5408 Burnet Road (map) Austin, TX 78756 512-467-9552 M-F            6:30am-2:30pm Sa-Su          7:30am-2:30pm      Foodquest: July 17, 2005 Foodies: Slowdog,  Ping Cost: $  Rating:

On a rainy Saturday afternoon in July, the foodies decide to scope out one of the more famous restaurants in Burnet's restaurant row.  Rumors abound about Austin Diner's famous pancakes and breakfast.  Will we find a new reason to wake up early on weekend or will the dreaded Austin "Institution" curse strike once agian?

For those who don't know, an Austin "Institution" is a restaurant that folks seem to constantly rave about, but for some inexplicable reason, when you actually visit the restaurant, you get a meal that more often than not, makes you regret ever leaving the house in the first place.  While famous restaurants offering mediocre food is nothing unusual, Austin seems to be plagued with more than its fair share of "Institutions" in which the restaurant is constantly recommended, yet there seems to be little reason other than the restaurant has existed for a long time and/or is based in Austin.

Austin Diner has been recommended to me more times than I can count as a good quality alternative to breakfast at Kerbey Lane and Magnolia Cafe.  Often, the pancakes are mentioned as something not to be missed.  Austin Diner sits in the former location of Laura's Bluebonnet Kitchen which also served breakfast to its clientele.  With this in mind, let's see what Austin Diner has to offer.

The migas at Austin Diner blend tomatoes, onions and japapenos with eggs, tortilla chips and cheese.  Served with home fries and black beans, the dish at first glance seems to be rather appealing.  Unfortunately, the migas are surprisingly bland given the ingredients.  There is very little flavor other than the texture of the eggs.  The seasoning is light to the point of nonexistant.  While a healthy dose of salsa can do a lot to liven up the flavor, it does not provide a shining testament to the quality of the dish.  The tortillas served with the migas are dry and lined with cracks.  They promptly fall to pieces as soon as any attempt is made to use them to wrap the migas.  The accompanying home fries are lightly seasoned and provide for an adequate side to the dish.  The black beans provide a surprising contrast with their spicy seasoning and well rounded flavor. 

Overall, Jake's Pancake is unremarkable at best.  Despite the use of cottage cheese in the recipe, the pancake has little to distinguish itself from traditional pancakes.  Rather than light and fluffy as described, the pancake is overly dry with not much distinguishing flavor. 

The alternative rendition of the pancake with bananas results in the same pancake with bananas scattered across the top.  Unfortunately, the two elements merely co-exist rather than blending well in the dish.  Perhaps it is my expectation of the two elements being somewhat integrated rather than completely separate that skews my interpretation. 

The final dish tested is the Biscuit and Sausage with Gravy.   As the name describes, buttermilk biscuits and country sausage are smothered with a hearty helping of cream gravy.  The sausage is overly dry and lacks the savoriness one would usually expect from pork sausage.  A major problem with the dish that also affects the other dishes is the amount of time the dish spends between the kitchen and the customer.  By the time the diner gets their order, the dish is cold and subsquently, the flavor is affected.  Perhaps the Jake's Pancake is one of those delicacies that is best experienced piping hot.  Unfortunately, we do not get the opportunity to find out. 

Overall, the food tasted is not bad per se, but rather, simply unremarkable.  In a town with several well established breakfast establishments that offer a strong repertoire, Austin Diner will have to do more to set itself apart.  Otherwise, the term Austin "Institution" might not be far off...

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