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If you come to Michigan I recommend going to Big Boy, going to the Sleepy Bear Dunes, Grand Rapids, Detroit, and U.P. (Upper Peninsula), etc. There's so much to visit. Do a Midwest tour when you get the chance, the Minnesota State Fair is not something to miss.
@@soybasedjeremy3653 This wouldn't happen to be "Bob's Big Boy" would it? There used to be some in California that I went to as a kid and loved. They all shut down though.
Black Bear is a massive chain so I am not surprised by your reaction to the food. The best dinners are the independent ones where the owner is generally around, but you can say that about most types of restaurants.
I first experienced a Black Bear Diner off the Colorado River in Bullhead City. I had Pigs in a Blanket. It tasted so damn amazing. I have never had anything like it since.....
1000% agree the best diners are the local owned and independent. Everywhere I've moved as an adult the first restaurant I look for is a local diner. You can't beat breakfast food at a great diner! And getting to know the owners and the wait staff is always a plus. Every diner I've regulared has had great owners and staffs that always go out of their way, even though they obviously don't have to. You'll never be treated better than being a regular at a local diner, or any local restaurant really.
One thing to keep in mind about the food/portion sizes at traditional diners is that diners came about in the 1930's/40's to serve the working class Americans who needed a lot of calories for a low cost. Then they would go to their manual labor jobs and burn those calories while working.
So true! In my city there is a massive steel plant and right down the road is a breakfast diner that serves a dirt cheap breakfast that needs nearly three plates to serve. It's a huge amount of food and every morning before the first shift the place is packed with all workers. You can't hardly get into the building. The food is great and the locals know to not even try to get in the place before first shift starts.
@@illiniwood illini??? Would that be anywhere near the ILLIANA State Line?? We had so many diners near the mills back in the day. Workers have Roach Coaches more, now...
These days, restaurants serve large portions to make the increased prices look reasonable. It is cheaper for them to increase portion size when increasing prices, than to not increase prices. It looks like a deal, except nobody eats that much.
The “ look for cars” tip is pretty spot on. The best dinner I ever stopped at ( in Pennsylvania ) had cars , eighteen wheeler semi trucks and Amish wagons ALL parked together! THAT place was amazing!
🤣 Took the words out of my mouth. I actually grew up around Amish in Southern middle Tennessee. 🤣 Their places to hitch their wagons and eat were 🤣 Long John Silvers, Dairy Queen, Burger King and TacoBell 🤣🤣🤣. I always chucked it up to the fact that they’d start at 4am, take 3 or more hours to make it to town, take 6 hours to get everything in town done and by then we’re STARVING. 🤣 ain’t nothing like jumping out the car to grab a pick up order and stepping in a pile of 🐎 💩 because you were in a hurry and didn’t see it.
Same with Mexican joints. If you see a bunch of old beat up Chevy trucks outside it could be a winner. Basically if working Mexicans are eating there it’s some good shit.
The best sausage I’ve ever had was in a truck stop on HWY 80 some was out of Omaha one morning on our way home, a few states away. We are still talking about that sausage, but have never found that truck stop again….dumb…just dumb of us to not write it down!
I stopped at a diner in Western Nebraska after driving for about 20 hours on the first leg from Michigan to Utah (buddy and I were going back packing). I've never been served so much food before! We knew the place would have great steak and eggs since there were cattle everywhere. And the locals and owners were super friendly and asked us about home and talked about hiking etc. We were only 19 at the time and the locals were all farmers at least 30+ years older than us. We didn't have a lot of money but we left a very generous tip, they earned it ten times over. I only wish I remembered the name of the place but it's been almost 20 years. I do remember it was right off the freeway ((I-80), near North Platte (west of it I think). Good times!
Truth. It’s the same rule for spots with drive through (mom-&-Pop or chain) that has a line. That line is where the fresh food lives (I worked fast food. Drive through gets priority) (side note: this northerner LOVES a chicken fried steak)
Shaun-- just a quick tip when traveling in the US--- if there aren’t many cars in the parking lot…. don’t stop. The best restaurants with the best food stay busy most of the time. This was a great video and I hope you found some really good food along your way! 💕
I will say this Most best mom and pop shops down here open at 5 am and close at 3pm Hence the lack of cars 🚗 Be careful about what you say about lack of cars. If you roll up at 3pm? You're screwed! And they don't operate on Sundays either.
