![\"Camel\u2019s](\"https:\/\/missiontimescourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Steak-and-eggs1webtop.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201cIt\u2019s selling well,\u201d says longtime waitress-bartender Joelle, who makes gallon batches of zippy bloody mary mix in preparation for weekend breakfasts (9 a.m. \u2013 1 p.m.), when a plate of steak, eggs and potatoes sells for as little as $9.99.<\/p>\n
To call it brunch inside this workingman\u2019s haunt with an odd cult following would be pretentious. Or to order a cocktail that even verges on frou-frou would be futile because the bar isn\u2019t equipped with a blender. Conversely, you can expect a little mojo in your bloody mary, which is garnished with olives, pickles and green beans.<\/p>\n
Just past the sizable smoking patio, which is occupied mostly by mature regulars during the day and slightly younger peeps at night, are two interior bars separated by a small kitchen run by Laura Lazano. She\u2019s worked the grill and stovetop for 17 years after previously cooking for a sorority house at San Diego State University.<\/p>\n Despite her no-frills, inexpensive menu, she beer batters the onions rings to order, makes from scratch the Velveeta-Parmesan queso that comes with house-made chicken fingers and hand forms the burgers before slapping them onto the grill.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve eaten here a few times, visiting originally for the steak breakfast. The chop of choice is usually grocery store-quality top sirloin, which I found juicy, flavorful and slightly chewy.<\/p>\n But if Lazano finds deals on rib eye, New York strip or other cuts, she grabs them. Last weekend, a porterhouse for $12.99 was available, which she described as \u201cthe size of my face.\u201d Whatever steaks are in the offing, they come with two eggs and crispy, cubed potatoes, not to mention a side of classic rock streaming from the jukebox.<\/p>\n Other breakfast choices include chorizo and eggs, veggie omelets and corned beef hash straight from a can and crisped nicely on the grill \u2014 a shameful dish I confess to liking. There\u2019s also a specials board at the bar, which can include anything Lazano chooses to pull out of her sleeve that day: ham steaks, chili, spaghetti, fish and chips, etc.<\/p>\n From the regular menu, the beer-battered onion rings are the bomb. Greasy for sure, but the batter is at the same time so light and delicate, it practically floats through your mouth. There\u2019s an art to making these, and Lazano has it nailed.<\/p>\n A pair of ground beef tacos I ordered recently for lunch featured semi-crispy corn tortillas stuffed with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. The meat was crumbly and tender, but under-seasoned until I kicked it up with fresh salsa served alongside.<\/p>\n Whether you duck in for the food or to wet your whistle or to take in the live DJs on weekend nights, the Camel\u2019s Breath presides as a quirky, unpretentious establishment that has withstood the test of time. It\u2019s not for everyone, but it\u2019s worth a peek.<\/p>\n \u2014Frank Sabatini Jr.<\/em> es el autor de \u201cSecret San Diego\u201d (ECW Press), y comenz\u00f3 su carrera como escritor local hace m\u00e1s de dos d\u00e9cadas como miembro del personal del antiguo San Diego Tribune. Puedes localizarlo en <\/em>fsabatini@san.rr.com<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Frank Sabatini Jr. In an age when everyone is eating healthier, exercising more and drinking responsibly, or at least attempting to do those things, there\u2019s a funky old joint in Grantville that defies the wellness movement. It\u2019s a place where nobody judges your capacity to wash down a top sirloin steak with a few […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":816,"featured_media":228083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11558","_seopress_titles_title":"Steaks for cheap","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11547,11558],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-228082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-mission-times-courier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/816"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a>
(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>
(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>Burgers and sandwiches come in a few varieties, starting with sliders on Hawaiian buns called \u201chump burgers.\u201d There are also half-pound beef burgers and third-pound turkey burgers in addition to Cajun chicken sandwiches. Beyond that, the pickings filter down to Caesar and taco salads, potato skins, chicken fingers and fries.<\/p>\n