Huevos Rancheros: Betty’s Diner

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It’s been quite some time since I’ve been back to this building, I used to like going when it was Pete’s Patio and they had a $2 breakfast of eggs, hash browns, and toast. What a deal! But then it went through changing hands and I stopped going. For awhile the awning in front was in tatters and it looked almost apocalyptic on that patio, nobody seemed to care. Plus they added Teriyaki to the menu which is just as suspect as pupusas at a Mexican restaurant. Someone on Yelp said the current owners had crispy tortillas as part of their HR dish, guess I have an obligation to you, dear reader, and to my pessimistic curiosity to revisit the latest incarnation of an old friend. Plus, I had no car and needed something to eat nearby! Let’s see how this goes.

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They don’t have the old letter board with the menu and prices, instead they have a regular menu you read flip thru at the register. They have soy chorizo as well, so it sez. Here you see my receipt for the Huevos Rancheros, a mere $5.99 for breakfast.

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Looks purty much the same on the inside. They seemed to be in need of customers on a Saturday morning when they should be mostly busy.

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And here we go. They didn’t ask what kind of tortillas I wanted and was given basic maiz, the industrially manufactured version, maybe Guerrero. Free styrofoam cup of water. Plastic cutlery to round out the experience. If you’re already gonna wash plates, why not just throw in some cheapo real forks? Not a deal breaker but just sayin’.

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I wish I liked this dish but it just doesn’t make the grade. It indeed does have a crispy tortilla, aka a tostada underneath. One point. It’s a good enough idea for me, just like the version over at Huckleberry that impressed me with a similar approach. The ranchero sauce was tasty and surprisingly spicy, something I haven’t seen out in the field in some time. Two points. Its downfall was that it was too thick and gummy, more like a stew than a sauce. You can see how the grooves maintain their structure in the pic above. I’d put it back in a pan, add water, and cook it up a bit longer to let it break down, should be good then. The eggs were way over cooked, but I ultimately ended up being thankful for the diminished salmonella possibilities. The beans were, uh, not that good. Plus the cheese never melted. More not that good. The rice was even worse, suspect even. A medicinal aftertaste lingered, but I kept taking small bites as if some sense of guilt made me do it. I didn’t want them to see a plate with untouched food, and yes I understand how absurd that seems. So I ate some of it, then just moved it around the plate to make it less obvious I was not eating the rice. In hindsight, I am dumb.

I like my LH people and I want them to do well. It’s a nice family restaurant run by attentive and caring people that are trying to do something worthwhile for themselves and their customers.  I hope they resolve these minor technical details in due time so that I can come back and be persuaded that Lincoln Heights is the place for Huevos Rancheros! Gilroy has garlic, San Pedro has fried sea stuff, I suggest we corner the HR market before some dumb neighborhood full of newbies tries to take the mantle.

Time to fix your HR’s LH!

Betty’s Diner  323.226.0728
2819 N. Broadway
Lincoln Heights, CA 90031

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