If you liked that white gravy, you should try some biscuits and gravy when you get to the midwest/south. Also a breakfast food, but not biscuits the way you think of them. American biscuits are more like savory butter scones. Hope you're enjoying your time in the US. Now you see why we're so obsessive about exercise, lol. Welcome!
Those chicken-fried steaks are tiny by southern standards. I ordered a small chicken-fried steak in Strawn, Texas (on historic US highway 80) and it was served on it's own dinner plate... and was larger than the plate. I laughed and said to the waitress if this was a small, how big were the medium and large sizes.
Oh my god, CFS in Stroud is worth the drive. I can tell you how large the bigger one is. My husband ordered it and it was 2 of the darn things stacked taking up the whole plate. Yes, he ate all of it (he's a big boy and a cowboy) but he wasn't worth shooting for about 24 hours after that :D
Stroud Texas??? on US 80 between Dallas & Shreveport??? I have family in Mineola since 1880 Lived there 25 years myself back in the day.... , never heard hide nor hair of Stroud , Texas I have been thru Stroud ok , on RT 66 there is the famous "Rock Cafe" but I never heard of Stroud Texas .
Next time you're in Texas, get a chicken fried steak that is the size of a plate and your sides come on their own platters because they don't fit next to the main steak.
My immediate reaction was uh oh, there are no cars in that parking lot. Usually, it's a bad sign. A good place will typically be busy when people are headed to work, then catch the seniors, then early lunch crowd, then working lunch crowd and on. We have two places here with lines out the door even in 20 below weather.
Stardust was a real diner. Black Bear Diner is a franchise and yes their food isn't always as fresh as it could be. We have them all over Utah. There is a really good diner in my little town that has a really good chicken fried steak. But it's real chicken fried steak probably like the one you had in Washington. Can't wait to see you the Crater Lake video!
Exactly! They have these in Los Angeles too. In fact, it replaced a Coco's at one location that we knew. We always wondered if they bought Coco's. Anyway, Coco's was like the huge Denny's chain.
I was leery about the Black Bear right from the start. The building looked like an old Denny's that had gone out of business and had been renovated. As soon as Shaun walked inside and I saw the overdone theme my suspicions started to be confirmed. The I saw the plate of food. Game over. Black Bear lost. Big time. I didn't know it was a franchise operation, but it figures.
The thing about this country is it's so big you could honestly spend a full year here and still have to make another trip because you didn't see everything. With Alaska, Hawaii, the territories it stretches from the arctic all the way to the tropics. US Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas Islands, American Samoa, those are all part of the United States. Plus all of the 48 contiguous states. You certainly wouldn't get bored.
Hey Shaun, Love the road trip videos. A little clue on Diners or any restaurant. If the car park is full, it is worth stopping, and a restaurant with no one there is not a good sign. I noticed that the Black Bear Diner was kind of empty, but maybe it was the time you went. Some of the best diners can look run down and have a sign outside with "EAT HERE". Portion sizes are huge in these places. You could split an order. Also doggie bag (take-away) your leftovers. Hotel rooms usually have small fridges and microwaves and you have a meal the next day. Just pack a soft side cooler, paper plates, paper towels and plastic cutlery on your trip.
Most restaurants offer salads as a side with your meal - even with burgers instead of fries. That Starlight Diner is the real deal. It has classic American diner decor with that mid-century ambience: chrome, vinyl seats, etc. Lots of them exist back in eastern US. The chicken fried steak with eggs looked yummy, except they were a bit stingy with the sausage gravy, IMO.
I liked the amount of gravy there. Too many places just smother the whole thing and there's as much gravy as steak. I usually get my gravy on the side so I can control how much
As a short-order cook for many years - I can see that the eggs cooked at the Stardust Diner were cooked perfectly.....the eggs at the Black Bear diner were over-cooked or cooked at too high of heat. There should never be dark brown areas on the egg whites. Perfectly cooked eggs have no dark or brown areas on the whites.
