The Oklahoma Breakfast Beat!: California Special Edition #2 - Jim Denny's Diner

It is time for the second and probably last California special edition of the Oklahoma Breakfast Beat. This morning David and I ventured to to Jim Denny's Diner (JD's) in downtown Sacramento, about 2 blocks from the state Capitol. Located at 816 12 St. and the corner of Terminal Way, JD's has been around since 1934 and only has counter seating for about 12 people and narrow walkway three waitresses squeeze past each other as they serve and cook the food right in front of you.

The reason we decided to go to JD's was due to an episode of Man vs Food where they focused on the giant pancake they make, otherwise known as the Hubcap with Spokes. The Hubcap with Spokes is composed of a giant pancake that hangs 3-4 inches over the edge of the plate, and on top of which is an egg in the center with six radiating pieces of bacon and sausage. It turns out that on this morning they had already made a half dozen or so of these giant pancakes. One of the best parts is that they cook this monstrosity of a pancake on a giant griddle right in front of you.

The making of the Hubcap!

The pancake itself is about an inch thick and surprisingly moist considering it's size. The sausage links are tasty and the bacon was excellent, though they could have been a bit crispier. The easiest way to eat this giant is to tear it off piece by piece and dip it in a bowl of syrup. David got the full stack which is a slightly smaller version of the the Hupcap, but with the same excellent taste!. To top it off, the coffee was quite good, and filled regularly

Before! Note the paper they put on the counter to accommodate the size.

After! Approximately 1/4 eaten.

And overall.......

Food: 4.5 of 5 pancakes
Cost: $$$ (out of 5)
Overall: 4 of 5 cups of coffee

Overall, this was definitely a worthwhile trip. There was no realistic possibility that I would actually finish all of this, and I left with two full boxes of leftover pancake! It is definitely big enough to feed a good sized family. In the end, the purpose of this trip was the experience. It seems quite amazing to get such a giant pancake in such a small diner. The service was very good, the coffee was refilled quickly and the food speaks for itself. Considering the size of the pancake and ability to make multiple meals out of it, the $13 cost is more than appropriate.