So, uh....Junior's Restaurant & Bakery (not to be confused with Junior's Coffee Bakery just outside…read morethe lobby) is a casual sit-down dining experience which seems to emulate a decor crossing between Denny's and Whataburger. I realize I'm probably the only one who will ever make that comparison, but I'm sticking with it.
Picture cozy booths but with the color orange. I think it's also safe to assume the majority of folks come here for breakfast. Ergo, that's what I'll be reviewing today.
The menu is what you'd expect. On this day, I was in the mood for an omelet. Small caveat upfront for anyone with the faint of stomach: their omelets are composed of 4...possibly 5 eggs! On top of that, they STILL allow you to order one with an extra egg, if you wish. Crazy! :o
I played it safe and went with a standard ham & [cheddar] cheese omelet. And like....here's the thing: proper omelet etiquette calls for shredded cheese, regardless of what type. The reason for this is so that when you fork your way in for a bite, the cheese doesn't stretch on for ages like one continuous string that won't quit until you chop it off with a knife (or perhaps a machete).
What I suspect they did was either used long strips of cheddar or (perish the thought) stuck a couple of whole cheddar slices into the omelet and called it a day. Needless to say, it makes the whole eating experience hella awkward.
Taste wise, it wasn't bad at all; though, it could have benefited from a bit of seasoning. 8 out of 10, be sure to enjoy with a knife.
The sides were...fine. Honestly, the homefries and corned beef hash (which we'll talk about in a sec) were arguably among the best. Whereas that toast...*sigh*. Guys. Why are restaurants so petrified of copiously buttering toast? Shoot! I'll even settle for quasi-copiously buttering.
Now, one reviewer claimed the corned beef hash (which is made fresh) suspiciously tasted of the canned variety. And honestly....I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing.
See, I have this thing with homemade hash. Most of the renditions I've tried consist more of a brisket type textured corned beef; which either tastes over seasoned (I can't even believe I'M saying that) or seasoned strangely. For instance, the homemade hash I tried up at the Market Place Diner in Hollis, NH tasted like ranch for some reason. But, I digress.
This hash was more of a minced meat texture that had a bit of subtlety to its flavoring which I can appreciate. Unfortunately, the side (which is over 10 bucks, btw) is not meant for one person. This portion could easily serve 2...maybe 3 persons. Eh, far as homemade versions go, 9 out of 10.
And of course, the Mimosa was heavenly. Wanna know what really surprised us though? The coffee. I honestly thought we were about to be presented yet another pathetically weak breakfast blend most diners serve. But no--this coffee was bold in a way that would make even the likes of the Starbucks CEO go, "Jolly good cup o' java, ol' chap!"
Service was sublime. My only other minor complaint is...the pricing. But really, it's to be expected of a restaurant that operates in conjunction with a resort. I guess I expected like, a near fine dining level of breakfast food for such prices. On the plus side, those $16 Mimosas include the entire small bottle of champagne. You just gotta ask for a little more OJ after your first glass. Weird.
It's an innocuous little joint I wouldn't mind dining at upon future stays. Albeit a little pretentiously priced, I'm giving Junior's Restaurant and Bakery at Foxwoods 4 of the hugest fluffy ham & cheese omelets out of 5.