I live in Washington State. My Scottish ancestors came to Oregon in the mid to early 1800s. I am glad that you have found chicken fried steak! I love that stuff!
My first Scottish ancestor came over as a bondsman to New England in the early 1700's. He worked off his bond and kept working for the same man for money for several years. He saved up enough money to send back to Scotland for a relative to come over without having to be a bond servant. The two of them kept saving their money and sent back to Scotland for two more relatives, who also saved up and sent back money along with the others. Rinse and repeat until they managed to get the entire extended family along with their spouses and children over to New England. It was a *lot* of people because the Scots definition of "extended family" is much broader than for a lot of Americans.
Something to note, Starlight diner is owned by an individual, the Black Bear diner is part of a chain. They’re up in Washington too, and I believe also in California.
Yes, the Starlight is legit. We’ve got a Black Bear diner here in Boise, Idaho as well. The food is usually better at a true local diner vs a chain like Black Bear.
Black Bear Diner's are in Utah also, there's one less than 10 minutes from my house. I want to say it opened the summer before the pandemic, 2019.. but I can't remember exactly. My family hasn't ate there yet, but will at some point to try it out. There's probably about a dozen or so in Utah now. Oh wow, I just looked it up online and they are also in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas. They are a lot bigger chain than I thought.
My home state, New Jersey, is the diner capital of the world with approximately 525 diners. There are 564 municipalities (cities, towns, townships, villages) in New Jersey, so almost every one has a diner. I may be prejudiced, but honestly New Jersey diners are the real deal, everywhere else are imitations.
We had a diner in our town when I was young. It was an old train car that had been coverted into a diner. There are a lot like that around the country.
Black Bear Diner is a perfectly nice chain diner, but when you were in Bend, you missed out on the absolutely fantastic “Jake’s Diner” (no relation). It is a fantastic representation of a classic diner kicked up a few notches. My suggestion for someone passing thru there with a hankering for a stick to your ribs meal is the Homemade Corned Beef Hash and Eggs with Stuffed Hashbrowns.
Sadly Black Bear Diner is a chain here in the Western U.S. It's not as ubiquitous as Dennys or IHOP, but their food has a good reputation... at least here in California. The chain is originally from Redding, CA.
@@heathenchild7437 they do a *great* basket of onion rings, though... at least, the one near me does (Monterey Peninsula) Nicely sliced & the batter/onions stay together in a bite. No pulling out the onion and be left with a handful of fried hollow rings...
When you make it to San Antonio, Texas, eat at our local diner chain, Jim's. My husband and I celebrate our anniversaries by having breakfast there. They have great pancakes, and their chicken fried steak is one of the best. Come here on the first weekend in April, and you can catch the local Highland Games and Scottish fair.
Some diners are known for their homemade chili con carne. America does have tons of vegan and vegetarian options but people usually want to try all the more classic options when they are traveling. Teka is so pretty by the way!!
Not to confuse you and I'm not sure if you are aware, but you can also get a Chicken Fried Chicken - same thing but it's chicken. Great for lunch or dinner with salad and mash potatoes w/gravy.
Uhh, isn't that just "fried chicken"?? Like, from KFC? :P ;) Or is it some kind of weird hybrid processed "steak" made of chicken?? If so, I don't think I've ever heard of or tried it. Just the beef steak version. I know there's like "Salisbury Steak," which is more like CFS but marinated in gravy, and a bit soggier vs. CFS which is fried on its own and then gravy put on top, so it's crispier. IIRC...
@@MGmirkin Actually no, it's not fried chicken like KFC. It is the same batter as the steak version, but just chicken instead (no bones). It's actually chicken 😂, not a "steak hybrid". Uses the same white gravy and generally the same sides like mashed potatoes (lunch/dinner). I'm sure that there may be a restaurant in your area that makes it. Sometimes the steak is too tough for me so I like the chicken version.
"Chicken fried" is a way to prepare it, and it's either chicken or steak. Battered and fried, essentially. The difference between fried chicken and chicken fried chicken/steak is, like another commenter said, the fact that it's boneless and as big as a steak. That's my impression as a Southerner who has had her lions share of CFCs and CFSs.
