Remember Belisle’s? Yes, I lived in L.A., but my best friend lived in O.C. I was working in one of the 12-storey buildings on City Pkwy W until 2003. I was bummed when Belisle’s closed.
I can’t think of breakfast eateries without thinking of Crazy Otto’s in Lancaster, CA. Originally, it was on Sierra Hwy, right next to the railroad tracks. When a train went by, the whole place shook. (Otto was told he was crazy to build a diner there.) The original diner had about a dozen seats at a counter. By the time I got there, there was an additional dining room. There was a ‘wheel of fortune’ made of a bicycle rim. When a train went by, the wheel would be spun. The seats at the counter, and (I think) four seats in the dining room, were numbered. If the wheel stopped on your seat, your breakfast was free. When I started going there with dad in the mid-'70s, I’d get ham & eggs – three eggs, half a bone-in ham steak, and a huge mound of hashbrowns, accompanies with two biscuits and gravy (with sausage, bacon, and ham). Eventually, the ham steak was reduced by half, and there were only two eggs. But it was still plenty of food. After the Northridge 'quake, Metro Line needed the land; so Crazy Otto’s original diner relocated to 20th St. W. and Ave. K. They opened another location at the former Golden Corral on Ave. I. I preferred the ‘K-20’ location. (It was also like half a mile from dad’s house.
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Up here in NW Washington, we seldom go out for breakfast. When we do, it’s often Little Cheerful. Around the corner is The Horseshoe Café, which has been in business for 140 years. I like it, but SWMBO got a cold breakfast there once, so we haven’t been back. (Actually, I met some friends there in June.
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When I moved up here in late-2003, and back in the '90s when I would visit, Arlis’s Restaurant was an incredible place to have breakfast. The food had a Crazy Otto’s vibe. Their choice of bread included pancakes. (i.e., White, wheat, sourdough, biscuit, pancakes.) We went there a few months ago and… Not as good as it was 20 years ago. I’m more forgiving than The Missus, but it just didn’t do it for me.
We like visiting lighthouses, and Admiralty Head and Fort Casey are a favourite ‘short’ trip. On those trips, we like to stop at Shawn O’Donnell’s at the Farmhouse on the way down. I try to stick to my diet, but I can’t resit the soda farl and house-made jam.
I think I have some black pudding in the freezer (maybe not). I know I have back bacon and bangers. Hm…