The Best Part of Waking Up - Grab some breakfast at Morning Glory Diner

I don't often write about breakfast places. The hubby and I go out to breakfast on the weekends, and that's about it. Nick loves Penrose Diner in south Philly, so we go there quite a bit, but we also try to hit up a new breakfast spot once a week (hangovers allowing). Most are good, but nothing to write home about. A lot of the time a good plate of eggs and scrapple at Penrose (Nick's breakfast of choice) beats out a heaping plate of some crazy brunch concoction any day of the week.

But sometimes you're looking for a little more out of your breakfast experience. I often have a hankerin' for quiche, and unfortunately lately I've had two pretty poorly executed ones in a row and am beginning to feel like the GoldieLocks of egg dishes. A quiche I had at Old City Cheese Shop was too runny (I mean, I like soft quiche but the crust on the bottom was completely raw), and the fact that it was $13 didn't help either. Then a quiche I had at Ida Mae's Bruncherie was so overcooked that it ripped the moisture right out of my mouth (which is a shame because they do have some decent dishes there...beans and toast are good and the Soda Farl is excellent). So this morning when the hubby and I went to breakfast at the Morning Glory Diner I shied away from the frittatas and ordered a scramble instead. This scramble was so perfectly executed that I think I'm going to throw caution to the wind and order the frittata next time we visit. I'm confident they can deliver on it.

We heard about Morning Glory Diner on the Travel Channel's show, Best Food Ever. If there is a show out there about travel or food you can be sure it's being recorded on our DVR. So not to be left in the dark we headed out there this morning for some grub.

We arrived earlier than usual this morning (around 10:30-ish) and it was a good thing because by the time we were seated the waiting area (which is a cute little garden) was packed. The service was friendly and prompt and we ordered quickly. I had the "veggie scramble" special and Nick ordered their claim to fame (or at least what the Travel Channel thinks is their claim to fame) the "monkey french toast".

My scramble was ridiculously good. The eggs were cooked to perfection, the veggies were pre-cooked nicely so they didn't water-down the dish, and even the often overlooked potatoes were seasoned to perfection. My scramble had a myriad of different veggies in it...red onion, tomato, kale, unidentifiable yet yummy greens, and it was topped with a thin layer of brie (they had me at brie). It also came with a biscuit (a little dry but ok) and a slice of watermelon, which ended up being a welcome and light flavor at the end of the meal. Two thumbs up from me.

The hubby's french toast was good as well. He gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 5, and considering Nick really doesn't like sweet breakfasts all that much, it's a good star rating. The french toast was thick cut and filled with caramelized bananas and mangos. Then it was topped with a caramel sauce and served with a side of whipped cream. A bit rich for my blood but he gobbled it up.

The only thing I had a beef with was the coffee. I personally don't drink coffee (those who know me realize I'm hyper enough as is...you don't want to add caffeine to that mix...trust me), but the hubby appreciates a good cup 'o joe. He commented on the fact that the coffee was, in fact, a step up from typical diner brew, but when the check came we realized that two cups ran him $5. Maybe it's just me but any place that calls themselves a diner and specializes in breakfast should really be giving out free refills. But that's just my two cents.

When it's all said and done it looks like we will certainly be back. I simply MUST try one of their many frittata options (this morning the special was one with kalamata olives, broccoli rabe, cheese and pasta baked in!). I caught a glimpse of a few as they came out of the kitchen and they look wonderful. And perhaps Nick will order two eggs with scrapple and see how they compare to his beloved Penrose.

So head out tomorrow morning and give this glorious place a try. They are cash only and did seem to fill up around 11. If you're a late riser no worries. Take the paper with you and enjoy your wait in their garden. And please, if you try the frittata, let me know how it was!