Chicken fried steak or country fried steak as we usually call it in the south east is my usual for diner food, breakfast with the eggs and hashbrowns or home fries (my preferred) or as a dinner with mashed potatoes (or if they have it raw potatoes and no they arent really raw) more white gravy fried okra with lots of hot sauce and green beans or some other veggie, so good. Just good comfort food they will fill you up.
@@shaunvlog Spent 2 weeks in Scotland in May 1999...❤️🏴 Visited Edinburgh and Inverness... Got to see Loch Ness, but no sightings of Nessie... My favorite loch was Loch Katrine... Also saw Loch Duich and Eilean Donan... That was very exciting because I have seen so many films that include that beautiful loch and castle... I have photos of myself standing next to one of the arches beneath the bridge... I did NOT want to come back home... Greetings from a mountaintop in Buford/Laramie, Wyoming, USA!! ❤️🇺🇸
We had a great diner in Dallas called 'The Crossroads Diner' before COVID struck and put them out of business. The interior decoration wasn't anything to write home about, but the FOOD! It was run by a real chef ( a big friendly guy ), and the food was not only marvelous, but it had extremely attentive staff and was decently priced also. Hats off to Crossroads. You will never be forgotten, and you will always be missed. Their CFS was two steaks, loads of wonderful gravy, and I always chose roasted potatoes and mixed veggies. Heaven. There were dozens of things on the menu that sounded delicious, but I never tried them because I couldn't escape the Chicken Fired Steak. I so desperately want one right now.
Exactly! I had never heard of chicken fried steak until I moved to Texas. You have to find little local diners or cafes in smaller towns for good chicken fried steak. Really enjoying your trip through America! Have fun. I’m going to Scotland in October.
2:07 - OMG, on the menu upper-right - Prime Rib French Dip with grilled onions and swiss cheese ... that's second only behind my native Chicago Italian Beef, Wet, with Mozz and Hot !!!
The Stardust diner looked amazing. Reminds me of a diner I went to in Vermont (or maybe it was New Hampshire) when traveling with friends. Being back east we had great fried oysters. Haven't had chicken fried steak in years. Good stuff.
My parents are regulars at Stardust. It's great! I love all the 50s and 60s ads on the wall and under the table glass. And the food. It's also the kind of place where the staff know the regulars...and the regulars know the staff. Great people at Stardust.
If you find yourself south of I-70, find a country restaurant that isn't a chain and order THEIR chicken fried steak. This may piss some people off, but in my experience you really can't get GREAT CFS north of the Mason/Dixon line.
Where is the Mason Dixon Line out West? I know back East during the colonial period it was the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania (although now many seem to think of Maryland as part of the Northeast as it is bluer than many southern states - although Virginia has been getting bluer over time - is it next to be no longer part of the South?!?!?!?)
@@chrisk5651 You're right about the MD line being the southern border of Pennsylvania. What I meant by that is CFS is perfected in "The South" and it seems to be more the eastern seaboard and midwest south. Out west there is too much California mixing in , although I'd actually call Wyoming and Idaho "The South" when it comes to their cooking and their values and California, well, it's not.
@@chrisk5651 as states become more educated they turn blue. Virginia and Maryland are good examples. The deep south is banning books to keep their people dependent on their leaders interpretation of right and wrong. Knowledge is power and knowledge means voting blue.
I think that the Stardust Diner is the more classic and traditional diner found in America! The Black Bear Diner can be found in other cities. I think Las Vegas has 3! Glad you and Teka are such adventurous souls and are willing to try new foods! Fun to watch both of your reactions to the new stuff!
The art deco styling at Stardust is classic, but dude - bears! That is one of the cutest, but not over the top, themed diners I've ever seen - and I've been to some doozies in the southwest US (dancing cactus, anyone? lol). My vote would be for both.
