloaf that brings back memories of mom.

Wednesday is the only night the Sugar Shack is open -- and for

good reason. It serves up a good old-fashioned turkey dinner,

complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce and a

roll. All for just $5. No need to wait for Thanksgiving!

Whether you’re looking for a post dawn patrol breakfast, a hearty

meal to walk off on the pier or a homey lunch, you can’t go wrong

with the Sugar Shack.