THE BREAD BASKET

By Rachel Jacques

Ah, there’s nothing like the smell of gasoline and fried chicken in the morning. There’s also only one spot in Athens that simultaneously produces both of these delectable smells at once. While the outside may look like any other gas station snack stop, the inside of the Bread Basket on Chase St. offers a cafeteria-style serving line where you can order up an authentic and greasy southern breakfast.

The clientele here isn’t exactly of Ritz standards. I waited in line behind two men who became dangerously close to revealing a little crack, as a belt did not hold up their weathered and dirty work pants.

It’s not a new hot spot, but you can expect to wait. The line easily wraps around the store past the beer coolers. The line moves quickly and steam rises from behind the sneeze guard that stands between the client and food. I went full out with the breakfast plate that pretty much incorporates all the items you would want at once, complete with grits, eggs, a choice of meat and a buttermilk biscuit made from scratch that is so good it will make you wanna slap yo’ mama!

Your food is piled into a plastic to-go container, and the biscuit is separated from the rest of the meal by tin foil to avoid sogginess. You have a choice between fried or scrambled eggs. I recommend the scrambled. They are fluffy, fresh and real. No fake powdered eggs in this place, and not every fast food restaurant can claim that. The grits may not be as creamy and rich as Last Resort’s, but they are also not so dressed up. I enjoyed the simplicity of real grits made with just butter. After adding a little salt and pepper you really couldn’t have asked for much more.

The meat options range from ham to chicken to sausage, basically all the traditional “breakfast meats” are present. I advise against ordering the chicken patty. It is not fresh and was clearly defrosted from a box in the back. Instead, try the tenderloin. It is flavorful, fresh, and fried to a golden brown. The inside remains juicy and it is the perfect addition to the biscuit.

Forget the wine list at this joint, the Bread Basket, being a convenience store and restaurant simultaneously, offers any beverage your little heart desires. The coffee is hot, the sodas are bubbly and the cappuccinos are sweet. While it’s not gourmet, the cinnamon bun indulgence cappuccino from the machine was an awesome dessert. Lets just say I wasn’t counting calories this morning.

The seating here is reminiscent of lunches at school. After moving through the line you can take your food to one of the five bench seats and tables in the same dining area. Behind my head I heard a women buying Virginia Slims and paying for gas, but after all I didn’t come for the atmosphere.
It’s not pretty and admittedly, I wouldn’t use the restroom, but this is one special Chevron station. They have all the essentials for a great Southern breakfast: grease, salt and butter, and hey, who doesn’t want to start their morning with a good ole’ heart attack?