Love that you guys are getting to visit the US. I'm from Texas, and never had a chicken fried steak from up Northwest where you folks are, but it does look good. I'd recommend trying chicken fried steak and/or chicken fried chicken in all the places you guys go, even if you have to get one to go; because in my personal experience it even can be regional. There used to be a restaurant called Home Plate Diner that served maybe the best chicken fried steak I ever ate. Oddly enough I also had a variation of the dish once while visiting Oklahoma that served a chicken fried steak that had some type of hot sauce or spice in the batter and was served with a sausage style cream gravy and a choice of either ranch or a sour cream and mayonnaise sauce (it was just a little thinner consistency than mayo or sour cream), and it went great to offset the heat of whatever hot sauce or spice this place used. Chicken fried steak really should be it's own food group, and it's an odd food that seems kinda hard to mess up for a diner/restaurant but is also one of those foods that you immediately know if you get one that is truly top tier. Sounds odd I know but you'll understand what I mean when you get one like that and have something to compare it to. I hope my countrymen are treating you guys well and are being kind to you! Great people are always welcome in the good ole USA!
Chicken-Fried Steak with Gravy is a Texan version of Jagerschnitzel. I'm curious what, if any, Northwest twist there was from the version you had in the diners in Washington and Oregon. I love schnitzel. I used to have chicken schnitzel once a week growing up.
Make your way to Tennessee again, check out the Cracker Barrel restaurant. I think you’ll like the variety of offerings. It’s the closest thing to my grandmother’s cooking I can find. She was from East Tennessee. Also I watch other Vlogs from the UK (some friends of yours), and have noticed there is a big difference with the way food is processed between the US & UK. Your comment about “processed” food is spot on. To me it seems food in the UK is less processed than in the US. I think food in the US is made to be more “convenient”, less effort to prepare. One of the Vlogs I watch from the UK shows how they prepare food for van/camping, and hiking trips. At the top of my bucket list is a visit to Scotland, to hike, and experience the beauty of the land, and it’s history too. After all, my last name is Wallace…
Chicken fried steak and if you can find it on the menu, chicken fried chicken, are my go to road trip diner food. About the only bummer is you sometimes need a nap or a brisk walk around the town before getting back onto the road.
4th generation Texan here who grew up eating (and cooking) chicken fried steak (cfs). You must include some sort of green vegetable. It could be any green vegetable, but most common are green beans, cabbage, greens (turnip), and spinach. Also, the steak needs to be completely covered in the gravy, or have a small bowl of extra gravy on the side.
My daughter took me out to eat for mother's day to Black Bear Diner in Fayetteville Arkansas. I had never ate there before. I didn't like it very much. This past weekend my son and I ate at Port City Diner in Tulsa Oklahoma. It was the best breakfast we have ever eaten at a restaurant (and we've eaten a lot).
I'm sorry you got caught up in the diner/chain trap. As noted below, Black Bear is not all like the local diners such as Stardust. You'll have to come to the heartland of America at some point and experience barbecue. Enjoy your trip
I live in a Seattle suburb and we have a Black Bear Diner and the food there is fantastic! One of my favorite restaurants. The food has always been fresh. I'm sorry your experience in Bend wasn't great but there are Black Bear Diners out there with great food! And take is some of the Oregon coast, it's so amazingly beautiful.
Long Beach Washington is great too but it definitely has different feel from the cliffs and beaches of Oregon and the Oregon Coast Scenic Highway is one of my all time favorite drives. Weaving in and out of the forest to drive beside a cliffs edge with waves crashing below is breathtaking, then you pull up to Devils Cauldon!
Here in the Atlanta metro, Greek families have opened many diners and they are wonderful. Huge menus, good home cooked food, fair prices, excellent service. They are doing gangbuster business because people love the vibe.
Diners are strickly comfort food. I like to eat in a classic diner every once in a while when I'm feeling nostalgic, but it's definitely not for every day. There are plenty of places in the US to get healthy meals, including vegetarian or vegan. It all depends on how you're searching.
This was great. Shaun, I'm loving the cowboy hat and new shirt! Teka, you looked beautiful, as always. This was fun to following along as you learned about American Diner culture. New Jersey is known for their diners because they are everywhere u look , open 24 hrs, and are all different and mostly fantastic. In many diners the pie is a specialty dessert item so definitely try the pie next time!
