Eating Out: Johnny Rebs'

On Monday, I was scheduled to have blood work done for my annual physical. So I did what any reasonable person would do and went for a gravy-laden breakfast at one of our favorite places: Johnny Rebs':

We go to the Bellflower location, though they have locations in Orange and Victorville. Johnny Rebs' has bad luck when it comes to their buildings. The screened-in porch above was slammed into by a drunk driver a few years ago and last year, their Long Beach location burned down (grand reopening is slated for May 16th.)

Maybe they can break this unlucky streak by opening a Pasadena location? Please? Really, I'm thinking of them and not myself here, oh no.

Now, I don't want anyone to get the idea that this is some weird California version of southern cooking. The only evidence that this place is on the west coast is the presence of a vegetarian omelette on the breakfast menu.

Their blonde ale is delicious and comes in one of the frostiest glasses you've ever seen-- it actually freezes the beer a little, making the most excellent beer slushy. Of course, it was 10 a.m. on this visit but that doesn't mean I didn't seriously consider it.

Patrick had the salty country ham (they will question you when you order it-- have you had this before? Do you know how salty it is?) a fluffy biscuit, a side of gravy, cheese grits, and scrambled eggs.

I had the chicken fried steak (crispy crunchy and tender), grits (check out that wad-o-butter. Paula Dean would be proud.), fluffy biscuit and eggs over medium. Heaven.

If you go for dinner, have some hushpuppies and sweet potato fries to start, then some of their ribs and pulled pork. They have a deep fried apple pie that I have never had the hubris to order, so let me know how it is if you do. The food is tremendously good, service friendly and absolutely worth the drive.