A few weeks ago, my diner companion, Antoinette, and I hit Brandon’s on a Sunday at about 11am. We were worried when the night before Antoinette had seen fire and smoke coming from the general location of Brandon’s. Did one of the few diners in the area burn down? As we pulled in to the parking lot we passed first the partially charred remains of a paper store (a likely culprit and/or truly unfortunate victim of the fire), bakery (again a likely culprit), and a massage therapy office. Luckily Brandon’s was safe. We soon learned that the fire had started at the massage office when a relaxation candle had been left burning.
There were several parties hanging out around the front of the diner and a few waiting patiently at the entrance. We saw that several seats at the counter remained opened, so we breezed through the line of people and sat there. Grabbing our menus from their holders at the edge of the counter, we got down to work. The large amount of diner comfort favorites and a great selection of Mexican breakfasts can be almost overwhelming. Sitting there at the counter, we were treated to a parade of dishes making their way out of the kitchen. Several times, we stopped each other mid-sentence with “Look at that!” One in particular we discovered was the strawberry lemonade which looked more like a desert than a drink. I was amazed at a gravy boat of peach compote being delivered to a nearby table. We also were able to see that unfortunately the muffins come from packages and that they put a lot of ice in their drinks. It’s that great crushed ice, though, that reminds me of Taco Treat in my home town.
The menu claimed that their plate sized flap jacks were famous. This made my decision easy. I am a fame whore. Antoinette ordered the Cinnamon French Toast breakfast. A refreshingly unconventional thing to note about Brandon’s is that they allow you to “opt” out of elements of their breakfast combos and will accordingly adjust the price. Say you want the Two Eggs and Sausage combo. It comes with potatoes and toast. Don’t need the toast? Tell them to hold the toast and they’ll hold the toast and the price of it off the bill. It seems an easier and cheaper system than ordering a la carte.
Our food came out quickly even with the throng of people populating the place. I counted no less than five servers for a place roughly half the size of House of Pies.
Antoinette especially loved the french toast. It was like a cinnamon bun with frosting cooked into the center of the bread. After reading the original posting, she insisted I gush more about how amazing it was. She REALLY liked this french toast.
I especially like the home fries, chopped up and buttery flavored rather than being greasy, although they could have used a bit of seasoning to make them really stand out. The eggs, we both ordered scrambled, were moist, but not wet, in the middle. They were browned nicely on the tops and bottoms.
My flapjack was what makes an American style flapjack what it is: extremely large. This made buttering the bottom jack a bit of a problem. I slathered the butter on the top and poked holes with my fork into to the two layers hoping the butter would seep through. I then poured a generous helping of syrup all around. Brandon’s famous flapjacks didn’t necessarily blow me away, but they were good—nice and light.
For those of you who do not know, flapjacks in England are more like a large cookie. In the states they are a larger than normal pancake and seek to be a bit crispier and less like a dough pillow. This usually staves off the “pancake regret” I mentioned in an earlier review.
You may never find yourself all the way out in Racho Cucamonga, but if you do, come check out Brandon's. If you are on your way out to Vegas or on your back, it's not too far off the freeway, just take the Carnelian exit and head down to Baseline.
Final notes: Even though they grind their own beans at Brandon's, I did find the coffee a bit weak. They also have their liquor license so feel free to booze up while here.
Price: $6-$10
Food: Good.
Service: Good. (A note behind the counter reads "Don't forget- Customers Come First"
Pie: Apple. (and churros!)
8609 Baseline Rd.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
(909) 989-2256 Fax: (909) 944-9806.
