New Village Cafe Breakfast - San Francisco

The New Village Cafe located in San Francisco is a quaint little cafe that has a good breakfast at reasonable rates. I always ask the locals where the best places to eat are. Several nice folks directed me to this cafe.

We walked into the cafe and noticed it wasn't crowded and had the look and fell of an old 1950's diner making me wonder about the name, New Village Cafe. Anyway, reports were positive about the joint so we took a table and our waiter came over.

He was a Chinese man and apparently was the only waiter in the joint. He was hustling all over the cafe. he was very efficient. A few minutes passed and he was at our table to take our orders. 

The cafe breakfast was scrambled eggs, hash browns, and sausage links plus some white toast with butter and jelly. All for around $5 dollars. As we waited for our order, I noticed his wife was the cook and popped her head outside the kitchen from time to time. The cafe was a two person operation.

The eggs were good, standard fare, well cooked. The hash browns were well cooked, not greasy, and tasted good. The sausage again was well cooked, and was standard fair. All in all, excellent service, good food all at an affordable price. The locals were correct, The New Village Cafe was a good place for breakfast.

Oh yes, don't want to forget about the toast, well toasted, warm, not soggy, and plenty of butter and jelly.

The Grassy Knoll Institute scores 4.25 out of 5 shots and recommends New Village Cafe for breakfast.

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Star Bagel - San Francisco Breakfast Sandwich

Star Bagel Menu

 The last time we were in San Francisco, we stopped for breakfast at Star Bagel, located at 1475 Polk Street, (Between Pine St & California St) San Francisco, CA 94109 in the Nob Hill area. Star bagel was a short walk from our hotel. We stepped in and bellied up to the counter. I ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese toasted bagel.

Egg Bacon And Cheese Bagel

The counter guy took to task and began to cook our eggs and bacon on his grill. he cut our bagels and toasted them. In less than five minutes, our order was up.

As you can see, this was a big bagel with plenty of filling. I estimated three scrambled eggs were used for my bagel. They were cooked perfectly. On the bottom was 4 crispy pieces of bacon, well cooked, and delicious. A piece of cheese surrounded by a buttered toasted bagel completed the ensemble. The taste was very good.

The bagel was $2.25 plus added bacon and cheese totaling $4 dollars. There was not a lot of places to sit, and it wasn't the absolute cleanest places, but the bagel was fresh, well cooked and tasted good.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 3.5 out of 5 shots and recommends Star Bagel of San Francisco for breakfast.

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Pizza Joe's - Breakfast Pizza

A Breakfast Pizza 

Usually when I think of pizza, it's for lunch or dinner. When Mike, Rocket Scientist #9 told me about Pizza Joe's breakfast pizza, I had to try it.

As you can see, it is a traditional round pizza, 12 inch size, with regular crust. Instead of pizza sauce and traditional toppings, the breakfast pizza was topped with scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese.

The pizza was in a traditional box (The word traditional was on sale today so I bought it in surplus) and cut in a traditional 8 slice. And of course the pizza was traditionally hot.

The crust was crunchy, not soggy, and the toppings well cooked. I was a little skeptical at first about the taste, but it was very good. It was like a breakfast omelette without the grease smell or taste or sogginess.

The cost was $8 which was a dollar a slice which was very reasonable. With McDonald's bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit costing around $2 dollars, the pizza was a bargain.

The Grassy Knoll Diner awards 4 out of 5 shots and recommends Pizza Joe's breakfast pizza.

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Bob Evans - Bacon Omelette - Take Out

Got To Break A Few Eggs

Sunday morning, the Lead Scientist of the Grassy Knoll Institute surprised us with breakfast take out from the local Bob Evans restaurant in Boardman, Ohio.

My order was a Bacon omelette ala carte. No hash browns, or toast, just the omelette.
The omelette was quite large, cooked well, with plenty of bacon sprinkled on the outside and plenty inside. It was topped with a light coating of cheese.

The take out container was a little above standard fare, a sturdy plastic container that didn't smash the food beyond recognition.
The omelette was hot, fresh, and with a little pepper for flavoring was very good tasting.

The Grassy Knoll Diner awards 4 out of 5 shots and recommends Bob Evans for breakfast.

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Harrah's Cafe - Breakfast Platter

Harrash' Casino Big Breakfast

Harrah's Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas has plenty of gaming area but when you are hungry, where are you going to eat? One option is Harrah's Cafe. Our flight arrived late and we checked in late and I was very hungry. (They don't feed you on the plane) After we checked in and settled into our room, we went down to the Cafe. The cafe was busy but not packed. We waited a few minutes in line and then were seated.

