Lots of flavor at First Watch

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

The Food: Breakfast and brunch, soups, salads and sandwiches, focus on healthy options, too.

The Story: We put First Watch to the test, arriving in the middle of the bustling Sunday morning crowd, but there was no wait, even for our party of six.

We started with Million Dollar Bacon ($5.49), four thick slices of smoked bacon baked with brown sugar, pepper, cayenne and maple syrup. All we tasted was the maple syrup and bacon, and it was good!

The Chickichanga ($11.49) was amazing and will probably be my go-to every time I go to First Watch. It’s kind of a breakfast taco with eggs, chicken, chorizo, chilies, onions, avocado, cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese rolled in a flour tortilla with Vera Cruz sauce and sour cream on top. Let’s just say that it’s an incredible mixture of flavors and the Vera Cruz sauce (a lightly spicy cream sauce) takes this dish to the next level. The Chickichanga comes with a side of cubed potatoes that were crispy outside and soft inside and a cup of grape and strawberries.

The Cinnamon Chip Pancakes ($11.59) were fluffy in the center, crispy on the outside and had just enough cinnamon to add flavor, but not be overwhelming. The meal comes with a couple of eggs and sausage or bacon.

The BLTE ($9.99) was a BLT sandwich plus hard-boiled eggs, Monterrey Jack cheese and mayonnaise on whole grain bread, plus a bowl of tomato basil soup. The sandwich was stacked tall with more than enough toppings and full of flavor, while the creamy soup had tiny slivers of tomato. You could definitely taste the basil, though.

The only downside of the meal was the Eggs Benedict ($12.39), a couple of eggs, tomato and ham on ciabatta bread with a hollandaise sauce. Our server (who was great otherwise) misunderstood and brought a BLT sandwich instead. We alerted him to the mistake and he put in the right order, but the Eggs Benedict didn’t arrive until the rest of us were done with our meal. The Eggs Benedict, normally one of our favorite meals at First Watch, just weren’t good this time, either. Our server took the BLT and the Eggs Benedict off our ticket without being asked.

The Atmosphere: First Watch has sort of a rustic, industrial vibe with metal and wood fixtures. This is a noisy, bustling restaurant with a large counter area that looks like it’s out of use during COVID. Booths and tables are scattered through the open restaurant and social distancing is being observed.

The Details: 1695 E. Broad St., Suite 111; open 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily; 817-383-4036; firstwatch.com

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