Jim Schmidt uses the back door when he comes in for breakfast at the Old Mount Hood Cafe each morning.
Waitress Debbie Slavin, who says she came with the place, plunks down a cup of decaffeinated coffee for Schmidt as he lands on his shiny stool at the counter.
Slavin times brewing the decaf for Schmidt, a retiree who usally shows up around 9 a.m.
"I come in every morning," Schmidt explains matter-of-factly. "Sometimes I have breakfast and sometimes I don't. I'm going to go where they treat you real nice. And they've got real good food here, and plenty of it."
The Old Mount Hood Cafe is famous for its 12-egg omlets--that's not a typographical error--and hamburgers that weigh more than a pound. Slavin says most people split those menu items because they're too big for one person.
Slavin herself often shares a hamburger--splitting both the hamburger and the cost down the middle--with Wes Furth, another regular customer.
Furth has been coming to the restraunt for 20 years. Furth said he used to come to eat at the cafe when he worked for Portland General Electric in Gresham. Now retired and living in the Parkrose area, Furth drives to the cafe to eat each morning. He has seen the little nine-booth eatery change hands from the Mallard to Don's Restraunt to the Old Mount Hood Cafe.
Despite the ownership changes, Furth has remained a regular, sitting in the same booth near a drink cooler each morning.
While the decor isn't fancy, it's rare to find a place that serves a cooked-to-order 12 egg Denver omlet, complete with hash browns and toast for $6.35.

Click hereto see a picture of George Antonich, the owner and chef. By the way, Debbie Slavin is now married to the owner and they continue to work side by side. If you stop in be sure to tell Debbie that Jackie (George's sister) sent you!

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