Golden Harvest boasts the best basic breakfast

I’m generally against the slang use of the word “basic” to mean devoid of interest or nuance and, for all intents and purposes, lame. When referring to food, I think synonyms such as “fundamental” or “essential” are more fitting. My recent breakfast at Golden Harvest was proof of this point.

Golden Harvest is a legendary Lansing fixture that experienced some turbulence in the past but is still going strong, serving up delicious and captivating breakfast concoctions. The restaurant’s notorious wait time is a consideration if you have somewhere urgent to be, but when you see, in the totally open kitchen, the love and care the cooks put into each plate, you might be ready to consider slowing down and enjoying a crossword or a conversation. It’s worth it.

Amid the vivid and eclectic atmosphere that’s like a really cozy, punk-rock Bennigan’s (stuff on every inch of the walls and Beastie Boys blasting from the sound system), the always-changing menu is no different, with about 10 options to choose from written up on whiteboards, each priced at $15. There’s Cap’n Crunch-coated French toast, a breakfast burrito that I’ve loved for 20 years and specials like an omelet with butternut squash and pesto.

With all this pulling me in different directions, I couldn’t deny that I was in the mood for bacon and eggs, so the Big Basic it was. Though it was a simple plate, a very traditional three eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and toast, they were the best versions of those five things I’ve had in a restaurant in a long time.

I got the eggs over medium and they were cooked perfectly, with deep-yellow, runny yolks that were perfect for coating my toast, big pieces of sourdough that actually tasted like sourdough. The yolks also served as a kind of gravy for the potatoes. Oh, the potatoes! The diced redskins were crispy, slightly charred in places and seasoned to the gods with garlic and paprika. The bacon was thick-cut and of a quality you don’t often see in a diner, and the sausage patties were savory beyond belief.

Everything was eminently satisfying. I demolished my huge plate because it was just that good and thought of the meal fondly in the days after. If you’re in the mood for something special in the breakfast department, know that the lore of Golden Harvest being the best is well earned and still in full effect.