I didn’t have definite plans this morning, other than driving my wife to work. Unfortunately, she’s working New Year’s Eve day whereas I have it off. After dropping her off I decided to try a new place for breakfast. I launched the Yelp app on my iPhone and found Christie’s in Burlingame. Based on the reviews already on Yelp it seemed like the perfect way to start the day. Well, it would have been perfect if my wife could have joined me.

I love diners. This diner is located on California Drive, a slightly busy street. Metered parking was easy to find. Further out there is free two-hour parking, but you’ll need to walk a block or two. The place isn’t too large, probably holding anywhere from 40-50 people. The host/cashier greeted me promptly when I entered the door. I quickly found a single seat at the eight-seat counter.

The menu offers many choices for breakfast. I went with the “Our Own Joe’s Special” - a dish I’ve enjoyed at other diners. (As a side note, I either want corned beef hash or “Joe’s Special” when going to a diner.) Their “Joe’s Special” includes not only the requisite eggs and ground beef but mushrooms and tomatoes. It came with a healthy heap of crispy hashbrowns and nicely buttered toast.

The food was delivered promptly. My coffee cup was never empty, and I was often asked if everything was ok by several different waiters. The waiters were friendly, greeting new people and regulars with the same warm smile and hello. Luckily I managed to beat the morning rush, finishing my meal just as they were arriving.

I’m pretty sure I’ll be coming back when I’m down in Burlingame.