Beautiful breakfasts

Breakfast in bed may be one of the most quintessential romantic gestures, but there’s something to be said for getting out of the house and letting someone else do all the pampering.

That’s where Anton Axelsson, owner and head chef at Old Barn Kitchen, comes in.

“We love to make our dishes look good and decorate them,” he said. “It’s just something I have a passion for. It’s all about the love that you put into it.”

Axelsson grew up the son of a restaurant owner and master chef in the Bay Area. He was 13 years old when he began working with his father, Ari Georgsson—who, according to his profile on the website for his Katy’s Kreek restaurant, created and produced Iceland’s first cooking show and now owns and runs successful breakfast/brunch spots in Walnut Creek and San Ramon.

In mid-2018, Axelsson decided it was time to venture out on his own and he and his wife, Chrystal—and their six kids—made the move to Chico. Shortly thereafter, they opened Old Barn Kitchen on Clark Road in Paradise, just weeks before the Camp Fire burned through town.

Though that building survived the blaze, it did suffer smoke and exterior fire damage. And with services like water and electricity down for an unknown amount of time, the Axelssons decided to move the restaurant down the hill to Chico. Now on Main Street, the eatery proclaims its eggs Benedicts are the best in town, and offers other attractive, signature breakfast and lunch dishes.

For those looking for a dish that’s both pretty and tasty, Axelsson first recommends his Santa Fe Benedict.

With a rainbow of colorful ingredients, including grilled purple onion and green avocado resting underneath three poached eggs smothered in a creamy, golden, spiced Hollandaise sauce, and topped with the bright colors of a classic pico de gallo, the dish is the best looking of Axelsson’s Benedict offerings, he says. It’s also the most fun to make.

For those not interested in eggs, including diners with a sweet tooth, he recommends his berry blintzes and Icelandic pancakes.

The pancakes come with an extra serving of love, as they are Axelsson’s grandmother’s recipe. But one of the prettiest sweet breakfast entrees is the blintzes.

“They’re like crepes, filled with raspberry sauce, whipped cream, fresh berries,” he said, “and we decorate the top with a little more berries and whipped cream and raspberry sauce, just to make it look really good.”

Axelsson is planning to add another few pages to the menu soon. First, he’s hoping to have his beer and wine license by Valentine’s Day, and plans to offer a selection of mimosas. A dinner menu is in the works, too, with choices like paella, macadamia crusted halibut, calamari and chicken marsala.

As a busy business owner, Axelsson says he doesn’t get much of a chance to celebrate Valentine’s Day these days, but sees something inherently attractive about a morning meal with your sweetie.

“I think it’s sexy as hell,” he said. “You wake up in the morning, you bring a date, and start your day.”