It’s just after 7 a.m., and John Nolan’s taste buds are lingering over flavors tropical and sweet.

”Take out the green pepper,” he says after savoring a bite. He approves of the rest of the omelet combo – three fluffy eggs wrapped around a mixture of sausage, fried banana and coconut.

It will go on the chalkboard as the omelet special of the day at Nolan’s breakfast and lunch joint, an option for the gastronomically adventurous.

For the Victorian Cafe celebrates unconventional fare. The menu boasts not just potatoes with vegetables and cheese, but also potatoes with Polish sausage, sauerkraut and Swiss. Besides classic eggs Benedict, customers can opt for Victorian Benedict, blackstone Benedict, British Benedict, smoked salmon Benedict, crab Benedict, Caribbean Benedict and Benedict La Grande.

And that doesn’t even include the specials.

”The specials are really popular, especially on weekends,” Nolan said. ”I think a lot of them are unique.”

The Victorian Cafe occupies a 90-year-old house at a crossroads of Bend west-side neighborhoods. The domicile has served as a restaurant for the last 22 years.

Nolan started working at the breakfast and lunch establishment in 1996. He bought the business a year ago from Paul and Denise Mercer, who sold it to concentrate on their Camp Sherman restaurant, the Kokanee Cafe.

Nolan didn’t intend to become a restaurateur. But he said he trained for it in some sense through years of working in the business.

Since he took the reins, the Victorian’s motif remains the same. It is polished wood, flowers in vases and jazz filtering through the air. Nolan calls it casual but classy.

On weekends, patrons pack wood booths against large windows. Others crowd the entry, sipping coffee while they wait. It’s not a hit-and-run eating experience.

”The energy here is great,” Nolan said. ”They don’t even know time has gone by because they’re busy watching the show.”

Then comes the food. Nolan expanded the menu and now serves four to five specials a day.

Most breakfasts come with a homemade scone or homemade applesauce. Lunch offerings include soups from scratch, sandwiches and salads.

Some specials have become perennial favorites, like the 18-wheeler, a biscuits and gravy breakfast with two eggs, potatoes and a scone or applesauce.

One of Nolan’s new favorite specials is the jambalaya ranchero, a huevos rancheros-style meal. Jambalaya replaces the beans and it’s served with rock shrimp and a scallion sauce.

Most specials come to life with input from the entire staff. This morning, Jessica Schuerman tasted the omelet special and paused. ”I think it needs cheese,” she said.

Nolan hopes soon to add dinner to the Victorian Cafe’s repertoire. He said it will be casual and moderately priced.

He wants the cafe to be a favorite stop in the neighborhood.

”I want a place where they could go five nights a week if they like,” he said.

Heidi Hagemeier can be reached at 541-383-0353 or hhagemeier@bendbulletin.com.