Starling Diner

The Starling Diner is right around the corner from me, literally in my back yard and I had no idea it was there.  The diner blends into the neighborhood so well that you can pass it and not even realize it's a restaurant.  That was the creators intention.  Not that they didn't want to be recognized but they wanted to blend in and be apart of the neighborhood. Settled in the quaint Long Beach neighborhood of Belmont Heights the Starling Diner is a great fit.

We decided to go on a Saturday morning around 10am.  The restaurant was packed inside and out but the waitlist wasn't long. We waited outside for about 10 minutes and had the opportunity to look at everyone plates.  It all looked delicious. I really needed some good food and coffee because we threw a party the night before and were still recovering :)

Inside, the decor of the diner is warm and homey in a good way.  We sat down and immediately was brought water and much needed coffee.  After glancing over the short menu we ordered their signature Broiled San Francisco Stuffed French Toast and the Apple Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scramble, and would share both.  Everything on the menu sounded good but we were happy with our selection.

When the food came it looked better than I could have imagined.  I started with the scramble and Grete started with the French Toast.  The eggs were savory, flavorful, and filling.  All of the ingredients tasted fresh and cooked to perfection. For the french toast we choose the seasonal cherries for our topping.  It was almost like desert.  Stuffed with creamy Mascarpone and crème fraiche every bite was amazing.  Splitting both plates  really made the meal because it was like we had dessert after a entree.  On top of all the good food, the bill was about $23 including our coffee's.  Amazing food at an amazing price, you just can't beat it.  By the time we left there was quite a long wait, around 30 minutes.  I'm glad we got there when we did.

I really wish I would have known there was this amazing diner so close to me.  This is a place that I say go out of your way for, everyone should try to get here. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.