Stylish and Hungry and James the Food Slayer have brought you to amazing establishments to try out great food and they will continue to do so. My restaurant reviews have been popular since I began them in the summer of 2021 and that will continue in 2024.
I’ve already eaten at a few places in the new year and I was hoping to try out a local establishment this morning. However, due to other circumstances, Diner Thirty was closed this morning. What was the easy solution? Go across the road to Denny‘s and that’s exactly what I did. Though, I did drive around to see where Katie and Annabelle‘s karate 🥋 studio was, first.
This restaurant has been here since Greengate Mall was still in existence. In fact, across Route 30 where Big Lots stands was an old Giant Eagle that moved up the road to Hempfield Square in the late 90s. That’s the one my family shops at and where I currently work. The Gabe’s was an old K-Mart Department Store.
Service was excellent. I walked in and was immediately seated by the hostess. My server took care of me and was patient while I decided on what I wanted. She was courteous and asked me if I wanted more coffee which I agreed to. In this changing climate of eating out since the pandemic, Denny’s is trying to keep afloat. That means doing different jobs other than your own sometimes. Grade: A.
There were lots of great options on the menu for breakfast (as well as lunch and dinner). Having pictures of food on the menu gives the customer a good idea of what they really want. I was torn between my favorite, Country Fried Steak and Eggs, and the Create Your Own Slam. Denny’s is known for their Grand Slam breakfasts but the popular Country Fried Steak won out for me. I ordered that with hash browns, toast, and eggs overeasy. It didn’t take long for them to prepare and get it run to my table, though I did beat the morning breakfast rush. I had luck on my side this morning. Grade: A.
Food was perfect and not overdone. Eggs ran a little bit but that means that I already had my work done for me and I could still dip my toast in the yolks. Thus, the presentation of how a Country Fried Steak breakfast should look. I savored my meal and took my time, just as I like to. I got my money’s worth on this morning’s breakfast. Grade: A+.
Overall, my experience was great. I was hoping to enjoy a new local establishment but, I learned to adjust by making a quick fix. My attitude was positive and it showed as I enjoyed my breakfast. I also made the experience enjoyable for the other diners and the people working there didn’t have to deal with an unhappy customer.
As I continue my foodie segment next month, I plan on making time for lunch or dinner. In fact, I’m eyeing that Don Patron Mexican restaurant next door at some point next month for lunch or for dinner. That will be my review for the blog. I’ll also coordinate my restaurant visits with the nights that I have Greensburg Toastmasters. That way I can open up my days off to do other things with my time, like shopping or going to the gym or taking long walks once the weather warms up.
Going to a diner this morning inspired me to do a nostalgia segment as well. 20 years ago this summer, I got a job at the old Park Classic Diner to make money to pay for school. It was actually my first real job even though I worked on campus the year before. Looking back, it was the perfect job for me at the time. I was hired as a dishwasher and made $5.50 per hour. I only worked part time but it helped provide for my college tuition and gave me work experience. It was owned by Eat’n Park, so they had some of the same menu items as well. It was messy work and I had to wear a paper hat, but I enjoyed the people and the classic car cruise music.
The first summer, the diner had an island theme and all the staff wore Hawaiian shirts. Even the menu items had some cool names, like Caribbean chicken and coconut shrimp. I kept my shirt even as I went back to Slippery Rock that fall. The next year, the kitchen staff wore normal white t-shirts that had Park Diner’s slogan on them, “Meals made snappy to keep you happy.” The front of house staff wore white dress shirts with bow ties. The first year was enjoyable, the second year not so much. But it was nice to work in a great environment, though I didn’t appreciate it until years later.
That’s because I always looked at school as a “safe space” for many years. This is before the term became the household name that it is now. Even with Christmas break, I just wanted to be on my own. I couldn’t wait to go back and was eager to push everyone away. When I graduated, I didn’t have those feelings of hostility anymore, but I lost my safe space that I had for many years.
For many years, I wanted to go back to college or work in a different field because I didn’t prepare myself as well as I should have and wanted to prove people wrong. I feel like now, I’ve proved the doubters wrong by working on this blog and being authentic, especially in my fashion journey. I’ve published over 500 blog posts and feel like I’m at a good place in life.
Just as I have embraced my style, I’m doing the same in Toastmasters and in life. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am without embracing that authentic college experience. Sometimes, we need to get to that good place by charting our own path, different from everyone else’s.
Stylish 🍒 