17-1617-16 By Pete Riley
Associate Photo Editor

    Auburn’s newest bar, 17-16, has been the talk of the town since its recent opening. 
    Most people aren’t talking about the drink specials; they’re talking about the restaurant that’s inside the bar.
    The restaurant inside the bar, 2 to Two, is the brainchild of manager Jan Taylor.
    Taylor also owns Taylor’s Bakery, located downtown. Quixotes owners Chris Godbold and John Hyink, as well as independents Scott Crittenden and Richard Tomasello are the financial backers of the unique operation.
    Taylor wanted to bring the downtown area something new, and she has certainly delivered.
    The restaurant opens precisely as the bar closes at 2 a.m., and bar patrons can walk to the tables for a plate of scrambled eggs and hash browns.
     “It’s a fusion of two really nice businesses,” Taylor said. “This is something that I think will work.”
    Taylor wasn’t just thinking of tipsy college students when she envisioned the restaurant.
    “There’s really no place in downtown Auburn for a Sunday breakfast with the family. We were trying to fill that void, so I came up with this idea,” Taylor said.
    The menu at the restaurant is currently growing and changing to fit the demands of business, but in its current incarnation it boasts some extravagant dishes.
    “The Golden Twinkies” is two frozen Twinkies tossed in a cinnamon based batter and then deep fried.
    The result is crispy and hot on the outside and cold and creamy on the inside.
    Taylor was also proud of the currently under wraps “Ill-Eagle,” a breakfast style deep dish cousin of a pizza. 
    The massive stack of hash browns, eggs, toast and cheese will serve 4, and Taylor suspects it will put a smile on the face of anyone who has spent some time at the bar.  The ‘Ill-Eagle’ will cost $16 and will only be available on the late night menu.
    Unlike fast food restaurants or coffee and bagel shops, 2 to Two will provide diners with unlimited breakfast options. 
    Taylor’s main concern is giving people more options when they wake up in the morning with their family.
    “What if you only want one pancake,” Taylor said. 
    “The restaurant is chef driven. Nothing comes out of a can here,” Taylor said. “You can get anything from just plain scrambled eggs to a deep fried Twinkie.”
    One reason for Taylor’s optimism about the restaurant lies in the kitchen.
    Chef Terry Taylor is a graduate of The College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University.
    The university’s alumni include legends like the Food Channel’s Emeril Lagasse and Tyler Florence.
    Chef Taylor brings immediate legitimacy to the restaurant, as well as being able to keep up with the bizarre culinary suggestions made by the owners and the manager.
    Jan Taylor admits that she and the owners served as much of the inspiration for the menu.
    Now that Taylor has done her part, all she can do is wait to see how diners respond.
    “It was really good,” said Hilary Serwan, a junior in microbiology. “We went to 17-16 on St. Patrick’s Day and then to the restaurant the next day. I thought it was going to be gross because it was in a bar, but it was amazing. I had a huge Belgian waffle with blueberries.  It was a great price too.”
    “The bar was fun, but everyone congregates around the center, so there’s a lot of empty space,” she said. “It had a warehouse feeling to it.”
    “They’re not going to charge a cover price though, so I think it would be a great pregame spot.”
    The 17-16 bar and 2 to Two restaurant is located on 156 Magnolia Ave.
    The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. till 2 p.m. Monday and 2 p.m. till 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
    The bar is open from 7 p.m. till 2 a.m. every day but Sunday.