Pita Jungle

 by Jessica Kokal
 published on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

STATE PRESS MAGAZINE

1250 E. Apache Road, Tempe
(480) 804-0234
pitajungle.com

The sign on the door of Pita Jungle reads "Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner." I'd enjoyed the lunch and dinner offerings at the trendy café for years, but only recently stumbled upon their amazing breakfast. Much like the rest of Pita Jungle's cuisine, it's no disappointment. Pita Jungle's breakfasts are delicious and the hearty portions won't leave you feeling heavy as you start your day.

Much of Pita Jungle's breakfast is different from typical breakfast food. They offer a variety of pockets, made with eggs and a variety of other ingredients stuffed inside a pita. The most basic is the Mediterranean Pocket, made with feta, tomatoes, olive oil and thyme. There's nothing basic about the flavor, though. The tangy feta enhances the egg and the thyme is the perfect accent, making it a simple but delicious combination.

For something slightly more brunch-y, the Club Pocket is half breakfast, half lunch. It's generously stuffed with eggs, smoked turkey breast, cheese, sautéed button mushrooms and veggies like alfalfa sprouts. The size and the ingredients promise to fuel you through the day.

The Southwest Scramble is perhaps one of the restaurant's best offerings. The mixture of sautéed vegetables, Pita Jungle's delicious mixed beans and a lot of spices sit atop a signature pita. The dish is a little spicy and has a lot of flavor. All the scrambles are served with tofu, which absorbs the flavor of the other ingredients and adds protein and nice texture to the dish. Eggs can be substituted upon request.

Pita Jungle's breakfast menu also features an Alternative Pita, listed under its breakfast specialties. It serves as a great starter for breakfast, a meal that usually lacks appetizer options. Cream cheese lovers will adore this sweet dish: a toasted pita spread with cream cheese and topped with strawberries, bananas, shredded coconut and golden raisins.

Pita Jungle also offers breakfast staples like pancakes, but with a healthier twist. The restaurant's version of the syrupy morning favorite is made with whole wheat batter laced with sweet cinnamon and topped with fresh strawberries and bananas. Instead of traditional maple syrup, they're served with a bowl of soupy, homemade blueberry syrup, filled with real blueberries. So natural, yet so sweet.

Pita Jungle has also perfected the traditional omelet, with fresh vegetables wrapped in fluffy egg and served over a pita. The Spanish omelet is filled with onions, fresh mushrooms and Pita Jungle's slightly crispy garlic potatoes. It's filling but not heavy and packed with flavor.

Pita Jungle's breakfasts are served with the same friendly, casual service as their lunches and dinners. New patrons will be delighted by the wall art, made by local artists and changed frequently throughout the year. Regular diners will be no less impressed by the healthy breakfast dishes than by the delicious lunch and dinner menu. But if you've already enjoyed Pita Jungle once, it's not likely you needed another excuse to come back in the first place.

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