Double Feature Freedom Friday

Today I shall proudly report on our last two Freedom Fridays, since I neglected to post last Friday. What a week to neglect! We went to what had to be my favorite F.F. place so far: BeaBea's in Burbank. Stan found our destination last week, and he did it unprompted, too! He got inspired, went onto Yelp, and announced where we were going. I was thrilled and delighted! So mid-morning, we took our hungry selves to a strip mall on Pass Avenue. Tucked in the back corner was the little diner with the big menu. BeaBea's tag line is "Breakfast is Everything", and when I saw that on their awning, I already knew I was going to love it.

The joint is obviously a local favorite; it wasn't overly crowded, but we got the immediate sense that they have their "regulars". There's a counter, where customers chatted it up with the wait staff like they were all old buddies. We told our waiter that it was our first time, and he happily regaled us with his personal menu favorites.

It is a restaurant where you definitely need suggestions. The breakfast selection is massive. Under the heading "Pancakes", there are twenty options. Same goes for "French Toast", "Waffles", and "Crepes".

Do you already love this place? I thought so.

Because it was a mere three days before Halloween, I decided on the pumpkin pancakes, our waiter's very first suggestion. Stan, who is usually in a more savory mood, got the Volcano Scramble. A perfect combo, as we always go halfsies. Mind you, it was tough to pass up the specials... there was an apple walnut pancake a la mode, for example. But we went classic, simple, and straightforward for our first BeaBea's bonanza.

Wow.

The pumpkin pancakes were perfection. A light sprinkling of powdered sugar on top. I slathered on the butter because... well, because it's butter... and asked for an extra maple syrup, because I hate to run out. I've been to The Griddle before (where the pancakes are the size of manholes and I'm not complaining), but these pancakes were even better, simply because they weren't so rich that you're done after three bites. These had just the perfect amount of sweetness that kept you coming back for more until the plate was empty. At The Griddle, I felt terribly guilty that when I was full I still had enough on my plate to feed a small third-world country.

Stan's scramble was delicious too... eggs, mozzarella, cheddar, chicken apple sausage, tortilla strips, sour cream and tomatillo sauce, with hash browns on the side (Stan orders his extra crispy and they got it right). We sat, holding hands, filling our bellies and commenting about how much we love our Fridays. This may be the best idea we've ever come up with!

Today, we decided to turn it into Freedom Friend Friday and meet our wonderful amigo Jimmy for breakfast. Originally we had chosen Alcove in Los Feliz, but it's an outdoor cafe... so when the rain resumed mid-morning, we quickly re-routed ourselves to Fred 62. It's a very popular kitschy diner on Vermont. We sat in a cozy booth and basked in the excitement of a rainy-day egg delight. There's nothing like breakfast in the rain! Stan and I were both in a savory mood (Stan was shocked I did not get a pancake/waffle/french toast concoction), and this time we both opted for their breakfast burrito.

Jimmy is eating gluten-free these days, so we almost made him sit at another table. The only reason we allowed him to stay is that he really is having trouble with gluten; he's not just deciding to be a pain in our wheat-eating ass. We appreciate that. But he had to order an egg sandwich without the bread, so there you have it. I'm sure it was tasty, but who cares. Bread is everything.

What's surprising about Fred 62 is that it looks like your average greasy spoon, but what emerges from the kitchen is actually quite artful. Our burritos were beautifully coated with a delicious red sauce and perfectly drizzled with sour cream, then sprinkled with cilantro. Inside was a mesmerizing combo of scrambled eggs, chorizo, jack and cheddar cheese, and green onion.

I can't believe I ate the whoooooole thing.

We haven't really had a "miss" yet on our Freedom Fridays. I like to think it's because the world senses this is a good thing. We are in the Karmic Zone, treating our tastebuds and our marriage to a weekly treat. Even if we run into a meal that stinks, the company will never let us down. Today, we spent an hour with a true friend. We laughed, we commiserated, we shared ideas and stories and insights. Talking to Jimmy is never boring. He's one of those people you just feel lucky to have in your life.

Him, and breakfast. Because you know what BeaBea says.