While it’s been a while since we’ve updated this blog, it hasn’t been because we had given up our search for great breakfast. It’s been a while because we’ve been fairly busy testing out a spot two towns over. Not to spoil the rest of this post, but Don’s Diner happens to be the best breakfast we’ve had since moving back to the East Coast. It also just happens to rival the breakfast spot we had when living in El Segundo. The food is consistently great. The prices are reasonable. The waitstaff actually remembers you after a few visits. What’s not to like?
Late this summer, we took the wrong exit off the highway and ended up finding a different way to get to where we were going. Well, along the way, we passed by a dinner and decided to give it a shot the next weekend. When we showed up at Don’s, we were pleased by the authentic diner car experience. There are black and white photos everywhere depicting the move of the restaurant 40+ years ago and other vintage photographs of the area. The waitstaff was very friendly. The menu was varied, but not overwhelming.
I ordered the Spanish Omelet, homefries, white toast and a grilled bagel. I ordered the extra bagel as I don’t remember many other diners in the area having this on the menu. When I say this was almost a religious experience, I really mean it. The combination of crispy and chewy was perfect with just the right amount of grease from the grill. I’m not sure I could ever go back to another bagel now. The omelet was good, the salsa filling may have been a little too sweet for my taste, but I’ve had way worse. The key was that the egg was cooked well, which seems to be kind of an adventure at other diners in the area. The homefries were fresh and tasty. They aren’t the frozen nonsense you’ll find elsewhere. They had just the right amount of seasoning and were cooked well. The coffee was good and I could probably drink a whole pot and not mind the taste (another question mark for most other places in the area).
Kelli ordered eggs over medium and hashbrowns. Yes, real shredded homefries! When this plate was delivered, her eyes really lit up. While she’d prefer sliced potato homefries like she would get at our place on the West Coast, these definitely hit the spot. She had no complaints about how her eggs were cooked and was very happy overall with her breakfast. It was the best plate of breakfast that she has had in recent memory.
Well we were impressed enough that we went back again, ordered different food, liked it, went back again, ordered different food, liked it, etc. Everything we have ordered here has been very good. The cinnamon french toast, BLT, pumpkin pancakes, breakfast sandwhiches, and everything else sampled on the menu has been fantastic.
The cinnamon french toast has just the right amount of cinnamon and isn’t overwhelmed with an eggy taste. I have ordered this a few times and it’s simply delicious everytime.
Of note here, Kelli loves the homefries and may have converted to the dark side! The bacon on the BLT is always crispy.
It may not look like much, but this grilled bagel is one of my most favorite things every. Crispy on one side, chewy on the other, amazingness all around.
While it’s been noted before, it bears mentioning again that the waitstaff here is awesome. They are friendly and attentive. After a few visits, they remembered us. They would often ask how Kelli was feeling (which for as often as we go out to eat, not many others have even given notice to Kelli’s pregnancy). When we missed out on one Saturday, the waitresses assumed that she had given birth. Well, the next time we showed up, we had a new sidekick in tow!
Don’s is very accommodating to families, but isn’t a kid’s playground, so don’t be worried if you are kid averse. Saturdays tend to be a bit slower than Sundays for some reason, so if you want to give it a try I’d suggest you swing by then. Check it out if you want a nice, quiet breakfast. I promise you’ll be happy with the food, the check and the service. If we never found another diner around us, we wouldn’t be upset.
Even though Don’s is completely awesome, we’ll continue to try out new breakfast spots and update the blog. Now that I’m 3/4 done with the CPA exam, we should have a lot more time to check back in.
Check out Don’s website for some great photos and a partial menu!
