Thumb's Up Diner: Hefty Plates and Long Waits

With a seemingly unlimited selection of brunch purveyors in our city, it still shocks me that I have to endure long lines for seating and service at many of my favorite establishments. I am not known for possessing endless patience, therefore it surprises me even more that I am willing to brave these supreme waits, even for the tastiest of treats. And yet, there I was this morning, boldly challenging my stomach to prove its moral fortitude by calmly waiting for my weekly eggs of choice. The good news was, there was a bench. And not just an ordinary bench, it was a bench in the shade. A bench in the shade may very will be the holy grail of waiting areas, and somehow my companions were able to snatch it early. The bad news was that we sat on our lovely bench for AN HOUR. Now, some of you may be scoffing at our wait time as something barely worth whining at. Well, you are on crack if you think that I can wait that long for anything. Normally, my companion(s) and I try to arrive at our brunch destinations around 11 am, therefore beating the bulk of the church/hangover crowds. When we arrived at Highland Bakery at 11, we only waited 15-20 minutes. Now THAT is worth waking up for. But I digress, as unfortunately we weren't able to meet until noon today and therefore had to bear our hunger for an inordinate amount of time. When finally our names were called, it was as though the hostess was suddenly accompanied by heavenly flutes and triumphant trumpets and I half expected to be carried in on a litter and rose petals thrown in the air. Instead, we got a surly waitress who clearly was too busy to care about and supposed discomfort we might have felt.

The decor was boho diner, with art on the walls and cozy vinyl booths for nostalgia. The menu was similar: homestyle "spuds", traditional omelets, and yummy cheese grits were present, though so too were tofu and veggie scrambles, veggie sausage, and a vast array of vegetables to put in your omelets or scrambles. To be perfectly honest I didn't even bother looking at the lunch flap of the menu, but I'm sure there were veg options there as well. Basically, everything sounded good, and the decision-making process was quite drawn out for all of us. One reason for that is that in addition to wonderful menu selections, you also have the option to "build your own breakfast" from basically everything they offer. They don't like substitutions, and make this clear on the menu, so perhaps this is an effort to avoid those kinds of situations.

Let me say first that the portions here are HUGE. This isn't just American portion huge, this is American diner portion huge. So be forewarned, you could probably split your entree with an entire village in south Texas. Susannah's choice was made before she even saw the menu, and it was a good one: pancakes. Huge and fluffy, they even came with their own individual bottle of maple syrup. The cheese grits she ordered on the side were quite good, though I must say I don't remember them that well because I was so overwhelmed by how good everything else was. Leigh ordered what I was sorely tempted to get, and what I find I often get: the breakfast burrito. Thumb's Up's version may be one of the best incarnations I've seen of this particular entree, mainly because they somehow managed to be both filling and surprisingly light. The spectacular guacamole that was heaped on top helped to achieve the taste by imposing a heavenly bit of garden to the protein package of deliciousness. I will get it eventually. Oh, and did I mention that the dish came with TWO burritos?? Seriously, call El Paso before you go, they will help you eat it. My particular brand of gluttony this morning was referred to as "The Heap", and came elegantly pilled in its own skillet. The bottom layer was the amazing "spuds", which aren't fried like homefries but cooked until soft with onions that got sort of fried along the way. Two tasty eggs and some veggie sausage topped off my heap, with a whole wheat biscuit teetering off the edge of my skillet. The biscuit was ok, but don't waste your time. Everything else on the plate is worth eating well before, and by the time you look at the biscuit again you realize that you are so full you'll need a wheelbarrow to carry you out. I'd say get the toast instead, at least you could make a sort of sandwich out of your heap. All of this was topped off by some exquisite brew of coffee that they make specially there. Susannah's orange juice was actually fresh squeezed. And you want to know the best of it? All of us ate and drank this much for under $10. Next time I wake up early, this is my spot. And don't even think about taking my bench.

Would I Go Back: Tomorrow.

Other Vegetarian Options: The tofu scrambles, veggie sausage, vegetable omelets...your options are basically unlimited. With the make your own breakfast option, you can choose whatever you're craving. Again, I didn't bother looking at the lunch menu, and neither did anyone at the tables close to us. One guy got a "cream cheese plate", which was eggs scrambled with cream cheese and sage and a grilled bagel. That looked really good if you don't want a huge portion.

Website: www.thumbsupdiner.com

IMPORTANT: THEY ONLY TAKE CASH!!!