During my misadventures in Cowtown, my dear friend MicheLin took me and JHo to a great little breakfast place and bakery called Diner Deluxe.
The place was packed, we had to line up, and while we were waiting my attention was directed to a giant urn of coffee and some mugs (vintage style, none of them matched) that were made available to all patrons awaiting a seat. Very nice touch, indeed.
The place itself was very retro, and I think their tables and chairs (all of which were unique and different) are actually vintage furniture from decades past. The place was abuzz with chit chat, and the menu that we got right after we were seated was jam-packed full of breakfast items, some of which were available until 3:00 pm. I selected coffee as my bevvie of choice and their Canadian bacon eggs benedict, served with potato wedges (which you could substitute for yam wedges for a small additional price).
In spite of the crowded place, our meal came in good time and I melted when I took my first bite of the eggs benedict. Their homemade hollandaise sauce was absolutely incredible, and in spite of my loathing for yolks I gobbled up the whole thing (2 eggs = 2 eggs benedicts). I didn't even have room to polish off my potato wedges, which were of the pan-fried variety (and therefore not crispy enough for my deep-fried standards). The coffee was also perfect (smooth, not too strong, not too weak, and flavourful) and I must have had 3 mugs in one sitting.
The highlight of my visit came after paying for my meal (cost = $16, incl. tax and tip) and making a stop at the bakery next door, which is affiliated with and connected to the diner. On Fridays and Saturdays only (so I am told), the place sells this delectable chocolate-cranberry-sourdough bread, which is probably the best sweet bread I've ever tried. The bread itself is moist and soft, and not too heavy with flavour; however, embedded throughout this loaf are large chunks of smooth milk chocolate and juicy dried cranberries, which make every bite a rush-inducing experience in bread consumption. Needless to say, I bought a loaf and decimated nearly 1/4 of it myself during the course of the day :)
All in all, Diner Deluxe is a great place to visit for breakfast and baked treats on a lazy weekend morning. I highly recommend it for its funky atmosphere, affordable prices, addictive coffee, and chocolate cranberry sourdough bread. Trust me - one bite and you won't be able to stop yourself.
Rating: 9 / 10
3 comments:
For us Edmontonians, would you say this place is like the Blue Plate Diner here?
I didn't have dinner there, but the reviews I read about the place describe it as offering comfort food (meatloaf, chili, mac & cheese, loaded sandwiches).
If Blue Plate is the place near 4th & Vine, then I would say Diner Deluxe is much more retro and casual, brighter in colour, and less romantic than Blue Plate. Diner Deluxe is the sort of place that is interesting to look at (lots of vinyl!), but not at all "upscale" in its appearance. Tables came in all different shapes and sizes and colours, and for lone diners they had a bunch of stools lined up against this curvy, higher-topped table.
I would say the look and feel is a little more like Dadeo's (but brighter and less ethnic).
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