Tag Archives: breakfast

Mel’s Diner (San Francisco)

February 17, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments
Mel’s Diner (San Francisco)

While in San Francisco, I knew I wanted to go to another diner. I hadn’t picked any out, but a quick google search led me to Mel’s Diner. There are a few locations in the Bay area, but the location on Lombard street seemed like our best bet.

When we arrived for breakfast, it wasn’t too crowded. Getting through San Francisco traffic is another story, but the diner itself was quiet.

Atmosphere: A
Mel’s Diner and Drive in the sticks out like in San Francisco. You can’t miss the shiny, chrome, exterior, and the large Mel’s sign.  The inside is just as retro, and you feel like you’re in a flashback.  There are big metal booths, shiny bars, and tables, and you can see the kitchen.

Mel's Diner and Drive In San Francisco

Coffee: A
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh, and there were plenty of refills.  I appreciated everyone from the waitress, to the manager, and other wait staff came around each table to bring coffee refills.

Mel's Diner and Drive In San Francisco

Food: A
Mel’s Diner and Drive-in has all of the diner favorites. There are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. They are well known for their chicken.  I decided to order the chicken and waffles. After living in Alabama two years ago, and going to John’s City Diner, I’ve been looking for good chicken and waffles.

Mel's Diner and Drive In San Francisco

These were delicious.  The chicken was crispy without being overdone, and the waffle was nice and crisp without being burnt. Burnt waffles and soggy waffles are my least favorite.

Service: A
Our waitress was friendly and brought plenty of refills, and the food came out quickly. I couldn’t have asked for better service.

Cost: $
For my meal and coffee, it was $18.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I liked Mel’s Diner and Drive-In, and if I’m ever in the area again, I’ll be back.

You Can See All Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
Have you had chicken and waffles before?
What is your favorite diner in your area?

 

Collagen Waffle Recipe

February 8, 2019 By in Breakfast, Recipe, vital proteins Tags: , , , , , , , 23 Comments

As most readers know, I’ve been a Vital Proteins Ambassador for just over a year now. Last month, I posted about the results I’ve seen in my own personal life.  I’ve also posted about my hair, skin, and nails as well.

There are some days that I’m lazy and don’t want to cook a fancy meal for dinner. Maybe I’m cooking for one, maybe I’m exhausted from work, or maybe I just want breakfast for dinner.

What the case is, I’ve found an easy way to sneak collagen into waffles. I haven’t tried adding collagen in a waffle for breakfast. I think it would be fine but I’ve had good luck with having the same waffle and peanut butter for years before running (or anything), so why change now.

If you’re looking for an easy waffle recipe and to get collagen to try this.  I’m not foodie, but I’ve been to enough diners to know I like a crisper versus soggy waffle.

Collagen Waffle Recipe:

1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
2 scoops Unflavored Collagen PeptidesVital proteins hot cocoa collagen

Directions:

  1. Preheat waffle iron.
  2. Add egg and milk in bowl and mix together.
  3. Then add flour, oil, sugar, baking powder, and collagen powder.
  4. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray and pour mix.

How easy is that?  I topped mine with syrup, but there are so many options from peanut butter to yogurt, to fruit.

One of my goals in 2019 is trying to add it to various baked goods and breakfast items.

Questions for you:

What is your favorite breakfast? 

Have you tried collagen into any recipes? 

Busy Bee Cafe (Ventura, CA)

February 3, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , ,
Busy Bee Cafe (Ventura, CA)

While on the 8-hour drive from Carlsbad to San Fransico, we decided to stop at the Busy Bee Cafe in Downtown Ventura.  By the name, you obviously think, cafe, not a diner.  But instead, it’s one of the most decorated diners out there.  If there is anything I learned while going to diners in California, is the decorations and atmosphere is usually at the top.

Busy bee cafe ventura california

Atmosphere: A
The Busy Bee Cafe is located in downtown Ventura.  The walkable downtown is beautiful with plenty of parking. The outside appears to be a little cafe with a retro “time to eat” clock at the top.

Busy bee cafe ventura california

The inside is as retro as it gets.  There is a full-length bar, tables, and booths.  Everything is chrome with red booths, coat racks, and vintage signs all across the restaurant.

Coffee: A
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh, and the waitress refilled it multiple times. I have no complaints. One unique addition was the multiple coffee mate creamers at the table. There were several single-serve flavors including Irish cream french vanilla.

Busy bee cafe ventura california

Food: A
The Busy Bee Cafe serves everything at all times. If you want pork chops at 6 am…go for it.  Breakfast for lunch?  Go for it.  There are plenty of blue plate specials as well.  I decided to order the farmers omelet with their famous biscuit and gravy.  Growing up, I loved good biscuits and gravy.  It was my favorite!

Busy bee cafe ventura california

Without reading the menu, I would expect the Farmers Omelet to have every vegetable imaginable. The Famers omelet actually had all of the proteins available!  It was cooked well.

Busy bee cafe ventura california

The biscuit and gravy were perfect. They serve the gravy on the side so you can top as much as you would like.  For me, that was all of it.