Being that it was late, I asked if breakfast was available. It was. Breakfast is always available in the Cafe. Delighted in this knowledge, I ordered the sausage, egg, and home fries platter. Toast and jam came with the order.

The eggs were cooked OK, not runny, not burnt, the sausage links were well cooked, and the home fries were well cooked. All in all, a good breakfast. Throw in the toast and jam and it was a great dinner, err, breakfast.

The service was good, the food good, and the price was nice, under $15 dollars not including orange juice and tip. 

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 3.75 out of 5 shots and recommends Harrah's Cafe for breakfast and dinner.

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Crepe Cafe - San Francisco Pier 39

Crepe Cafe - Pier 39 San Francisco

Patty and I visited San Francisco recently and of course we made our way to Pier 39 to spend the day. Pier 39 has a carnival setting and atmosphere with plenty of shops, side shows, open performance stage, plenty of food vendors, and of course the sea lions sunning themselves on the pier.

Having the inkling to sample the local cuisine, we stopped at the Crepe Cafe for what else, some crepes. For several minutes we watched from outside the big picture window as the chef rolled the dough and thinned it out and placed it on the griddle to cook. It was entertaining and we went in to buy some.

Strawberry Crepe Breakfast

I decided on the breakfast crepe with strawberries for a filing with whipped cream and of course a generous portion of powdered sugar. In just a few minutes my order was up and my crepe was on a paper plate with a fork and handed to me. A bottle of Coke Zero completed the order.

Believe it or not, I have never had a crepe in my life so I did not have a base line to compare. The crepe looked good, and it was fresh, and I like strawberries, and whipped cream, and powdered sugar, so this was going to be a good thing. Right!

Well, it wasn’t bad, and it wasn’t good. It was bland. But maybe that is what crepes are supposed to taste. I was expecting a pancake with strawberries. After all, that is what a crepe is. A French pancake.

The batter didn’t have any taste, it was like I was eating air. The strawberries, cream, and sugar were adequate, but I was a little disappointed. The cost, well, I forget, but I think it was under $5 dollars. Being in San Francisco, in the middle of a tourist trap, $5 dollars was standard fare. I am not going to score against this dish for lack of a base line so I will just barely recommend the Crepe Cafe.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 2.5 out of 5 shots and barely recommends the Crepe Cafe of San Francisco for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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Dunkin Donuts – Sausage Egg And Cheese Wrap

Dunkin Donuts Breakfast Wrap

I remember when Dunkin Donuts only sold coffee and donuts. That was a long time ago. Today, they have at least 50 different coffee flavors but more importantly, they have these new fangled breakfast wraps.

As I was getting a coffee for Patty, I spied the wraps. I had to have one. I ordered the sausage, egg, and cheese wrap. The counter girl sprang into action, taking out a frozen round egg patty and sausage patty and a slice of cheese plus the wrap. All went into an over, (I suspected it was a microwave oven) and it cooked for less than a minute.

As she pulled out the tray, I asked what kind of oven it was. She said it wasn’t a microwave but some sort of high-speed hot air oven such and such. Anyway, she wrapped it up and bagged it for me.

As you can see, the wrap is not really a wrap, but sort of a small soft taco. The cost was proportional, at $1.29 for what you see. Of course it was hot, the cheese melted, the sausage and egg hot and the taste was good. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4 out of 5 shots and recommends Dunkin Donut breakfast wraps for breakfast or a snack.                 

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Chick-Fil-A Chicken Breakfast Biscuit

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Breakfast Biscuit

My son Patrick found out that if you go to Chick-Fil-A drive through in the late morning and order from the lunch menu, you may just receive a little extra with your order. Today was no different.

Inside the take out bag, was a foil wrapped sandwich marked ‘Free Sample’ that contained a breakfast chicken biscuit. This was a no frills biscuit with a piece of breaded fried chicken in between.

Surprisingly, it tasted pretty damn good. The biscuit was fresh and the chicken well cooked and juicy and hot. The cost, well, it was free. Apparently, a few minutes before the restaurant switches gears and goes from breakfast to lunch, whatever breakfast items they have left are given away to the lucky patrons ordering at the right time.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 5 out of 5 shots and recommends Chic-Fil-A chicken biscuits for breakfast.                  

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Red, White, Blue, And Chocolate Donut

Dunkin Donuts Patriotic Donut

Yesterday morning I awoke and was greeted to a tasty treat. A chocolate frosted cake donut from Dunkin Donuts. For the Fourth Of July, red, white, and blue sprinkles and stars were added for the festive day it was about to become. It would be the start of a great day.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 5 out of 5 shots and recommends Patriotic donuts from Dunkin Donuts for breakfast.

