January 21, 2016

Random Thought for Thursday 1/21/16

[My new series for 2016 continues ... with the SECOND of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Andrews Diner
Location:  barely in Wilton Manors (just over the river which serves as the border) on Andrews Ave
Meal:  Brunch
Drink:  Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream
Appetizer:  not applicable
Main:  Andrews Big 3 (3 pancakes, 3 eggs and 3 meats)
Side(s):  Whole wheat toast
Dessert:  not applicable
Server:  Denise

Lately, this place has been in the news for all the right reasons, because it's going to be featured on the Feb 5th edition of American Diner Revival on the Food Network.  With company in town and a day off from work, it was the perfect opportunity to finally stop by a diner we've driven past over and over again to get a sneak peek at what was done.  (Part of the reason we've driven past over and over again without stopping is that they have very limited hours of operation [being open for diner dinner only two nights a week], so they are almost always closed when we drive by.)  It remains to be seen whether our waitress Denise will soon be a TV star or will be left on the cutting room floor (ask her about it), but, in the family owned diner category, it was the right fit for brunch before a trip to the county fair later that day.  And speaking of family owned, my only regret is that we didn't get the owner to explain the assorted photos and stuffed animals at the register ... as I'm certain that they each had special significance to the family.

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (point lost for limited hours of operation ... but other than that, it had just been "revived", so there's that AND we got the second best seat in the house [a booth in the corner where we could observe everything, bested only by a VIP section behind the check out station!)
FOOD:            7/10 (although I thought mine was just fine for diner food and had no complaints, there were those at our table who thought the hashbrowns they ordered could have been crispier and/or better seasoned -- but on a positive side, the omelets made with three extra large eggs they ordered were quite good and the perfect size)
SERVICE:      9/10 (super fast and super friendly and quick to tell a story, but point lost for "hovering" busboys, including one who almost cleared my plate when I still had a piece of bacon on it!)
BACON:         5/10 (yes it was on the menu in multiple places, but the waitress asked me whether I wanted "sausage or bacon" when the answer is clearly always going to be bacon ;( ... and then there was that aforementioned busboy bacon incident)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for being on television in a week or two, +3 for taking an anti-cell-phone stance at dinners and Sunday mornings [see photo below] and +3 for serving breakfast all day and for the low prices)

TroyScore:  39 out of 50 -- aka 78, a high C+




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