If you're driving between L.A. and Vegas, you're driving through Victorville -- and if you're in…read moreVictorville, you HAVE to stop for a meal at Emma Jean's Holland Burger Cafe, a roadside diner that's still thriving along an otherwise unremarkable stretch of the old Route 66. Luckily for them, and us, Emma Jean's is less than a mile from the D Street exit off the I-15, and the slight detour is absolutely worth the time, effort and planning. That proximity is keeping them busy and us well-fed!
I visited twice in the last few days; for breakfast on the way out, and lunch on the way back. Both times there were plenty of people enjoying their meals -- and you should always go where the locals go.
Built in 1947, and operated by the same family since the 1970's, Emma Jean's is a small, cinder block building with a parking lot that's partly paved, partly dirt. Their sign has seen better days, and you could say the same of their interior furnishings, but everything is kept clean and appealing by owners who take pride in what they're doing and really care about the details. Co-Owner, Brian, mans the grill with that same dedication to quality, deftly delivering diner classics made with top notch ingredients, including a number of items made from scratch on premises (from mac salad to a fresh-chopped salsa that packs plenty of flavor and a good deal of enjoyable heat).
My first visit was for breakfast, and I ordered the Ham Steak With Eggs. To be specific, I ordered the HALF a ham steak, which was as big as a full serving almost anywhere. Grilled to a pleasing char with natural juices pooling a bit on the plate, the ham was both thick-sliced and tender. While the meat was smoky and salty from its brine, it was also liberally peppered during cooking, resulting in a bite that contrasted nicely with the mild creaminess of the egg yolks.
I opted to not have the potatoes that normally come with the meal because I wanted to indulge in their Biscuits & Gravy, another menu item made from scratch to great effect. The biscuits are flaky and buttery, and would be satisfying with just some jam -- but, dipped in the peppery, house-made milk gravy, they really shine. Get a bit of ham on your fork with some biscuit and gravy, and you're in American Diner Fare Heaven.
My return visit was for lunch 2 days later. I arrived around noon on a Sunday, and the place was humming. I nabbed the only available seat at the counter, and was immediately greeted by a young waitress with a big smile and a warm hello. I knew I wanted a burger, but which one? The diner's namesake Holland Burger is the first listed on the menu, and is essentially a traditional cheeseburger with all the trimmings. The Brian Burger (listed on the menu as "recommended") pairs a patty with Swiss Cheese and a grilled Anaheim Pepper, which are all served on Parmesan-Crusted Sourdough -- that won me over. I should add, they have a "regular" version (8oz patty) and a "petite" (4oz patty), and I opted for the petite, which was plenty.
The Brian Burger is built with very good quality beef that's charred on their well-seasoned flattop, as is the spicy Anaheim pepper. The parmesan-crusted bread is griddled alongside the rest, soaking up myriad flavors from everything cooking nearby, which gives it a type of flavor you just can't get in a place that's brand new. The Swiss cheese is really the "semi-Swiss Cheese-flavored" white American that I would normally dislike, but in this case it melts just right and blends so well with the other ingredients that you realize they chose right.
French Fries served with the burger were nicely crisped and seasoned, but I wanted to try their homemade Mac Salad, which really showed a lot of care. Finely diced onions and hard boiled egg are mixed with the macaroni, mayo and assorted seasoning -- and while the result was a little too sweet for my taste, I cannot deny the attention to detail paid while making this side. As mentioned before, they also make salsa in-house, and that was fantastic: fresh, garlicky, and nicely spicy, it was a terrific foil for the richness of the burger.
Given the high quality food with great flavor, the fine service from a friendly staff, and the pure fun of stopping into a place with such history, having a meal at Emma Jean's feels like less of a choice and more of an inevitability -- and if that's our destiny, then our future is looking very bright.