Wendy and I use a lot of tools to stay on the same page even when we do the majority of our work separately. We’re big fans of the Wunderlist app for creating shared to-do lists, along with lots and lots of texting ideas back and forth. When it’s too much to text, we switch to Voxer and send voice memos back and forth. But, when we really need some good planning time, it works best if we’re face to face. For that, we’ve implemented a monthly breakfast meeting where we can sit down and plan out our next four weeks.
It’s the perfect solution for several reasons. The first reason, of course, is food. A warm cup of coffee and a menu full of breakfast items is one of my happiest places and makes for a productive mind. Secondly, the exchange we have face to face is just better, easier, faster than anything we can do virtually.
One of our regular stops is Ruby’s diner. We have the same server every time and he’s been extra attentive ever since the time I accidentally left a $60 tip on a $20 bill. True story.
The last time we were in Ruby’s was to try some new menu items they are testing and boy did we put that new menu to the test. Our table was overflowing with food and we deemed the 50/50 pancakes – designed to taste like an Orange Creamsicle – the winner of the bunch. Store Manager Matt clued us in that these were really magical with blackberry jam instead of syrup and we definitely agree!
Updated 1/23/17: The following new breakfast items have been selected and are available at all locations beginning on Tuesday, January 24, 2017. We’re sad to see the 50/50 pancakes didn’t make the final menu but the Banana Nut French Toast Combo and the Southern Fried Benny both did and they were excellent.
- Southern Fried Benny – Poached eggs, chicken tenders, buttermilk biscuit, country gravy and Ruby Spuds.
- Country Breakfast Sliders – Buttermilk biscuits, country gravy, fried eggs, turkey sausage, cheddar cheese and RubySpuds.
- Breakfast Grilled Cheese – Grilled sourdough toast, eggs over hard, Swiss and Cheddar cheese, bacon, avocado and chipotle mayo served with RubySpuds.
- Mile High Quesadilla – Flour tortilla, scrambled eggs, Jack and Cheddar cheeses, onion, bell pepper, ham, mushrooms and ancho cream served with RubySpuds.
- Country Sausage and Biscuit Bowl – Buttermilk biscuit, country gravy, two jumbo eggs, sausage, Cheddar and Jack cheeses and tots.
- Banana Nut French Toast Combo – Two thick slices of griddled banana nut break, topped with caramel, powdered sugar and whipped cream.
You can find Ruby’s locations all over CA and even throughout the country, but to us, it feels like an Orange County staple. They are near so many of our local beaches that Ruby’s was a huge part of my childhood. Ruby’s has two brand new stores opening – a complete rebuild of our favorite store in Laguna Hills that we can’t wait to try, and a store opening at the San Clemente outlets early this year.
Ruby’s easily earns a spot on our Best of Orange County list and I can’t wait to get our next meeting on the books!