Your Scottish luck landed you at one of the best diners I have found. Black Bear Diners are great and I seek them out whenever I am traveling up and down the West Coast. Good job Shaun!
Glad you were able to bear 🐻 the food in our diners, in my home state of Washington as well as down in Oregon. 🤠 You can wear your hat inside the diner. It's considered polite in certain circles to remove your hat after/as you take your seat.
15 year ago, I made my first trip in 50 years to the West Coast. I had my last surviving Uncle out there and he lived in Bend! I spend three days with him before heading South to Sacramento, California to visit my last surviving Aunt! I just subscribed. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us!
Hopefully Shawn will make it to the midwestern States. The places to go are the ones with the semis out frond along the road and the farm trucks in the lot. Sometimes there may even be a tractor in the lot. Many are only open for breakfast and lunch and close in the afternoon but they open up at 5:30 or 6 in the morning. Chicken fried steaks and tenderloins hand breaded and the size of a platter. Most have a platter for breakfast that has eggs, meat, hash browns or fries all piled high with an ample amount of sausage gravy covering all. It takes a heck of an appetite to eat one by yourself. And to top off all the great foods you get amazing great deserts. And homemade pies and of course lots of coffee.
I am new to your channel. This was a great first start for me. I am happy to hear you are having an enjoyable experience here in America. I had planned a trip to visit Scotland in the early summer of 2020, but we all know how that turned out. 😞 I hope to make it there one day and do something akin to what you are now doing here. I wish you safe travels and happy experiences!
I'm not big on diners. But my state, New Jersey, has a ton of them. I think I read somewhere that we have more diners than any other state. That doesn't mean they are the best diners. I have no idea. But we have 'em. 🙂 By the way, I'm very much enjoying your trip videos.
Yeah, I’m not a big fan either. I’m from suburban New York so similar to New Jersey. Some are better than others. But having such a big menu - therefore offering so many different meals doesn’t necessarily mean the best quality.
I live in Fife, Washington and I didn't even know about Black Bear Diner.... until I moved back from Phoenix, AZ where I fell in love with the food(and went up a pant size or two because of it...lol) and went looking for one... apparently its a West Coast/Midwest chain... and it turns out I live less than a mile away from one... troubles a brewin... Also I traced my family history all the way back into Aberdeenshire... I'm really exited to learn more about Scotland! Have fun here while you're here!
I don't know if it's just a Denny's thing or a diner thing but getting the hash Browns "covered & smothered" is soooooo good! It's covered in onions, shredded cheese & that white country gravy. Yum!
@@coyotelong4349 I didn't know Waffle House did it, too! We only have Denny's here in Canada but I will remember when I'm in the area of a Waffle House. Thanks! Heather xo
Black Bear Diner is chain that's in several western states. Independent local restaurants like Stardust Diner are usually better than chain restaurants.
Diner's are typically cheap sloppy food. The Scottish equivalent would be like a cross between your local cheap pub food and a chippy (swap a burger for pies and sausage roll). To that end, getting vegetables at a diner is like getting vegetables at a chip shop. You can (sometimes), but you're not in for the best experience.
CFS is great for breakfast, but also for dinner with mashed potatoes with even more gravy! That is a fun diner and one can find similar ones all over Utah that are original to the period. It's where the locals eat! Try Angie's in Logan-perfection; be sure to order the Kitchen Sink! Enjoying your road trip very much; putting some places on my travel list. My Great Grandmother used to live in Vancouver, WA so have spent some time there.
Breakfast restaurants in the USA offer dishes like bacon/ham/steak, omelets, fried eggs, pancakes, and pastry/bread. If that isn't what you want then you need to patronize another type of restaurant.
Just a note on the two CFS'. Obviously, whichever one you liked better is the better one... after all, taste is subjective. However, the Washington CFS had sausage gravy on it, while the Oregon CFS had country gravy. Country gravy is the traditionally correct gravy to put on a CFS. Over the last 10 - 20 years, it seems the country gravy is getting harder to find. In the states, there is another popular dish called sausage and biscuits (our biscuits, not yours). I don't know for sure, but I think restaurants are just being lazy and don't want to make both gravies so they just put the sausage gravy on the CFS. Either way, the country gravy is a lighter, more subtle flavor, while the other is a very robust, strong flavor.
