 |  |  |  |  |
2.5
|
71%
|
3.3
|
3
|
3
|
Benny’s is one of the places I used to get breakfast all the time while I was in university - one of the most popular places for families and large groups to congregate on weekend mornings, we actually had planned to go for breakfast on November 1st; the wait-time caused by our after-10-AM arrival caused us to postpone our visit until November 8th, when we beat the crowds by showing up before 9 AM.
Benny’s fell victim to a fire in July, 2013, and the damage was so extensive that it didn’t reopen until July of this year. Dave and I have been back a couple of times since the reopen, but I wanted to visit again and make notes for the purpose of this blog.
Benny’s has been redecorated since the fire, and its dark-coloured decor, airy windows, and industrial-style ceilings give it a calm and professional air - great for business meals (or hangover breakfasts). The high booths and carpet cut down on the noise and provide the illusion of privacy, too, which is nice. Benny’s in the morning is a happening place, even @ 8:30 on a Saturday, though, so be prepared for some squalling kids and the general rumble of other customers.
We were seated quickly by the hostess (who is there to greet everyone who comes through the door), and brought coffee and water right away. The food came quickly, too, and our server, Jenny, did a fantastic job making non-awkward small-talk, providing substitutions when we asked for them, and keeping our coffee full.
Benny’s offers a full range of standard breakfast stuff, with polish sausage available as a meat and a great variety of their eponymous benedicts.
Dave ordered the Cordon Bleu Benedict ($11.49), which he said was delicious, with good (and plentiful) hollandaise, swiss cheese, and “real ham” on an english muffin. The benedict came with a side of hashbrowns and fresh fruit, which included apples, strawberries, and grapes on the standard melon-pineapple base. The breakfast potatoes were your standard-from-frozen deep-fried cubes, but well cooked with a crisp exterior. Jenny made sure to ask Dave how he’d like his eggs poached, and his requested medium was done perfectly.
I ordered Benny’s Ultimate (standard slam with eggs, several meats, toast, potatoes,and pancakes - $10.99) and substituted my three kinds of meat for chocolate chips in my pancakes and tomatoes. I love when a restaurant can make these kind of creative substitutions - it shows a level of empowerment to staff that enhances customer service for me tremendously.The pancakes were fantastic; there were lots of chocolate chips, and there is something about Benny’s pancakes - they taste good and have an almost crispy outer layer that holds up to syrup and keeps everything together. My eggs (over-easy) were cooked well, and my rye toast (option of white/wheat/rye) was good and practically dripping with butter.
We found the food at Benny’s to be good, but it was the service that really made the place stand out - our drinks and food came almost unbelievably quickly, and she took complete care of our every need. A+ Jenny!
SCORECARD
Atmosphere
|
Price
|
Variety
|
Taste
|
Flexibility
|
Service
|
4.75
|
3.5
|
4
|
4.25
|
4.5
|
5
|
Cleanliness
|
Special
|
Flavour
|
Courtesy
| ||
5
|
$6.49 weekend
|
4.5
|
5
| ||
Ambience
|
Coffee
|
Cook
|
Speed
| ||
4.5
|
$1.99
|
4.5
|
5
| ||
Pancakes
|
Coffee
| ||||
$6.49
|
4
| ||||
Omelette
|
Potatoes
| ||||
$8.99 (just cheese)
|
3.5
|
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