Waffler Avenue – Puerto Rico

On our first day in Puerto Rico, we took a stroll down the main stretch to see how things have progressed in the Condado since our last visit in 2011. About as far as we’d ever walk down, we noticed a little spot that was intriguing.

We decided then and there that we would check it out for breakfast the next morning.

The menu board touts quite a few things for the small operation they have going on. They’re turning out fresh waffles of different varieties and with different toppings, outstanding Puerto Rican espresso beverages, and also high quality chocolate, and the total space is probably half the size of the smallest Starbucks I’ve ever encountered.

The first order of business was to have a plain espresso.

(These were pulled for an iced beverage containing espresso, milk, and Nutella.)

My plain espresso was excellent, about as good a coffee I’ve ever had on the island, and it was fairly inexpensive ($1.50).

I tried one savory waffle concoction and one sweet.

The “Eggs Rue” waffle starts with a Brussels style waffle, which derives from a thin slightly sweet batter. In the center of the waffle are scrambled eggs, ham, and Swiss cheese ($6.50).

What I expected was the fillings in between two segments of waffle. They actually bake the fillings into the center of the waffle. The ham and egg stayed moist, since the iron cooks the batter from the exterior. It was very delicious, crispy on the outside, and cheesy inside.

The sweet concoction I tried was “Tropical Alley”, a Liège style waffle (started from a dough like most Belgian waffles you may be familiar with) topped with tropical fruit compote and vanilla ice cream.

The waffle at the base of this dish was sweet and dense, kind of like Brioche. The outside was crunchy, and inside was soft and pillowy. The tropical fruit (mango, papaya, and guava) and vanilla ice cream were very refreshing. It’s definitely more of a dessert combination, but who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast?

Everything is presented in cute little to-go containers that are perfect for walking along the coastline, which is only about 30 yards away from the door.

We were so happy with our breakfast that morning that we went back another day in our short trip. On the second visit, I tried the Nutellaville, which is a Liège waffle topped with vanilla ice cream, Nutella, caramel, and chopped hazlenuts. It is amazing.

On each visit, early in the morning, there was just one young lady (I really think it’s the girl on the billboard ad above; Cassie doesn’t; I’m bad at recognizing people), and it’s really astonishing how much she was able to do in that little space.

I did a little snooping around on the web and saw this article that spells out the owner’s business plan. It’s commendable that he’s going after Starbucks, and I enjoyed this way better than the Starbucks that was attached to our hotel.