11th and Wharton
I’ve been to Carmans a couple of times now, and I have to say that I like it more each time. There is just something very unique and eclectic about this little eatery, and from what I’ve gathered from an extensive conversation with Carman herself is that this place has her personality written all over it. Upon my most recent visit to Carmans, I was fortunate enough to go on a very slow afternoon and get to sit down and get to know the woman behind the food. Carman is a very passionate woman when it comes to food and refuses to serve anything that she wouldn’t enjoy. She never considered herself a cook until she got forced into taking over the kitchen shortly after opening due to a sad travesty. However she has always believed herself to have a superior palate and know great food. Whether she is in Venezuela or France, Carman is constantly traveling, trying to take in the various, ethnic cuisines of the world. The woman just loves food and will go anywhere to try it. She is also very open about expressing her views, whether it be on her love with Venezuelan government and their dictator, or the idealness behind Frances policy on limiting how much a person can work in a week and how they encourage companionship.
The reason I explain this all, is because it helps you understand why you are going to very, very odd decorations on the wall and only four options on the menu. Carmans goal is to just put out four high quality options. She’s not trying to cater to the average eater, she wants to attract people that will appreciate what she has to offer. The first time I walked in, Thomas, the guy who is always serving tables, asked me if I was looking for a simple common breakfast and if so recommended a diner down the road. This probably wasn’t the best business model, but it is a good sense of character and true to Carmans atmosphere. Personally I don’t find the dishes to be overly eclectic, but on that first trip one of the four options was a chicken liver dish. I can see how that might deter a few people. Overall the options usually consist of a pancake/waffle, omelet, french toast and one special option. The special option always varies from the aforementioned liver dish to a homemade meatloaf and eggs dish. The other options do always have a unique twists on classic dishes, whether it be mango and banana topped prune pancakes or goat cheese omelets with a variety of fresh veggies.
The one downfall of this place, which is actually a positive thing at the same time, is that there are only 12 seats. It is a very, very tiny place and you may get stuck waiting for a while if you come on a busy Sunday morning. You can however call the morning of and set a reservation, just make sure you are very prompt or you will lose your table. The size however does make the place very comforting and like I previously stated give you a chance to know Carman and Thomas. If you do decide to go here, I recommend going later on after the rush around 1:00 and say hi Carman, ask her about the mixing of the chocolate and the milk.