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Madsen Donuts – Geneva On The Lake

Madsen Donuts

Madsen Donuts: Iconic shop on the strip located at Geneva On the Lake, Ohio. The donut shop has been opened since 1938 serving fresh good tasting donuts and pastries daily. As you can see, the donuts come in a standard cardboard box sized to accommodate a dozen donuts.

Madsen Dozen Donuts

 After a long day of fun and relaxation at Geneva On The Lake, it was time to return to reality. Before we began our journey home to Youngstown, Patty bought an assorted dozen donuts from Madsen Donuts to bring home. Of course, I had the cake donut with the chocolate frosting. Of course the donut was fresh and delicious. It was so good, I had to have another.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4.5 out of 5 shots and recommends Madsen Donuts for dinner.

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Caribe Cafe - Mirage Hotel -Breakfast Platter

Caribe Cafe - Breakfast

I will be heading out to the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in a few days for some business. Of course I will be having breakfast at the Caribe Cafe. The above breakfast was from a recent visit there.

If you arrive early, meaning before 8am, there is never a line. We waited just five minutes and were escorted to our table. We knew what we wanted and ordered the American breakfast. I added a glass of orange juice.

In less than ten minutes my breakfast arrived at our table. As you can see, I ordered scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. The eggs were cooked very well, and plentiful. The bacon was crisp with many pieces. And the hash browns were hot and not soggy. All in all the breakfast was very good and filling.

The cost was $15 dollars without tip which for Las Vegas was in tune, a little high, but in tune.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 3.5 out of 5 shots and recommends the Mirage Caribe Cafe for breakfast.

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1. 
   

   Jack Sparrow said

   March 30, 2009 at 7:24 am e
   Aye, beats rotten green eggs fo sure.
   Reply
2. 
   

   Eddy said

   March 30, 2009 at 8:38 am e
   Thats a lot of food for Vegas. What is that like 8 pieces of bacon. was that buffet style.
   Reply
3. 
   

   Eddy said

   March 30, 2009 at 1:20 pm e
   What, no pancakes? You’re slacking my friend.
   Reply
4. 
   

   Gumby said

   March 30, 2009 at 1:23 pm e
   That is a lot of chow, that looks like four or five eggs, and a brick of hash browns. Pretty good for sin city.
   Reply
5. 
   

   Bitzky said

   March 30, 2009 at 2:55 pm e
   Oh so that’s called an American breakfast? Each country seems to have his own. Good to know for my next visit 
   Reply
6. 
   

Waffles For Breakfast - Philadelphia Style

Liberty Bell Waffles

In August, we spent a couple of days in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We stayed at the Downtown Philadelphia Marriott hotel. we had a very busy evening seeing the sites of the city and turned in for bed late. The next morning, we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant. (Mistake!)

We were seated quickly and soon the waitress took our order. I ordered a waffle with maple syrup and turkey sausages. After about 10 minutes wait, my waffle arrived, and as you can see, was as big as the plate. And being in Philly, it had the Liberty Bell icon embedded in the waffle. A nice touch.

The waffle was as waffles go, but it was good, cooked well, and filling. The turkey sausage was surprisingly good as well.

The cost however was where the good feelings ended. What you see here, a waffle, and several links of turkey sausage,  cost 18 bucks. Even for Manhattan, 18 bucks would be extremely high.

For the cost reason alone, the Grassy Knoll Institute does not recommend the downtown Philadelphia Marriott hotel restaurant for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and awards 1.5 shots out of 5.

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Terrace Cafe - Las Vegas

Terrace Cafe, Treasure Island Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada (CLOSED)

During my several trips each year to the ever changing Las Vegas, I sometimes stop for breakfast. The now closed Terrace Cafe offered a really good breakfast. (When Treasure Island switched over to TI, the name of the restaurant changed)

I ordered the big breakfast as I had a show to set up and would not be eating again until late in the evening. Of course, there was bacon, cooked and crispy, sausage, spicy just enough, two scrambled eggs, not runny or burnt, hash browns, browned and cooked very nicely, three buttermilk fluffy pancakes with maple syrup, and a slice of cantaloupe. And of course fresh and cold orange juice.The service was quite fast, courteous and the order was correct. And the food was hot. Silverware was clean. All for about 10 bucks which wasn't bad.

If the Terrace were still in business, the Grassy Knoll Institute would recommend it for breakfast with an award of 4.25 out of 5 shots.

