Stoney's Mini Review Volume Deux

A week ago I did a mini-review of Stoney's on Lyell Ave and at the end I said that breakfast is what they seem to do best. That's not to say that I didn't dig the grilled cheese that I had, but the combo breakfast for under $5 is great value.

I have my $3.95 breakfast pictured above and it was delicious! I requested the eggs sunny side up and the bacon/home fries well done. Okapis love well done bacon. They did a great job with my special instructions and the only downside was the egg pictured on the left. It was overcooked, so no real yolk for me to dip my toast into. Oddly, their expertise in (poached) egg cooking was one of the high points of my last mini review.

That's Fancy's breakfast. She ordered the same as me except dry toast and eggs over hard. The potatoes were greasy, but hey, that's expected. They are flavorful and although crispy, not burnt. The bacon wasn't overly fatty, and had a good thickness.

We splurged a little and added a $3 short stack of french toast for breakfast dessert. It was cooked evenly and quite tasty. I enjoyed the crispy on the outside and soft on the inside deliciousness dipped in syrup. It totally made me happy.

All in all, breakfast was quite good. I had a hot tea because this okapi hates coffee, and it was great. They actually heated the water enough which is half the battle for good tea. Fancy had some orange juice and the total bill came to $15. Our waitress was efficient and friendly, and the prices were fair. I would still give Stoney's 4 stars. Oh, they only serve breakfast until 11 on weekdays, so you'll have to actually get up in the AM to grab this meal.

Stoney's Mini Review

This is actually a mini-review of a Rochester diner: Stoney's on Lyell Ave. I went here a couple of days ago with my father and although I'd been there before for breakfast, this was my first lunch food experience. I love the old diner stand-by: grilled cheese. If a diner can do that well, this okapi is happy.

The bread is nicely toasted with a medium brown surface and not soggy at all. The cheese is melted and covered the bread fully providing a consistent taste experience. The fries are crispy and hot, not limp and oily: perfect.

Dad had what most folks know Stoney's for: breakfast. The eggs are perfectly poached in the cup, which is actually quite difficult to accomplish. One measure of a good diner is the ability to cook eggs in any way you want 'em with the poached being the most challenging, so well done.

Next up is that delightful toast you see above. It's rare to get some authentic Italian toast, but they have it. It's crispy on the outside and soft inside, toasted evenly. The butter isn't over whelming the toast or causing soggy-greasiness.

The potatoes are large and firm, clearly fresh cut, and browned on a grill. They're greasy, but it's expected because they're homefries. This isn't exactly a health meal folks. The sausage patties are large, hot, and tasty.

The waitress was friendly and refilled the coffee frequently. Food was fast and the bill came to just under $13 for both meals and a coffee. The price isn't too bad and the food is tasty, but if you want the most bang for your buck head there for breakfast. Most of those plates start out at under 5 bucks (before upgrades). This okapi gives Stoney's 4 stars.