I don’t eat breakfast enough, but maybe the new Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery at the Irvine Spectrum will change my mind. I used to grab something to eat inbetween my bus transfers when I lived in Seattle. Will that Egg, Cheese and Bacon sandwich taste the same as I remembered? Will the quiche be light and fluffy? Were the chocolate chips in the chocolate chip cookie still slightly molten after just coming out of the oven?

Answer? Yes, yes and yes.

This morning I ordered an assortment of baked goods, sandwiches and quiche for my co-workers to taste and try.

Co-worker comments were:

The zucchini muffin was awesome…

I generally stay away from cheesy food, but I had the Roasted Vegetable Quiche and it was really good, damn good!

I had some of the chocolate chip cookie and it was very good, not dry or bland or crispy but rather soft, good texture. The chocolate chips were gooey to apoint that made it a good cookie and they had large chips…good stuff.

Darn good!

I love the bread on the breakfast sandwich it was soft like pizza dough…

I tried a piece of the cheese & ham mini-quiche – delicious & savory! I can’t wait to go try their sandwiches and salads for lunch!

I have to tell you that when I walked into Specialty’s this morning I was hit with a wall of super enthusiastic employees. Everyone was so happy to be there. The management team/training team was also there working with the new employees – all of them eager to learn. Everyone had something to do and it was quite a bustle behind the counters. I was greeted with a hello the instant I walked in and was quite overwhelmed by the smells and sounds of the kitchen – it was awesome.

I spoke with Melissa who is from one of the Bay Area stores and she told me that they had an excellent opening day yesterday – the lunch crowd was their busiest time. I asked her when the 2nd Irvine location was opening and she said May 27th. So those of you in Irvine “North” will have something to look foward to. I also spoke with Mario Cantero, Regional Manager for Specialty’s and he was excited that they have expanded into Southern California.

I noticed some kiosks in the store and realized that they were ordering stations. Want to skip the ordering line? Order on one of their kiosks. Mario demonstrated the kiosk to me and it’s pretty straightforward. He bought me a cookie! Great for when you’re on the go.

The shop is really setup for people to order online via their website at www.specialtysdirect.com. Place your order there and it will be ready at the time you designate. Works really well. Well…I actually had a problem ordering this morning as my system wasn’t showing the available times for picktup. I talked with one of the training managers and she directed me to Mario who quickly resolved the issue – it works now.

They don’t offer delivery at this location but if you work at 20 or 40 Pacifica they will deliver your order to you for $1.00. So UBS Employees, take advantage of that! :)

While I was waiting for my quiche to come out of the oven, Mario (yes a 2nd Mario and no last name given) a vice president with Specialty’s greeted me and welcomed me to the store. Word must have gotten out I was writing an entry for the blog and I was also taking pictures. Mario seemed very pleased with his newest location and can’t wait to get the second location in Irvine up and running. He also offered that they are looking to expand into the San Diego area sometime this fall. So those of you down in La Jolla better be prepared for some good food!

Oh those quiches came out of the oven and I’m glad that I waited for them! Their baker, Melissa (yes a 2nd Melissa…) was more than happy to show me what awaited me. Mmmmm….quiche!

They have a great lunch menu and offer both cold and hot sandwiches as well as an impressive array of vegetarian sandwiches.

You all are probably wondering why I’m so ga-ga over this place. It’s because they truly want to give you the best food they can. The employees who work there “want” to work there and it’s not just a job to them. There is a camaraderie that you feel in all their stores. Take the time to go, you’ll enjoy the meal.

The only bad part is that you have to park in the parking structure that charges for parking. Stay on the street level and you’ll get to Specialty’s pretty easily. The key, don’t forget to get your ticket validated! :)

Related Stories:

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery Now Open at Irvine Spectrum (April 2009)

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery to Open in Irvine (January 2009)

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery
20 Pacifica Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
949-453-0137
Mon-Fri 6:00 am to 6:00 pm