Basically all reviews will point you to the same summary of Both Ways Cafe: breakfast good, lunch meh. But whatever you do, you must order the biscuits.
I don't have to be told twice to order biscuits.
At Both Ways, they serve tall, flaky biscuits which are crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. The overall size is generous, but not intimidating, as an accompaniment to breakfast. As a minor pet peeve, the biscuit was served at room temperature with chilled butter (if I am allowed to nitpick for a moment, if the biscuit is at room temperature, the butter ought to be too, to spread more easily; or, the biscuit ought to be slightly warmed so that the butter will melt). However, if the biscuit is going along with breakfast, this is a minor inconvenience--simply top it with a small bit of hot omelette and the butter melts beautifully.
But if you want a sweet experience, butter your biscuit and spoon on a dollop of the jam waiting on each table--you'll be rewarded with a simple, but totally sweet, biscuit experience. Aforementioned crispy edge gives way to a soft interior, which is gorgeous with a slather of butter and smear of sweet jam. It is the type of thing that transports you to a simpler time, even if you've never technically known a simpler time, while eating it.
Of course, biscuits like these do go stale quickly, so for the best experience, be sure to go fairly early (or just be slightly more forgiving, the way you would with a croissant eaten after 10am. You totally know what I mean, don't pretend you don't). Of course, the bakery case does boast a bevy of other homemade sweets to sample if the biscuits are all gone.
Biscuits from Both Ways Cafe, 4922 S. Genessee Way, Seattle.
