diner – Virgo in Wonderland

After staying in Sonoma for the weekend, we wanted something low key for breakfast before heading back out on the road. I had hoped to head to one of my favorite places in the area, Red Grape, but they weren’t open until 11:30. The Girl and the Fig was a little too fancy for what we were looking for. And the Black Bear Diner was a little too “chain restaurant.” I was hoping for something different.

We’d passed by The Fremont Diner on Highway 121, and after reading some rave reviews online, that’s where we headed.

It’s a dinky old shack basically, with signs for “Whole Hog” and “Fried Pies” on the exterior, which would obviously make me and the Hubby take notice given our affinity for all things meat. It’s a great place where you can stop in, order at the counter, and take a seat inside or out. But don’t let its modest surroundings fool you.

The details are everywhere if you look carefully, from the wildflowers on the table, the homemade jams and condiments for sale, to the mason jar water glasses.

This place is known for their meats and brisket is the thing to have here. So since it was breakfast, I got the Brisket Hash with carmelized onions, roasted potatoes and a perfectly runny fried egg on top.

Boy was I not only pleased with this dish, I was utterly floored! These guys (and gals) were churning out some gourmet dishes secretly back there! The hash was out of this world, peppery and smoky. The onions and sage created a wonderful base for the dish, and those potatoes were perfectly soft and delicious. The gravy from the hash made everything perfectly moist. There was so much detail and depth to the elements in this dish and it all blended together wonderfully.

My Hubby ordered the traditional egg breakfast, but it came with some fantastic homemade fennel sausage that was, again, out of this world. These people sure know their way around meat. And the side order of bacon we got for the toddler was also fantastic.

Top that off with some perfectly toasted artisan french bread, and we were totally amazed at the level of skill and detail that this kitchen was able to produce. I LOVE being surprised by a place and this was the best surprise surprise I’d eaten at in a very long time.

Taylor’s Refresher in St. Helena has been a Wine Country staple for years. It’s THE place to grab a stellar burger and shake, and more recently, their San Francisco location in the Ferry Building, as well.

Recently, they changed their name to “Gott’s Roadside Tray Gourmet.” Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Fortunately, the food hasn’t changed.

I visited the Ferry Building location for some greasy goodness and a side of fries. For whatever reason, I wasn’t in the mood for a cheeseburger. These days, I consider the In N Out Double Double the standard, so nothing’s been living up to it. Why disappoint myself?

I went for the Wisconsin Sourdough Burger, which had BBQ sauce, sauteed mushrooms, Wisconsin cheddar and bacon, all on toasty sourdough. No way I could pass that up! I decided to go for broke and add to that an order of Garlic Fries, too. Mmmmm, Garlic Fries…

And they didn’t disappoint! They were thin and perfectly crispy. And I love when they pile on the garlic and herbs. This was a total winner.

And the burger? Fortunately, it was no slouch either. I’m not usually a fan of bacon, but I left it on there. The combination of all those elements was total overkill but oh so good. I am a sucker for a burger on sourdough, and add to that mushrooms? I was in greasy, toasty, heart attack heaven.

My only complaint is that it’s a tad bit pricer than most casual burger joints. Again, I think I’m spoiled by the value that In N Out delivers. Other than that, if you’re in the city and are craving a casual burger on a nice warm day/night, you could do a LOT worse.

Tag: diner

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