Pete’s Place: Asheville Omelette

Pete’s Place has been a staple in my life ever since I moved to the States when I was 11. The original Riverbridge location was in the same plaza as my parents’ store and I remember them having the best fries and hot chocolate.

My palate has expanded considerably since I was 11, and happily, so has Pete’s Place.

The Spot: Pete’s Place

• Location: 1760 N Jog Rd West Palm Beach, FL 33411

• Vibe: A no-frills, homey diner with kids’ artwork on the walls and “Too Blessed To Be Stressed” kitchen towels for sale by the cash register.

 

The Bite: Asheville Omelette

• Price: $11.95

• Vegetarian Status: Vegetarian

The Flavor Breakdown

I know The Bear taught us all about the French style of omelettes, meticulously crafted and custardy inside (not gonna lie, herbed Boursin and sour cream and onion potato chips in an omelette sound delicious) but I love a no-nonsense diner style omelette - set eggs, aggressively stuffed with veggies and cheese and doused liberally with hot sauce.

The omelettes at Pete’s Place are hefty, made with three extra-large eggs and packed with fillings ranging from the classic Western (peppers, onions and ham) to a Philly Cheese Steak to a Greek omelette stuffed with onions, peppers, feta and Kalamata olives - a nod to the Armatas family’s roots (Pete Armatas is the actual Pete in Pete’s Place).

In honor of my upcoming trip to Western North Carolina, I chose the Asheville which comes with grilled onions, spinach, mushrooms, cheddar and a true stroke of genius - hash browns stuffed inside the omelette.

All omelettes come with your choice of oatmeal, grits, tomatoes, home fries or hash browns as well as your choice of white, wheat or rye toast.

I’m a girl who appreciates her carbs, so obviously I went with home fries. This was an excellent decision - the home fries are chunky with lots of brown crunchy bits and generously dusted with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

My son ordered bacon and white toast and my husband ordered the oatmeal pancakes. Guys, why are we making pancakes out of anything other than oats? Oatmeal pancakes are delicious.

I didn’t order it but I probably will snag the world-famous Fragel on my next visit. A fragel, for the uninitiated, is a deep-fried raisin bagel smothered in cinnamon sugar and topped with walnut-raisin cream cheese.

To any Europeans in America seeking out cultural culinary experiences - please order this and film your reaction. It will find its way to my algorithm and I will find it delightful.

God, we really do eat like we’ve got universal healthcare, don’t we?

The Beverages: Tropical Mimosa

• Price: $9

A refreshing combination of pulpy orange juice, pineapple juice, a splash of grenadine and champagne served with a fresh pineapple wedge. My only regret is that they don’t offer a pitcher/bottomless option.

One Mouthy Sandwich Girl Rating:

• Flavor & Freshness:

  • Omelette: 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • Tropical Mimosa: 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • Average Rating: 🥪 🥪 🥪 ½

  Value for Buck:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • There is no better bang for your buck than a diner. A diner is basically your kindly aunt who thinks you’re too skinny no matter what you weigh and has made it her mission in life to feed you until you’re physically uncomfortable.

• Vegetarian Variety:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • Diners are great for vegetarians due to the sheer amount of variety on the menu. The lunch menu is a little light on options (Greek salad and a grilled cheese sandwich) but the breakfast menu offers all the standards - pancakes, French toast, omelettes - as well as more inventive options like a fried green tomato benedict and an egg white sandwich on whole wheat pita with tomato and avocado.

• The Verdict:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • My favorite painting is Nighthawks by Edward Hopper so I think I have a tendency to romanticize diners. There’s something especially beautiful about endless cups of coffee served in thick, ceramic cups with consolation sighs and security in the knowledge that you can eat well for a meager amount. I’ve got a real soft spot for Pete’s - it’s the first restaurant in America that I really welcomed us in and made us feel part of the community. If you like good food at decent prices and want to feel like you’re part of the community, check it out.