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Parkway Pancake House - Gatlinburg

The Hash Browns Are To Die For

Parkway Pancake House is right on the main drag and Airport road in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We make sure to always stop and have breakfast when visiting this great town.

As you can see, I had scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes and hash browns. Hot maple syrup and butter completed the meal. The eggs were cooked well, not runny, not burnt. The sausage was cooked well also. And oh, the hash browns, cooked perfectly. To the pancakes. Light, fluffy, with butter and hot maple syrup were fantastic.

The service was excellent. We were seated right away even though there was a crowd. The waitresses were friendly, well trained, and curteous.

The cost, I was amazed, it was under $9.00 without tip. Keep in mind, we were in tourist trap city and all the prices are higher.

The Grassy Knoll Institute recommends Parkway Pancake House and rates it 4.25 shots out of 5.

Sadly, the Parkway Pancake House is closed. It is now Bubba Gumps.

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Burger King Big Enormous

I saw the commercials. Burger King has a new enormous breakfast sandwich. So, I tried it this morning.
The price was $2.85 so I was expecting a rather large sandwich. The bun was soggy. The bacon was cold and not fully cooked. The sausage was cut in two pieces making it appear to look larger than it really was and it was a little dry. The scrambled eggs were OK but overpowering. The cheese was melted but not centered on the sandwich and dripped onto the wrapper.

The Grassy Knoll Institute does not recommend the Burger King BK Enormous sandwich rating it only 2 out of 5 shots.

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Popeyes Fried Chicken

Popeyes Fried Chicken

Stopping on a whim at Popeye's Chicken, the money behind the Grassy Knoll Institute AKA my loving wife Patty, we ordered the 8 piece meal which included mashed potato's with gravy and rolls.

The service wasn't to bad, the waitress was a little ditzy but able enough. We had about a five minute wait for our order.

The chicken was hot and crunchy, and that's all the good I can say about it. The taste was pretty bad. It looked good, but was far from it. It was very greasy, almost soaking with oil, and the batter breading was bland, and the chicken was bruised. it was barely edible.

The mashed potato's were horrible. There was some sort of Cajun mustard gravy on them, (No, you could not order the potato's without gravy which signaled that they were pre-made and frozen and thawed out in the microwave for us customers) And they were processed potato's, and tasted chalky, even with the ultra spicy gravy.

The rolls were not much better. They were stale, and crunchy, which I don't think rolls are supposed to be. They were so stale that they actually crumbled in my hand while trying to eat it.

The cost was $18.00 which was pretty steep considering the food was poorly prepared and tasted terrible.

The Grassy Knoll Institute rates Popeye's Chicken one half shot out of 5 and does not recommend this establishment for dinner.

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Dunkin Donuts - Assorted Dozen

Bakers Dozen 

Location: Dunkin Donuts, 6015 Market St, Youngstown, Ohio (330) 758-7175
The Order: Several dozen assorted donuts.
The Service: Picked up by one of the many minions of the Grassy Knoll Institute corporate offices.
The Taste: Very fresh. Very good. Even several bagels were present.Cake donut with chocolate frosting was my choice.
Presentation: Semi sturdy colorful Dunkin Donut logo box.
The Value: About 60 cents per donut. Not bad.

The Rating: 3 out of 5 shots. Grassy Knoll Diner recommends Dunkin Donuts.

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Plaza Donuts - Assorted Dozen

Plaza Donuts Boardman Ohio

Location: 3383 Canfield Rd – (330) 799-6166
The order: A dozen donuts.
The Service: Walk in service. Fresh donuts were just being put out.
The Taste: Fantastic. The best ones are the cake donut with chocolate frosting. The donuts were fresh, almost still warm, and they smelled delicious. And they were.
Presentation: Standard cardboard box with logo on outside.
The Value: $4.59 for a dozen. Pretty good deal.

The Rating: 4.25 out of 5 shots. Grassy Knoll Diner recommends Plaza Donuts.

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McDonalds Breakfast Sandwich

McDonalds Sausage Egg And Cheese Biscuit

Location: Market Street, Youngstown, Ohio The Order:. Two sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwiches and an order of hash browns. The Service: Drive through window. Very efficient, courteous, prompt, and accurate. The Taste: Very tasty. The biscuits were hot, fresh, the eggs not runny, the cheese melted, and the sausage cooked. The hash browns were not as greasy as they looked. Presentation: Standard white take out sack with each item individually wrapped. Napkins and utensils were supplied as well as salt, pepper, jam, and ketchup. They even told me to have a nice day. The Value: Just over 4 bucks, it was no value meal, but very filling and worth the price.

 The Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. Grassy Knoll Diner recommends McDonalds for breakfast.

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