Wakie Wakie’s
652 Main St., Westbrook
591-0090
wakiewakies.com
With The Breakfast Serial entering its 20th year in this fine publication, it’s fair to say I’ve seen my share of breakfast menus. It’s also fair to say that the vast majority of those menus look similar. Most include one or two sweet options — e.g., pancakes, French toast — along with various combinations of eggs, pork products, cheeses and potatoes.
I’m not complaining; if I wasn’t a fan of the classic American breakfast, I wouldn’t be doing this. Still, it’s a rare treat when I open a menu and say, “Ooh, that’s different.”
Enter Wakie Wakie’s, the new “Thai Asian fusion” breakfast spot on Westbrook’s Main Street, located in the space previously occupied by meat-on-a-bun purveyors Richie Ribeye’s and Blazes Burgers (now at 861 Main St.).
On my first visit, I ordered a cup of coffee ($4) and a sandwich called the Fluffy Blue ($12): shredded pork, sliced ham, cheddar cheese, Maine blueberry jelly and house cream-egg dressing on toasted bread. The sweet-savory combination was vaguely reminiscent of a Monte Cristo sandwich, but this one has its own spin on that mix of flavors. I thought the egg dressing might be a fancy way of saying “mayonnaise,” but it turned out to be much yolkier, like the filling of a deviled egg.
On the side, I ordered the Crispy Crisp ($8) — basically a pile of well seasoned fried potatoes with green onion and a garlicky basil aioli for dipping.
Returning with a friend a week later, I enjoyed the Crab Out Loud! ($15), a thin, lightly browned, Thai-style omelette topped with a generous portion of lump crabmeat and cilantro and served over jasmine rice. My friend’s Ocean Toast ($15) had fluffy scrambled eggs with avocado, cheddar cheese, sunflower sprouts, fried shallots and grilled shrimp drizzled with herbaceous, slightly spicy tom yum sauce.
On my way out, I ordered a Green Boost smoothie ($8.95) to bring home to my wife. She described the icy blend of mango, pineapple, spinach, coconut water and bee pollen as fresh and bright, saying, “It tastes healthy without being punitive.”
Wakie Wakie’s has plenty of familiar options on the menu, including a basic egg-and-cheese English muffin sandwich ($4.49) and a large selection of acai bowls and other smoothies. But to me, the adventure is the whole point. Next time I wake up craving something different, I know just where to go.
Wakie Wakie’s is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