Enjoy Crater Lake! I'm an Oregonian, born and raised! Unfortunately I haven't been to Crater Lake in probably 25 years. But it is a gorgeous place! Don't forget to check out Wizard Island while you're there
It was nice to see you could get grits at the Black Bear. That's almost unheard of outside of the southern US. The Starlite CFS looked much better though.
I hate to disappoint you about the condiments, but they're probably produced by a generic company that puts personalized labels on them for their clients.
The original Black Bear, in Mt. Shasta, California is the original and I used to be a regular there. There are wild blackberries in the creek outside and they will substitute that on your plate for a fruit if you ask. Portions are huge at that restaurant and when you are shoveling snow, it is needed.
The Black Bear dinner you went to had all the signs of a chain restaurant. Meaning - ok food, consistent across the chain, but not really good. All the kitchy decor and self branding also gave away the chain. The first dinner looked original and really fun. If you find a dinner that looks really small, it may be a true converted railroad car dinner, with some of the best food!! And I can't imagine getting grits it Oregon - it's such a southern food - not even done right here in Missouri, which is more south that we like to admit. Some of the best restaurants are the little, hole in the wall, family owned places. Some you're almost afraid to go into!
American portions are too big in almost all restaurants- I highly suggest you share meals to maximize budget and minimize waistline growth 😂😂. My husband and I will get an appetizer and then split a main course at most places!!
It's true, unless they are really set on trying new things. In that case, they can go half-and-half. Or maybe do as they did here, but share. Half of chicken fried steak, half salad. I have done that at cheesecake factory with someone before ... have a salad with my skinnylicious turkey burger, and share my salad with someone who shares their fries with me
Thanks for the video. I hope your travels take you to the southern states because that is where the best food is served. Once you hit Texas and head South and east you will the best food.
Hey Shaun, I just happened to see the thumbnail for your video at Black Bear Diner in Bend Oregon. 😂 What was really cool for me 😂is that I live in Redmond Oregon!! 😊, one of the towns in what we call the tri-cities here in Central Oregon, (Bend, Redmond, and Sisters), ALL between 15 to 23 miles from the other. As another viewer stated Black Bear Diner is a huge chain of restaurants. However, as I have discovered in my 67 years (45 of them living in Oregon) traveling the US coast to coast, EVERY Diner, Restaurant, and fast food drive-in (including those that are1of a chain) all vary in quality and taste, primarily due to the chef/cook!! Such as Black Bear. So don't be discouraged or hesitant to continue trying other options. I have eaten at a few in other locations, and they All varied in quality and taste, my favorite, ironically is in Redmond. Having said All that, if you happen to still be in Oregon, or come back this way, IF you have an opportunity and time, try to get in a visit to Sisters Oregon. It is a tourist town, but small in size, so areas place to walk around and enjoy the sights. But we Oregonian's consider it a highlight of Central Oregon. IF you choose to eat there, two places I would recommend. Sno-Cap! drive in, or for sit down dining, try the Gallery Restaurant and Bar. My nephew (Seth) works there. His brother also worked there in the late 90's early 2000's so I can safely (I hope 😜) vouch for it. Now to end this loooong comment, because I was just pleased to see someone CHOSE to travel here to Oregon. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Crater lake!! (I hope I heard right, that that was your next destination). Another beautiful area in Oregon. If you haven't already, be sure to read up on the history of the area/Lake (or areas of Oregon). Sincerely, Cheryl (pronounced Cher-ul) a proud Oregonian 😉☺ Obviously!😅 P.S. If you EVER come back, or you extend your visit to Oregon, PLEASE consider going to see Wallowa Lake in Eastern Oregon. It is considered one of the deepest lakes, and is in a mountain range considered the Swiss Alps of Oregon (if not the US). 😅 If you read this far I hope it was at least informative. Best of wishes in your travels!!! 💚💛💜
PLEASE NOTE: When ordering Chicken Fried Steak, be SURE to ask for Sausage Gravy, not Milk Gravy! Crater Lake a long ways from Bend? Oh you Europeans hahahaha. OMG I drive Reno to Seattle in total elapsed time 9 1/2 to 10 hours. (755 miles). If your going into TEXAS, be certain to Dine and Sleep at BIG TEXAN in Amarillo. Gas up at any Buc'ees. ENJOY
I've read that one difference between the USA and the UK is that Americans think something 200 years old is OLD, and the Brits think 200 miles is a LONG distance away!!! haha
Haha! I live in Phoenix now but that was “my” Stardust Diner when I lived in Vancouver. Chicken Fried Steak is chicken battered cubed steak. It’s about the cheapest cut of meat in the beef case at the grocery store.
