Unsanitized Breakfast

The slamized breakfast made famous by Denny's and adapted by chains everywhere is not the diner breakfast experience.

The hash browns are about the size of a silver dollar. The pancakes come for a plastic sack or worse a mix that bites your tongue while the preservatives so common in pancakes become part of the "flavor"component. Thus is the state of affairs of the Denny's. the IHOPs and around here the Perkos. Sure they are clean. The sizes are regulated. They might as well have run them through the banana smelling cleaning fluid they us to clean the bathrooms.

Then lets talk about price. A breakfast should cost not more than 6 bucks. I was watching the food channel... another form of domestic porn.. and they were highlighting a couple of pancakes with a little rocotta cheese in them and a handful of blueberries.. cost 13 dollars.

Try to get out of one of these chain places for under 10 dollars. I just won't happen. I know I could chock it up to inflation. And it does cost more to get the materials to the stores with the cost of fuel.. but 10 bucks for a mini portioned breakfast. Its no wonder that Subway is getting into the market.

Don't think you are getting away cheap if you get a pastry where you get your coffee. You will pay mightily for that privilege. My starbucks charges $1.65 for a single donut. Don't get stuck buying coffee and donuts for your office and not make the extra step to the donut shop. Donuts are 65 cents apiece there. That is pretty outrageous. Back in the day they were 15 cents each.

A couple of places I have discovered in the environs still produce a breakfast of thunderous proportions and charge around 5 to 6.50 per person. That means you can get of the place with change to tip the waitress for under a ten spot.

The Winton cafe in downtown Winton on Walnut is a discovery Linzi and I made. I couple of my friends were raving about it and we took the plunge since we were up their by our favorite strawberry stand. She had Denver omelette with the the pancake and I had the chicken fried steak with the biscuits.. would you like some gravy on that too? You betcha... no charge.
I had the home fries (option green peppers and onions) and she had the hash browns (size of two palms). Coffee kept a coming and was helped out by the owner/chef's 8 year old kids. The interior is nothing to write home about.. a couple of Rock and Roll 45s with photos around them. and you sit on sturdy folding chairs or the benches in the front. We snagged enough leftovers in the a white clam shell for mom to have a meal when we got home.

I little less opulent is the spot at the end of main with the pig in the front. Its been repainted a coke theme and the folks that left because of food handling are back. The old sinks are waiting to be hauled away in the parking lot. It continues to have the best biscuits and gravy short of my place in town. Prices are off of the chains and service is quick and attentive. Its the Barbecue Pit.
Of the two the trip to Winton (about 8 miles) is probably worth it. Both pull off an unsanitized portion control and breakfast the way it used to be and should continue to be.

: ) Pat