The Arcadia News features restaurant reviews each month.
If you have a question or comment, please see our
contact page.

Over Easy
4037 North 40th St. | 602-468-3447
www.eatatovereasy.com

     Some of my earliest memories are of breakfast.
I remember weekend mornings in January at my childhood home in Thornwood Acres. My father—a stockbroker—would would wake up in complete darkness before anyone and sit in the kitchen reading and smoking while he listened to the coffee percolator cycle the water through a perforated tin of Maxwell House. Since there was no Wall Street Journal on Saturday he probably read a Louis L’Amour novel or a Playboy article about Jimmy Carter.
     Soon, my mother, half nude in a bilious nightgown would wander the yard with the hose, soaking plants and spraying the dust off the patio until it seemed as if it had rained the night before.
     I would wake up to the sound of the electric orange-juicer grinding its way through a bowl of tangelos. My father would put his book down and set the oven to broil then start laying bacon out
onto cookie sheets.
     A vote would be held: eggs sunny side up, French toast, pancakes or waffles. If it was eggs, then dad was in charge. Everything else fell to mom. If I was starving to death I could move directly to toast and a banana but usually a glass of milk and Bugs Bunny kept me out of their way.
     It was a miracle if the bacon made it to the plate. Half the time we would eat it right off the paper towels seconds after it came out of the oven. If you didn’t fight your way in and get your share of it, there were no guarantees. Even now, when I eat breakfast out, I order extra bacon for fear that members of my family might appear,
un-showered with open bathrobes and start hijacking the bacon in transit from the kitchen.
You never know.
     I can only guess it is the same nostalgia of cigarettes burning indoors, pornographic magazines with Harvard educated writers, citrus from our yard and dad cooking eggs which made Chef Aaron May break out the spatula and potato grater.
     Over Easy is a breakfast restaurant offering the usual fare with unusual quality and execution.
I can’t help but draw a similarity to my experience with Matt’s Big Breakfast. And I’d like to offer that what we have stumbled on is some kind of a new phenomenon: The return and repackaging of the basic core we left behind when we started overthinking our restaurants. Why else would we find a store in the middle of ritzy Fashion Square offering PB&J pitstops to our kids? Okay, maybe there is a different story going on there. I agree, the world is brighter when PB&J sandwiches magically appear with the swipe of the ATM card. Let’s move on.
     I won’t need to cite menu examples of Over Easy. You already know this stuff. There are eggs and omelets, bacon and ham, pancakes and waffles, hash browns and toast, made to perfection and as good as they get. The bacon comes from a boutique farm in Wisconsin hemisphere.
     None of it is going to set you back three bills. Relax, bring the Sunday paper, make a mess of the table, push aside the water glass, open your check book and start paying your bills while you wait for the food to arrive. Anything goes; it’s breakfast out, not brunch at the Biltmore.

Eddie’s House
7042 East Indian School Rd. | 480-946-1622
www.eddieshouseaz.com

     He’s Back! Eddie Matney has been feeding Phoenix foodies since 1988 and has built up a loyal following since then, famous for fixing familiar foods in unexpected ways. His latest venture sits on the northwest corner of Indian School and Marshall Way. We were smart enough to make reservations. Upon arrival, the hostess even mentioned that it was a good thing we were on time, since those who run late find that their table might be given away. The place was packed even on the summer Monday night we were there.
     The comforting open space is designed to make one feel as if you are sitting on the sofa in Eddie’s own home, except this sofa stretches across the entire east wall of the building, opposite a row of tables and pea green leather chairs.
     There is also an expansive patio cooled with misters, but the eight best seats in the house
are the barstools at the counter looking onto
the kitchen where diners can watch Eddie work
his magic.
     Our pleasant server started us with fresh bread and a ramekin of amazing blue cheese and pesto infused butter. What can I say; it equaled an amazing mix of flavors that I plan on stealing for my own next dinner party.
     The menu features many of Eddie’s old favorites, along with some new offerings. Long famous for his Lobster Bisque ($12), I must admit to being disappointed when the rich soup did not measure up to my memory of it from several years ago. Then again, the menu mentions “cappuccino” as one of the ingredients, which I do not remember from the last time.
     Companion and I both agreed that the Mo’ Rocking Shrimp ($12) and Charred Calamari ($12) appetizers were perfect representations of Eddie’s creative cuisine. We interchanged the shrimp’s chili beer dipping sauce and the calamari’s spicy tomato relish, never able to decide which one was the winner since they were both mind blowing.
     Eddie fans will recognize the “What’s in This Steak” ($29) as an Arizona favorite. The juicy tenderloin encased in mashed potatoes is one of those tasty twists Eddie is famous for.
     The East-Meets-West ($25) is a stunning combination of sesame tuna and parmesan halibut accompanied with an asparagus risotto. Other interesting sides include sugar snap peas, grilled broccolini, onion and mushroom ragout and proscuitto mac ‘n cheese.
     Interestingly enough, we actually saved room for dessert, but be warned the servings are humungous. The Crème Brulee ($10) was everything this classic dish should be and the dreamy, creamy chocolate Pot de Crème ($10) made me wish I was eating at home alone so I could lick the bowl. Delicious!