Swell Food: the OC Surf Cafe Welcomes All, Surfers or Not

Even if you've never surfed a wave, you'll feel welcome at OC Surf Cafe as soon as a friendly staffer greets you at the door and leads you to a booth.

The décor here is beyond cute, with colors galore: green, yellow and orange walls; tie-dyed high chairs; peacock-reminiscent pendant lamps; bright artwork (some by the chef and for sale); sweet eye-catching Adirondack chairs out front, and multicolored mugs holding piping hot coffee, a special blend made especially for the cafe by local brewer Harry & Beans.

“It's one of the best coffees in town, I would say,” Macpherson said. “Even our decaf is a good brew.”

Of course, there are surfboards hanging on the walls (also for sale) and the likes of Jimmy Buffett and the Beach Boys singing overhead. Surfing videos play on screens in the cafe.

The cafe's young owner, Debbie Macpherson, 25, hasn't had much time to surf for quite a while. She started working here at 18 as a waitress with no experience and later becoming manager before the previous owners asked her if she wanted to buy the cafe.

Now, Debbie is out front most days and her brother, Jeff, also the artist, cooks up delicious breakfast and lunch dishes that keep locals and visitors coming back.

“Locals keep us going through the wintertime,” Debbie Macpherson said. “Throughout the summer, we just have a line out the door and all our visitors come back.”

Macpherson said she kept the menu much the same as that developed by the cafe's founders and still-frequent customers, Dave and Libby Liess.

“We've added some specials and fresh ideas,” Macpherson said.

Breakfast and lunch are available all day. Blueberry-stuffed French toast—a chef's favorite, with homemade blueberry cream cheese spread between two pieces of French toast and topped with fresh berries and powdered sugar—sold out on a recent morning. French toast comes in short or full stacks.

Omelets also are hot here, ranging in price from $4.95 for plain to $10.95 for crab.

Can't decide between sweet and savory? Order a combo—there are several, with cute surf-term names, ranging in price from $4.95 to $6.95 and served with Idaho potato home fries and toast.

The “Clean-up Set” has two fresh eggs, two mini waffles and two sausage links or strips of bacon. Mrs. Mac's (yes, Debbie and Jeff's mom) homemade baked goods—sticky buns and muffins—have a following unto themselves, as do breakfast burritos. The basic ($4.95) starts with eggs, cheese and salsa in a whole wheat or flour tortilla. Personalize it with black beans (50¢), veggies (75¢), bacon or sausage ($1.25) or avocado ($1.50).

Burritos also make a showing at lunch—with sweet potato ($7.95)—grilled sweet potato, avocado, spinach, refried beans and cheddar jack cheese—being a favorite.

“It's delicious and definitely one of the most popular things on the menu,” Macpherson said.

Seven salads, including the OC salad ($7.25)—romaine, fresh strawberries, candied pecans, mandarin oranges, red onions, mozzarella cheese, and sweet summer poppy dressing—make for a perfect light meal that won't leave you too stuffed to paddle out.

Rounding out the extensive lunch menu are tacos and quesadillas ($6.25 to $8.95); hot and cold sandwiches; steak sandwiches, including a veggie option ($5.75 to $7.95); wraps and clubs ($5.95 to $7.25); burgers ($5.95 to $7.95); and platters like ribs ($9.95 half rack/$12.95 whole), coconut shrimp ($9.95) and crab cake ($9,95), all with fries.

So, here's a bit of trivia for those of you who, like me, might never have been on a surfboard: The term "hang ten" refers to the extremely difficult move when a surfer walks to the front of his or her board and rides a wave with all 10 toes curled over the front of the board.

Even if you can't dream about doing the move, any one of us can make the related gesture used as a greeting between surfers—start with a fist and extend your pinkie and thumb. There—now you're cool enough to hit the OC Surf Cafe. 

See ya there, dude.

OC Surf Cafe

WHERE: 715 8^th St. (between Ocean and Atlantic)

WHEN: 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

GET IN TOUCH: Call 609-391-9555, Facebook

OTHER STUFF TO KNOW: Visa and MasterCard accepted. Take-out. Street parking (meters).