![]() ![]() The décor is comfortable and does not overplay the bear theme it's appropriately subtle. Again, nothing was bad, but neither was there anything that set these breakfast plates apart from other restaurants. The pancakes were fluffy and otherwise ordinary. The Grizz includes potatoes, while the Volcano does not, but no loss there. Both offer pancakes, eggs and choice of meat it is the quantities of each that varies. Two of the other dishes Austyn raved about for their sheer quantity were the Grizz ($12.49) and the Volcano ($9.29). The rich topping over the toasted English muffins, sautéed onions, mushrooms and spinach was surprisingly silky. The Mushroom Spinach Benedict ($9.99) featured one of the most creative items: a spinach Hollandaise sauce. ![]() These distinct savory elements somehow did not elevate the eggs. The scramble is a mix of scrambled eggs with avocado, spinach, tomato, onion, and cheese. My Shasta Scramble ($9.49) was fine, but the best part was the unrequested but much-appreciated side of salsa. Nothing quite says diner to me as hash browns and Black Bear's version didn't come close to the mark. The hash browns look like short, wide noodles, crispy on one side and bland on the other with no element of creaminess in between. These make an impressive presentation on the plate, but are regrettably not at all flaky or light. The biscuit was, like the portions of everything else, huge. These should be the mainstays of breakfast fare. The major letdowns were with the biscuits and hash browns. It's well-seasoned with pepper and fennel it's neither too hot, nor too mild, and is surprisingly not greasy. I also recommend the sausage, which is made daily in-house. Our table offered a clear vantage point of the orange squeezer even if our taste buds had been off duty, we could see the pulpy juice squished from the fresh oranges. It's hard to go wrong with liquid sunshine. I do recommend the fresh-squeezed orange juice ($3.69, small). ![]() The food was, at best, average with a few notable disappointments. Unfortunately, the meals, while certainly extra-large, neither rivaled nor exceeded her gusto. ![]() Austyn also provided a bit of history regarding the owners, who opened the first restaurant in Northern California, and the significance of the jukebox found in every Black Bear Diner. The Papa Bear hot sauce rates high on the heat level, while Baby Bear is mild Mama Bear is somewhere in between. She pointed out the Black Bear line of condiments on the table. She kept coffee cups and water glasses full. It's not difficult to welcome someone who enthuses so eloquently. We could practically see capital letters as she described the servings as "huge!" And her suggestion that any of the Benedicts would make us shout "amen" easily elicited smiles from all of us. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, but neither was it anything special. However, plentiful amounts mean more opportunity to confirm the food is simply ordinary. The prices are reasonable given the quantity of food served. From the moment we entered we were acknowledged by every employee who crossed our path, and once seated we hit the jackpot with our server, Austyn. I was immediately impressed with the staff. ![]()
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