Blue Moon Diner

Surly Service and Baby-Crap Hollandaise..... * 1/2 cup butter * 3 large egg yolks * 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice * A dash of cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce * 2 to 4 tablespoons hot water

1. Heat butter in a heavy saucepan until hot but not browned.

2. In a small bowl, whisk or beat egg yolks with lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper or hot sauce.

3. Gradually beat in butter, then gradually add water until consistency is light.

4. Return mixture to saucepan and beat over very low heat until mixture is *slightly* thickened.

Makes about 2/3 cup.

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I offer this recipe first, because it's *not* what I had today when I ordered Eggs Benedict from the Blue Moon Diner - but I'm ahead of my story.

I walked in around 7:30AM - granted, it was daylight savings time changeover, but that left ample opportunity to get the help out of bed and get them to work in time to at least turn the heat on. Upon walking through the front door, I noticed that the place was *cold*, and the young lady behind the counter had her coat on - there was one other person in the kitchen.

Coffee was served and my order taken - given that there wasn't anyone else in the place, I figured food would be up shortly. Evidently, even though the place opens at least an hour earlier, it took around twenty minutes to get my Eggs Bennie on the table.

I had to go searching for my own coffee refills. The waitress, who was busy doing something else behind the counter with her back turned, said, "You scared me!"

Food. Yes. This is where the recipe above gains some primacy.

Y'see, Hollandaise should be made from the ingredients above. It should be a light, lemony concoction, served over lightly-poached eggs which grace a slice of grilled ham, which, in turn, graces the top of a toasted English muffin.

What I got was made from mayonnaise, flour, water, and Worcestershire sauce, and looked like baby crap.

Yes. Baby crap.

I managed about half of it - and pushed the rest aside. Hashbrowns were strictly S.E. Rykoff material.

I understand that this place changed owners a couple of years ago, which was the last time I'd had a hankering for Hollandaise on the suburban west-side.

Do yourself a favor. Make the drive into Portland to the Bijou Cafe (they open around 8:00AM), or check out the Eggs Bennie at the Hotel D-Lux just west of I-405 where the Mallory Motor Hotel used to be. Both are far better bets.  View Less … View More

What a disappointment. My husband and I brought our kids in on a Tuesday night. Took 10+ minutes to even get a drink on the table or our order taken. A simple "i'll be right with you" would have been nice. Instead we were ignored while the only waitress in the place was trying to take care of running food, taking money, making drinks, etc. One waitress is not enough on a dinner shift! The special of the day was sloppy joes. I expected a toasted bun with sloppy joe filling and a bun to go on top. Instead I got open faced sloppy joe with a soggy bun. It tasted terrible. A daily special should be a dish that is going to wow the guest and taste delicous. the french fries that came with our meal were undercooked and bland. For the amound of money they are charging the quality of food should be much better. Hopefully the owners will evaluate their kitchen staff and make some changes to their menu and execution of the dishes. It's diner food, how hard can it be to get it right?  View Less … View More

Great homecooked food. My husband and I have gone to the Blue Moon Diner multiple times. The food is excellent, ample portions, reasonably priced; we especially like their breakfasts and the hot open faced sandwiches. The wait staff is great, always friendly and prompt. We often bring our grandchildren ages 7 & 4, and they love the food. Great family place. If your looking for change from one of the chain dinners like Shari's or Elmers, this is the place to go!  View Less … View More

Excellent food and service at the Blue Moon Diner. I visited the Blue Moon Diner for the first time today. Our server was friendly and attentive. The Reuben sandwich was one of the best I've ever had. I wasn't in the mood for fries, so the server offered me a variey of sides from which to choose. I had the mashed potatoes with country gravy; both were real. The prices are more than reasonable, especially considering the large portions. There are many items on the menu, including appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, hot meals, shakes, and desserts.

I'll definitely return. The clean and friendly Blue Moon Diner is well worth the drive from anywhere in the metropolitan Portland area.  View Less … View More