Service: A
We saw many of the wait staff including the manager. The employees worked as a team which was cool. The food came out quickly, and I have no complaints.

Cost: $
For my meal and coffee, the cost was $13.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I liked the Busy Bee Cafe, and it’s a great stop along 101.  If I’m in the area again, I would definitely go back.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: A
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $10-15

Overall: A

You Can See All Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
What is your favorite type of omelet?
Do you have a downtown where you live?

 

The Pit Stop Diner (Oceanside, CA)

January 27, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , ,
The Pit Stop Diner (Oceanside, CA)

While in California, I knew I wanted to get to a new diner. I’ve already been to both the Studio Diner as well as my very first diner ever: The Corvette Diner (I was born in San Diego, and my dad would always take us there).  Anyway!

We weren’t going as south as San Diego, so it made it fairly easy to find a new diner.  I found the Pit Stop Diner in Oceanside.

Pit Stop Diner Oceanside California

Atmosphere: A
On the outside, the Pit Stop Diner appears to be a “regular” nice restaurant.  It’s clean, modern, and fits the look of the plaza.

Pit Stop Diner Oceanside California

On the inside, however, it’s more diner than you know how to get ahold of?  (After over 300 diner visits, I guess I can use diner as a verb?). The Pit Stop Diner has every license plate, car part, and even a full car inside. Of any inside, it’s definitely one of my favorite atmospheres.

Service: A
Instead of being seated and picking from a menu at your seat, you stand at the front, order, and go sit down. I’ve actually never been to a diner like this, and it was a great experience. The hostess/cashier was friendly and funny, and the food came out quickly.

Coffee: B
Since you ordered at the front, the Pit Stop Diner gave you your own refillable cup to the coffee. They actually didn’t have whipped cream, but the fact I could refill my coffee at my choosing and with a large to go cup), was a huge perk for me.

Pit Stop Diner Oceanside California

Food:
The Pit Stop Diner has every type of food you can imagine.  One thing I appreciated was breakfast and lunch all day.  If you want a huge burger at 8 is, go for it!  Omelet for dinner, go for it!

Pit Stop Diner Oceanside California

I decided to order the Steak and Eggs. It came with toast, steak, and eggs. I ordered over medium eggs.  My meal was huge, and everything was cooked well.  It’s one of the better steak and eggs I’ve had in a while.  I would order it again.

Cost: $
For my meal and coffee, the cost was $18.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?
I liked the Pit Stop Diner, and it’s one of the better diners I’ve been too overall. I would go back.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $8-15
Overall: A

You Can See All Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
What is the best atmosphere of a restaurant you’ve been too?
Favorite state license plate?

After staring at 10,000 during my meal, I’ve come to terms I like the simplicity of Texas, Hawaii, and NYS (Yes, I know most people hate New York…most people hate my fashion too 😉

 

John and Elaines Restaurant (Point Pleasant)

January 26, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment
John and Elaines Restaurant (Point Pleasant)

Recently I was in Point Pleasant and met up with Cyd, from NJ Isn’t Boring to go to a diner. We attempted to go to John and Elaine’s Restaurant a while ago, but we couldn’t find it. This time, we were able to find it. Point Pleasant is somewhat confusing for those not from the area and has a lot of one-way roads.

John and Elaines Diner Point Pleasant

Anyway, we arrived around lunchtime, and it wasn’t too crowded. There is both a seating area and a bigger, fancier, dining room.

Atmosphere: A
John and Elain’s Restaurant reminds me of an old dive seafood restaurant. It has plastic fish, and photos plastered all over a wooden wall. It’s cute, and a fun stop, but it’s not a big, metallic shiny diner you would picture.

John and Elaines Diner Point Pleasant

The dining room appeared to be fancy.

John and Elaines Diner Point Pleasant

Coffee: B
I liked the coffee, but I needed more. I felt as though I had to beg the waitress for refills. Other then that, it was fine. Nothing of note.

John and Elaines Diner Point Pleasant

Food: B
The menu at John and Elaine’s is much smaller than the average diner menu. In fact, for breakfast and lunch, it’s only a single page front and back.  I decided to order the veggie omelet with a cup of the split pea (I can never say no to split pea).

John and Elaines Diner Point Pleasant

The split pea was ham based and was good. It was hot, which I can always use.

The omelet was somewhat overcooked. It was visible from the hashbrowns and toast, that were both burned.  The food was good, and minus the overcooking, it was fine.  The omelet had a mixed medley of vegetables which included mushrooms and tomatoes, plus a lot of cheese.  Both the hashbrowns and toast were overcooked and somewhat burnt, so they weren’t my favorite.

John and Elaines Diner Point Pleasant

Service: B
The waitress was nice but appeared if she was having a rough day. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it didn’t seem like she was thrilled to be there.  Our food came out quickly, and other than that, it was good.

Cost: $
For my soup, omelet, and coffee the cost was $17.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?
I liked John and Elaine’s, and it was a good stop for breakfast. It wasn’t my least or favorite, and somewhere right in the middle.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: B
Service: B
Cost: $8-17
Overall: B

You Can See All 227 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
What is your favorite type of omelet? 
What is your favorite breakfast food? 

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