New Elizabethtown diner comes with a big welcome

ELIZABETHTOWN | Breakfast is still considered the most essential part of any day. And that's why, when Michael Baker and his wife, Rebecca Morgan Baker, couldn't find a place to sit and enjoy an early morning pick-me-up in town, they decided to take action and open a place themselves — Pleasant Valley Cafe. "All we wanted was a hot breakfast, and we couldn't find one anywhere," Rebecca shared. "We saw a need, and when we see a need, we think it through and then ask ourselves if we can fulfill it or not." The couple, after enjoying the freedom of retirement for a bit, decided to take on this newfound venture together. On March 4, they purchased a building on Court Street, which was formerly The Arsenal, and they got to work on renovations the next day. "The building needed a lot of work," Michael said. All the existing wiring, plumbing, and flooring were replaced; the dining room was expanded; the kitchen was upgraded with new equipment; and they added an outdoor ramp and updated the bathroom to make the building ADA-compliant. "But we told ourselves that if we're going to do this, we need to do it right, not on the cheap. And that's what we did." The inside of the building today is almost unrecognizable. Walking in, the open dining room is filled with attractive but comfortable seating, including a wooden wall bench that stretches along a beautifully painted mural that was once a solid purple wall. Then there's the coffee bar, where Michaal and Rebecca serve up fresh pots of joe with freshly ground beans. "It definitely doesn't taste like diner coffee at all," he boasted, and the same goes for the rest of their breakfast and lunch menu, too. "We didn't want to go for five-star dining, but we didn't want to be a greasy spoon either. We wanted to create a cozy, upscale diner that everyone could both afford and enjoy." Daily, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., the kitchen serves a variety of diner classics, including omelettes, classic griddle items such as pancakes, waffles, and French toast, as well as burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches, all accompanied by house chips and a pickle. And yes, there's an option to upgrade to fries, and daily specials are offered. A majority of the featured dishes were inspired by the owners themselves, as well as Head Chef Joey Chapla. For instance, the couple wanted to pay homage to Texas, where they once resided, so they added Breakfast Tacos — two warm tortillas stuffed with diced sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, onions, and cheese that's served with avocado, sour cream, mild salsa, and cilantro — to the menu. Michael was adamant about serving not only house chips, but homemade corned beef hash, which is the main attraction in the Haystack — one of the four listed combo plates that also comes with two eggs any style and choice of toast or an English muffin. And Rebecca wanted freshly baked goods, including biscuits and muffins. The muffin flavors rotate, but Rebecca bakes them all herself, including banana nut, lemon poppy seed, blueberry, chocolate peanut butter, and her specialty, Morning Glory. "It's like a kitchen sink; it has everything," she said about the muffin that contains a variety of ingredients like crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and ginger. "They're super tasty." Additionally, a few menu options were added in celebration of specific individuals. For instance, there's the "Warren" — a breakfast sandwich with sliced ham, folded egg, and American cheese on a grilled bun, which was Michael's father's favorite morning go-to. And then there's the "Stella Morris." "Every time you would pop into her house for lunch, there would always be a small cup of tomato soup with a half a grilled cheese sandwich on white bread. She was everyone's grandmother," Michael said lovingly. "We wanted to keep her tradition alive." Because at the end of the day, the couple didn't open the restaurant to make money, Michael wanted to clarify. "Truly, we did it for the town. If it survives for a few years, and we don't go broke, we hope to pass it on to somebody to keep it going. But as of right now, this is our gift back to the community." For more information, call 518-795-8297 or check them out on Facebook.

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New Elizabethtown diner comes with a big welcome

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