You know you’re in the right restaurant when you hear…

[Mosca]

About a year ago we lost our long time breakfast diner, Junie G’s Family Restaurant. A lot of us who live in small towns have a place like that, that we cherish; somewhere you can get bacon, eggs, and toast, but you could also get a Mediterranean frittata, or perfect crepes, or a Greek breakfast bowl, because Junie knows her sh— er, stuff.

There’s nowhere nearby (we could walk to Junie’s), but we found a place near where we get both our cars serviced, Tammy’s Kitchen. Sign on the wall: “Butter makes everything better.” And Tammy knows her stuff too. As we were eating breakfast this morning, she said to the couple seated across from us….

”I just made pistachio cream pies, I could stuff that in a waffle for you if you want.”

(STEbbq )

Yeah, we’re home.

[texastweeter]

Mama's here in Tyler is like that when it come to breakfast.

[STEbbq]

I like the fact that waffles are attached to my brand now. Plus, I like the idea of that lemon blueberry waffle. And it reminded me that maybe I need to try out a key lime waffle.

The place looks legit though. We have a place maybe 20 minutes away that does a great breakfast. I agree those are local treasures!

[Bob K]

Trying to decide what says "Pennsylvania" louder: pierogis or scrapple. Probably pierogis as scrapple can also be found in the wild in parts of NJ. But an open question for sure.

edit to say: to be clear, I'm a fan of both

[mrichie1229]

Scrapple? Please explain. I have never heard of it.

[Mosca]

Scrapple is made of “everything but the oink” from a pig. The scraps. It’s mixed with corn meal and spices, usually pepper, sage, etc.. It’s cooked, poured into a loaf pan, and allowed to cool; then it’s sliced and fried. It’s highly variable; it can taste like anything from liverwurst to breakfast sausage, depending on who’s making it. If you’ve had goetta, it’s pretty similar.

[Donw]

Very popular in Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland too. Bridgeville DE has an annual scrapple festival : The Apple-Scrapple festival.

[tstalafuse]

Honestly, the way I know I am in the right place is when I ask for ice tea and it comes out sweet, or I order the chicken fried steak and it comes with cream gravy...

[Bkhuna]

Our corner of the Florida has been overrun by such a massive amount of the great unwashed northern immigrant, that you have to specify sweet or unsweet and if you ask for Chicken Fried Steak, that ask if you meant fried chicken or "country" fried steak. What the heck is "country" fried steak?

[Mosca]

Trying to decide what says "Pennsylvania" louder: pierogis or scrapple. Probably pierogis as scrapple can also be found in the wild in parts of NJ. But an open question for sure.

edit to say: to be clear, I'm a fan of both

LOL… from her FB page:

[Oak Smoke]

What ever that is with the bananas looks life changing, for the better!

[Mosca]

Stuffed Bananas Foster French Toast. But they don’t light it on fire in front of you!

[hoovarmin]

Looks like you stumbled into a gold mine finding Tammy's. We had a place at the Beach called "The Rite Spot" that was like the one you lost. Every table filled whenever they were opened, and one day they just called it quits and broke our hearts. So I feel your pain on that one.

[Mosca]

And it’s not just the food, right? It’s the feel, too. We tried the White Haven Diner, which is an actual converted rail car where the food is plentiful and excellent. But it just felt cold, like everyone working there was too tired to care.

[hoovarmin]

Definitely the feel also. Rite Spot felt like a family gathering every time you ate there.

[STEbbq]

We had a local breakfast place called Ari’s. It was a local legend. Always packed. Huge portions for very reasonable prices. It was the only place where Ari (he must have had a legendary memory) would greet us by name, ask after the kids using their names if they were not with us, and deliver a wonderful experience every time. We’d actually order 2 meals each (one to go) sometimes so we’d have leftovers the next day. For breakfast food, it was amazing even reheated. Obviously, 99% of the time, eggs and such don’t taste great so I have no idea what magic he did but it was delicious.

I’d usually get this huge sandwich with egg, bacon, sausage, cheese, onions, mayo-pesto, tomato, on perfectly toasted bread.

As I understand it, he had a heart attack, and had to slow down. He eventually sold the business and presumably retired because we have never seen him since. The first restaurant in his old place was an awful pizza joint that closed after a few years but the new owners have brought back a breakfast place. It is supposed to be really good so Amanda and I will need to check it out. Amanda went once and liked it, and the waitress actually already knew the story of Ari and mentioned that “yeah, we are not his restaurant but we know about him”. What a legend.

I went and found the menu even though it closed in 2019 because it was one of the best breakfast menus ever.

[STEbbq]

I bet you will find some good breakfast ideas on that menu. Lots of combinations I have never seen anywhere.

[Mosca]

We think alike, I was looking at that! I like the hangover sandwich.

[STEbbq]

It is a great sandwich. We must use high quality thick bread to hold it all together though!

[acorgihouse]

This brings back some fond memories of the Mountaineer Diner, in Church Hill, TN. I grew up nearby, and lived there several decades as an adult. I worked night shifts routinely, so this was my go-to for breakfast on the way home. Sadly, people who live nearby tell me it closed few years ago, news reports were that it "didn't keep up with the younger generation," and there is now a ?Walgreens on that corner of 11-W. It had a shelf, at the cashier station, where locals kept their hot sauces and favorite seasonings. I remember one, of a local old doc who I knew, that had tape on it labeling it "Dr. Roger's salt."
I could go in there, by myself, tired in scrubs from the night, and whichever waitress would ask "you want your usual cheese omelet and bacon, with tomato juice?" I could just grunt, and here came my food. Not sure how accurate my sentimental memory is, but seemed like it was about $3, and I tipped waitstaff same. A bargain, even then, and "country eggs."

[yakima]

Re personal condiment shelf. Up into the 70's, a Thedford, NE cafe had counter checks for banks 65+ miles away. Pick your bank, use a check to pay.

[STEbbq]

yakima I totally forgot but you reminded me. Ari’s would have receipts stuck to a pinboard next to the entrance. Anyone could take the receipt (paid for by customers) and get a free meal.

[Mosca]

STEbbq Abe's Hot Dogs does that here. You can add a few dogs for someone, or grab one if you're broke.

[smokenoob]

No such luck in my town….😟

[Bkhuna]

The Waffle House next to the Naval Support Facility, Panama Beach, slings a great breakfast. Better than most diners in the Panhandle. Funny things is, so does the one across the bay from Tyndall Air Force Base.

[smokenoob]

Bkhuna Waffle Houses are very popular here!

[Purc]

Bkhuna and smokenoob Speaking of the Waffle House. Here is my DIL doing a short YouTube video for Waffle House's Burt's Chili. I love a Waffle House breakfast. My DIL did marketing for Waffle House.

BERT.wmv (youtube.com)

BTW, last year my son's fantasy football league last place prize was 24 continuous hours in the local Waffle House. The last place prize winner received 1 hour credit for each waffle eaten by him or by a friend during the continuous 24 hour time period. He spent 10 hours there. The local WH staff thought it was a great idea.

[smokenoob]

did I see beans in Bert’s chili? 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱🫣

[Purc]

Yes, it's the South and WH HQ is Atlanta.

[Mosca]

Haha, love the video!