First of all let me sincerely apologize for being away for so long, you know how it is – life, work, etc. gets in the way and something has to give, I hated to take a step back from Hey Willamette but I needed to – now, however I’m back (at least part time) and will try to get some more great stories out to you all and let you know all about the best places to visit and experience in the Willamette Valley.
Where is Maridon’s?
So, there is a bit of history with this place – when I moved to Forest Grove in 1999 my dad would often visit me while on his way to his weekend military duty – he lived in Eugene and needed to get to Seattle, so I was a good stopping point. Maridon’s was the place where we ate breakfast on Friday’s when he visited – when breakfast was over I’d head to work and he would head to Seattle. I remember it being a very tasty place HonestLy I’d forgotten about it until recently I made a wrong turn and ended up driving through the parking lot.
Outside Maridon’s
Maridon’s is located in a not-so-fancy strip mall in Forest Grove. It has a rather plain front that belies the wonderful food and atmosphere inside. One of the advantage not normally appreciated is the plethora of available parking spots very close to the entrance to Maridon’s
Inside Maridon’s
Inside Maridon’s are two types of seating areas – the first one are very comfortable booths with high backs and very plush backs and seats. These seats are great and afford the diners some measure off privacy. When I visited there wifi was good (I hadn’t yet gotten my internet at the new place, so it was a rare treat to have reasonable speed network). The second area that many diners seem to favor and that I appreciate are the chairs around the central counter area. The chairs rotate and are plush and comfortable. When I entered there were several gentlemen sitting on them and hostess was involved in conversations with a couple of them. As a new customer came in she would greet them and ask how they are. I was one of the few exceptions, however she welcomed me warmly and I felt very much at ease.
Maridon’s Menu
I was very grateful to find that Maridon’s features some of my favorite breakfast items. On the menu are meals like corn beef hash (yum!!!) and biscuits and gravy (Yes, please!) and my usual – Chicken Fried Steak. In my opinion, if a restaurant doesn’t have chicken fried steak how can it actually be considered a traditional breakfast restaurant? Just kidding about that of course, but I’ll admit that the bar for me at any breakfast restaurant is definitely the quality of their Chicken Fried Steak.
Breakfast at Maridon’s
While I enjoyed a few moments of decent internet usage (it really wasn’t very long at all) I was able to hear the hostess greet more regular folks, it’s always a nice treat to vicariously live through the interesting stories and conversations other folks have. My food arrived very quickly – I swear it may have been ten minutes, but I couldn’t say exactly, it seemed very quick. I was amazed at how delicious my breakfast was – it immediately brought me back to the days when I got to have breakfast with my dad while he was on the way to work in Seattle – those days are impossible to replicate, so be sure you all to appreciate them while you have them. However, this delicious food was a great reminder and all the more reason for me to appreciate Maridon’s. Something I’d also like to mention is that I normally prefer rye bread toasted, however I got the homemade biscuit today and was very impressed by it – it was a very large piece of cornbread – piping hot and absolutely delicious!
Summary and Rating
Maridon’s is a place I’ve been to quite a few times, but it’s been many many years – maybe fifteen since I’ve visited. I ate breakfast there many ties while my father was visiting me on the way through the greater Portland area on his way to Seattle. The food brought me back to those great days. There is plenty of parking, although the modest front of Maridon’s isn’t a reflection of it’s wonderful food and dining area inside. The seating areas are very nice and the hostess seems to recognize everyone who comes in and greets them warmly. I definitely recommend you visit Maridon’s, it’s atmosphere and quality of food will certainly impress any breakfast diner. I had a fantastic five Heywillamette experience and I think you will as well.
Hey Willamette Valley 