Mini Review: Sun Rey Cafe
Menu
Sun Rey Cafe is a breakfast cafe near Wicker Park and Humboldt Park, serving classic American and Filipino breakfast dishes.
There were so many things I wanted to try, the Santa Fe Hash, Poqui Poqui, and Shrimp and Grits all sounded delicious, but I tend to go with the house specialty when I can, so I decided on the Manila Breakfast. I had never tried longganisa sausage before, so I didn’t know what to expect, but the Filipino family that owns the restaurant insisted I would love it.
Manila Breakfast
While we were waiting for our food, we enjoyed the atmosphere which was very homely and welcoming. You can see right into the kitchen of this family owned establishment, and the staff enjoys talking with everyone while waiting for the food. The table next to us was a larger Filipino family and it was great seeing the staff’s faces light up calling them “extended family” and overhearing their conversation while waiting for the food. It honestly made me excited since I had a feeling the food was going to be very authentic and traditional, and it did not disappoint.
The most surprising thing about the breakfast was how sweet the sausage was. I learned this type of sausage is called longganisa which is a traditional Spanish sausage. The garlic fried rice was good, with crunchy garlic bits and a good flavor. We also ordered a “fried” egg, which is not very specific but it came out over-hard. If I ordered it again I would definitely order over-easy so that the egg yolk could mix with the rice, which was a little dry because of the fried garlic. But overall, it was a very tasty and unique breakfast that I haven’t had before. I’ll definitely have to be on the lookout for more Filipino restaurants in Chicago since it’s a cuisine I haven’t had the opportunity to try very often.
Rating
Overall score: 4.3 out of 5.0 stars
Overall, Sun Rey Cafe was a delicious introduction to a traditional Filipino breakfast that I haven’t had before. The sausage was sweet and delicious, and the employees were some of the nicest I’ve been around. I felt like I was eating in a Filipino grandma’s personal kitchen, and they made everyone feel welcome and happy to enjoy breakfast together. The breakfast was fairly basic for the price, but this price is normal for Chicago and I’m always happy to support a local, family-owned business.