Anyone who’s been around the southern end of the Euclid strip over the past four or five decades knows the Majestic. It’s been feeding neighborhood residents and students for all that time, serving as St. Louis’ own version of the Greek diner. And while meatloaf and open-face turkey sandwiches are all very well and good, diners spell breakfast to most folks. And so it is for us.
During the week, most of the action is inside, with plenty of regulars reading papers and bantering with the employees, but on sunny weekends, the tables outside get plenty of action,
The coffee elves are at work at the Majestic these days. Diner coffee is almost never strong, but sometimes it exhibits the lip-curling sourness that comes from inadequate cleaning of the coffee makers. Thankfully for people trying to overcome the pain that comes with waking up, it doesn’t happen here, and that gets things off to a good start.
Like any proper diner, the kitchen knows how to handle eggs, like the classic over easy with crisp edges and a hot but nicely runny yolk. But the omelets are a safe bet, too. We headed for a Bill’s special, with gyro meat, feta cheese, tomatoes and a dribble of tzatziki sauce over it. The toppings were generous enough that every bite had more than just egg, and the flavors were bold, despite the wan tomatoes. And then there were the potatoes. These are really granny-style fried potatoes, slices both soft and crisply browned, perfect for soaking up egg yolk for those who like them nice and runny, whether sunny-side up or over easy. We’d be even happier if there was some onion in there, but that’s just us.
For a while, the Majestic’s pancakes were just not up to expectations, but those days are long behind us. We’re fond of the silver dollar blues, if only for the name, which makes us hear twanging guitars, but don’t go expecting silver-dollar sized cakes. No, the serving was four 3-inch pancakes with real blueberries, not just some pie-filling stuff poured on top. And yes, it’s real butter for the pancakes, as well as half-and-half for coffee, not the fake stuff.
And then there was the St. Paul. If you’re not a St. Louisan, Joe will be happy to enlighten you on the subject of the St.Paul/Denver/Western omelet or sandwich. Calling the egg-ham-green pepper-onion concoction a St Paul is a very St. Louis thing; back east when he was a kid, it was a Western, or a Denver. The legendary Bismarck, when its home was known as 12th Street, was the first place he saw the name St. Paul, which also became a Chinese restaurant standby when restaurateurs sandwichized egg foo young and slapped it between two slices of bread. Anyway, with or without cheese, it’s satisfying at the Majestic, though it would be improved if the yolk and white were beaten longer so they blended more completely. It’s helped, however, by the fact that it arrives with more of those delicious potatoes.
The Majestic Restaurant
4900 Laclede Ave.
314-361-2011
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Difficult
Smoking: Yes
Entrees: $6-$12
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If you want onions in your potatoes, just ask for “German potatoes” or “German fries.”