California Breakfasts Year-End 2019

My Thanksgiving journey to California lasted 30 days this year, a week longer than this past summer.

I did it as an experiment to see how a longer visit with family would work out. As far as I can tell, they didn’t get sick of me, and I managed to minimize the burden on them.

As usual, it gave me a chance to enjoy California’s diner/cafe breakfasts. The usual Honolulu breakfasts are enjoyable, but I always look forward to an occasional change (especially Cal-Mex dishes, which are hard to find in Honolulu).

So here we go, my restaurant meals, as posted on Facebook, all in Fremont, all breakfasts, unless otherwise noted. You’ll notice quite a bit of Cal-Mex (a favorite of mine), which is hard to find in Honolulu.

Bill’s Cafe

Mexicali Omelet (jalapeños, avocado, sour cream, jack cheese, fresh salsa), with flour tortillas and country potatoes.

Black Bear Diner

Huevos Rancheros (crispy tortillas, chorizo, refried beans, two sunny side up eggs, chili verde sauce, avocado, cherry tomatoes, jack cheese, topped with sour cream and cilantro), with fruit bowl, freshly squeezed orange juice and country potatoes.

Cabrillo Park Cafe

Carnitas Omelette (pork carnitas, onions, sour cream, avocado, salsa), with hash brown potatoes and toast.

Claim Jumper

(Lunch) New England Clam Chowder with a side of Beans and Sausage.

Classic ‘50s Diner

Huevos Rancheros with chili and country potatoes.

Texas Chili Omelet with Cheddar Cheese and Onions

Country Way, The

Corned Beef Hash and Eggs, with rye toast.

Denny’s Mission Boulevard

Santa Fe Sizzling Skillet (chorizo sausage, fire-roasted bell peppers and onions, mushrooms, seasoned red-skin potatoes, and cheddar cheese), with avocados added.

Dina’s Family Restaurant

Fajita Omelette (sautéed top sirloin, onions, sweet red and green peppers, mushrooms), with country fried potatoes and rye toast.

Popeye Benedict (English muffin, spinach, avocado, hollandaise), with hash browns.

Dino’s Family Restaurant

Breakfast Special (French toast, link sausages, over-easy eggs).

iHOP (Milpitas)

Little Elves Combo (Oh What Funnel Cake topped with powdered sugar, whipped topping and sprinkles, scrambled egg, bacon and link sausage).

Jack’s Restaurant and Bar (Newark)

Jack’s Omelet (bacon, avocado, tomato, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, sour cream), with toast.

Mil’s Diner (Milpitas)

Cajun Sausage Breakfast Special (Andouille, eggs, hash browns), and toast.

Panera Bread

Breakfast Wrap (maple glazed bacon, egg, cheese) and a bear claw.

Satomi Sushi

(Lunch) Chirashi bowl (chef’s selection of fresh sashimi served over sushi rice).

Scrambl’z (San Jose)

Chicken Apple Scramble (chicken-apple sausage, green onions, goat cheese), with grits (tomatoes, green onions, cheese).

Waffle Company (Hayward)

Nutella-Strawberry-Banana Waffle Combo (Belgian waffle, fresh fruit, Nutella hazelnut squirts, whipped cream, sausages and eggs).

A Representation of Life

If you’ve been to a Buddhist funeral or memorial service, you’ve likely been invited to sprinkle “senko” (incense) on some glowing black joss sticks laid on sand in a shallow urn.

I’ve been to many such services in my lifetime, and took the practice as a simple act of reverence and obeisance. But at the most recent one I attended, the Buddhist “bonsan” (priest) talked about a significance — an allegory, if you would — that the ritual represented.

Holding up a joss stick, he said it represented the recently deceased’s body — his life, clean and perfect at birth. Then, one end is lit and slowly burns to the other end, presenting a glow in the dark.

That glow is the person living his life, slowly moving along the physical body, until the glow has consumed it completely. When the glow goes out, the fire of life has left the body.

During the incense ceremony, one picks up from grains of incense and sprinkles it on the glowing joss stick.

Immediately, smoke appears, spreading a fragrant scent into the air. That scent is experienced by everyone present, and according to the bonsan, represents the effect the deceased had on all who knew him. The more he accomplished, the stronger the scent.

Now, I admit that I’ve probably interpreted the bonsan’s observations quite liberally. But I think it makes a lot of sense.

My joss stick is glowing very brightly, and the incense smoke is very aromatic today.