Lakeside Café proved to be a first for me.

No, it wasn’t the first time I had been to the restaurant on Coliseum Boulevard North. In fact, I reviewed it a decade ago after it first opened. It fared fine but did not really blow me away. I had also reviewed that same location – which at its origin was an Azar’s restaurant – when it was Liberty Diner II, and prior to that when it was Cosmos.

That is where the “first” comes in. There are many places that seem to be revolving doors with different names on the door every few years. Usually, they aren’t the kind of places that wow me, and I often steer clear of them because of their volatility.

But my return to Lakeside – which came by happenstance, not as a concerted work effort – broke the tradition. Not only did I find it packed every day and buzzing with satisfied diners, but my experiences were also far better than any I had there before, regardless of what the place was called.

That was a real surprise given that this breakfast-and-lunch spot hasn’t really changed. It is a throwback, with American fare, a few international twists and even an atmosphere from days gone by with a classic 1980s sunroom on the front and more function-over-form furnishings. But that’s not a bad thing in this case, because it is well kept and not at all dilapidated.

A place like this – any good family restaurant, really – should have good soup, so that is what I wet my feet with this time. I was glad I did.

I had one of the best vegetable soups I have ever had. It had me struggling to even think of another in its class. This cup was packed with carrots, celery, onions, corn, cabbage, spinach and big potato chunks. It was perfection; a soup that I will crave.

I would also put the chicken noodle up there with some of the best in town. It was simple, with stringy stewed chicken and the standard mirepoix, but what made it truly special were its perfectly seasoned, rich broth and the super thick Amish-style egg noodles that reminded me of homemade dumplings.

The signature lemon rice soup nearly knocked me off course, however. It had tiny bits of overcooked rice, and my serving had not been skimmed well as there was way too much broth vs. rice.

But that subpar soup gave me my first taste of superb service, because my server noticed I didn’t eat much of it and asked if I didn’t like it. She then told me it was her least favorite soup and insisted on replacing it with a cup of cream of broccoli, which was her favorite. Well, she had great taste because that soup was perfect. It had big pieces of broccoli as well as tiny bits that broke off from the florets, a perfectly seasoned broth that was creamy and smooth (not overcooked to resemble paste), and I loved the addition of dill in that broth, which most broccoli soups do not have.

I never once felt shorted on hospitality during my visits to Lakeside Café. In the post-pandemic restaurant world, finding a place where the staff is not only prompt and helpful but also genuinely friendly is a rarity. That probably goes a long way toward keeping the parking lot overflowing.

The beef Manhattan was calling to me, because this just seemed like the kind of place that should have a good Manhattan, and there were several kinds offered.

This Saturday lunch special fit the bill, but it wasn’t really the beef or its gravy that made it shine. The beef was well above the norm (usually sliced cold meat) as it was thinly sliced with a stringy texture like good pot roast and a little fat around the edge, which is always a good thing. The deep, dark gravy was premade, but it was dark and rich with more flavor than the norm.

So, what made this dish a winner? The homemade mashed potatoes, which made every bite of beef and bread and every drop of that gravy great. They were hearty and thick but still creamy, and there were very few lumps. I am guessing any dish that comes with mashed potatoes will be better just for having them on the plate, too.

As I turned to the breakfast menu, I chose another staple of the American diner, which for all intents and purposes is what Lakeside is, regardless of the “café” in its name.

The Denver omelet was spot on and big, with – I am guessing – four eggs. It had the requisite ham, green peppers, cheese – inside and blanketing the top – and onions, and those ingredients were distributed throughout the eggs instead of just being stuffed with the omelet folded over them. It was light and fluffy, and I had nary a qualm.

But it was a more exotic breakfast choice that I will be back for, and soon.

I had to try the reuben casserole when I saw it contained not only corned beef, cheese, scrambled eggs, onions and potatoes but also “sweet & sour cabbage kraut.” It was overflowing the big ceramic skillet it was served in, and it looked like a big frittata with a blanket of cheese just like the omelet.

Again, the ingredients were distributed evenly, and I loved the tanginess the kraut added. But the best part of its flavor was its immaculate seasoning. It’s not often I order such a potato-heavy breakfast creation where I do not have to grab the salt and pepper shakers.

If that wasn’t enough, this dish included pancakes or French toast. I chose the pancakes and discovered that they, too, were worth coming back for because of their distinct buttermilk flavor and perfect texture. I tried the French toast too, but would always go for the pancakes because they were special.

The only dish that truly fell flat at Lakeside Café was the classic Julienne salad, and its only flaw was a structural one. It had plenty of its listed ingredients – sliced turkey, ham, sliced Swiss and American cheese as well as shredded cheese, boiled egg, onions, tomatoes and cucumbers – but all of them were left way too big, which made a knife a necessity and made eating it a bit clumsy.

It is also worth noting that choosing soup over a side salad is recommended because Lakeside’s side salad had just tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers – all cut just as big and cumbersome – which made it pretty boring. Not sure why some of that shredded cheese couldn’t find its way on it or, for that matter, a crouton or two.

Lakeside also offers a variety of cakes and pies – if you even have room for dessert after dining at this big-portion place. The three-layer German chocolate cake was my favorite, with its dark, rich icing and generous amount of caramel and coconut on top, and the chocolate-covered strawberry – a white cake with chunks of the fruit as well as a little chocolate between each layer – was not far behind. And the lemon meringue pie was solid.

But that isn’t surprising, given that everything was solid at Lakeside Café. Heck, even the liver and onions were great. You can find out more about it by going back and finding my mailbag column from Wednesday – or reading it online at www.journalgazette.net.

And don’t hesitate if you don’t like liver and onions, either. You might be pleasantly surprised, just like I was when I thought I might not like sauerkraut mixed in my eggs.

Restaurant: Lakeside Café

Address: 1040 Coliseum Blvd. N.

Phone: 387-5138

Hours: 6 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Sunday

Cuisine: American

Handicapped accessible: Yes

Alcohol: None

Kid-friendly: Yes

Menu: Classic Julienne Salad ($13.99), Reuben Casserole ($11.99), Denver Omelet ($10.99), Beef Manhattan special ($10.59)

Rating breakdown: Food: 2 1/2 (3-star maximum); atmosphere: 1/2 (1 max.), service: 1 (1 max.)

Ryan DuVall is a restaurant critic for The Journal Gazette. This review is based on two unannounced visits. The Journal Gazette pays for all meals. Email DuVall at [email protected] or call 461-8130.