The proper Black Bear Diner experience and food is at the original one in Mount Shasta, California, built in 1996, I think. I love their locally picked black berry pies. That's the only one I knew of for maybe 10 years starting in 1996.
Hey Shaun, got to share my experienced observation of picking out a place to eat, look for the beater cars, the ones that take guys back and forth to work, the pickup trucks, hungry farmers, construction crew rigs with ladder racks on top. Guys that just want a good meal for a good price. If the parking lot is full of newer cars close to the big highway, keep looking for where the locals eat.
As one will discover going from state to state, quality can vary. One bit of advice. Ask several locals where the best place to eat is and what they food items they recommend. It's one way for finding little treasures. As an aside, the best chicken fried steak I've ever had was in Abilene, TX at Belle's Chicken Dinner House. It's definitely worth a visit if in the area.
Traveling through Grand Rapids MI we ate at a place called the 76th St Diner and the food was amazing with large portions also at a fair price in fact we had second meal leftovers. The place is right off the highway, is a diner, c-store, gas station and was packed. Follow the truckers! We had about a 10 minute wait for a table but then the service was great too.
Black Bear Diner is relatively new to Utah and my husband and I go there quite often. Good food, nice portions, decent prices. It is a chain, after all, so probably does not necessarily source local food. If you can find a Sizzler Steak House, you will likely find a fabulous salad bar as well as the usual surf, turf, and burger options.
I love Black Bear Diner (we have a good one here Southwest US). They have amazing sweet cream pancakes. That bacon cheeseburger salad is good, as is the taco salad. There is so much food but I usually take it home for later.
I know it's too late for Shaun's trip. If you are in Bend, go on the day trip to Dayville Cafe. You will be SO glad you did. Best ever. Plus, there are interesting things to see around there!
Not sure but I think many visitors don't know that you can ask to have items substituted on your meal. Lets say it comes with the Chicken fried steak, mash potatoes, egg. You can ask for a veggie like green beans or corn or whatever veg in place of the egg or mash potatoes.
Thank you very much for watching - if you could do me a favour, please send this video to your friends and family who may enjoy it. Share it with any Facebook groups or Reddit forums that may like it. Share it with people from Washington or Bend in Oregon. Send it to any businesses that might have appeared. Shares go such a long way. Thank you! And if you’d like to join my private member community to receive exclusive membership-only content and to see these videos early, sign up at: www.patreon.com/shaun 😊
If you come to Michigan I recommend going to Big Boy, going to the Sleepy Bear Dunes, Grand Rapids, Detroit, and U.P. (Upper Peninsula), etc. There's so much to visit. Do a Midwest tour when you get the chance, the Minnesota State Fair is not something to miss.
Did you try grits too? I wondered if Tecca liked them.
Also, I can't believe Lawrence never heard of chicken fried steak. Surely Tara has.
@@soybasedjeremy3653 This wouldn't happen to be "Bob's Big Boy" would it? There used to be some in California that I went to as a kid and loved. They all shut down though.
@@AndySaputo Big Boy as in Big Boy.
@@soybasedjeremy3653 Must be different then. Just similar names.
Chicken fried steak is also great for dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, and homemade buttermilk biscuits!
Yes. Perfect dinner.
Mashed potatoes is damn near mandatory !!!!!
Growing up those were my favorite TV dinners. Don't hate, we were poor 😅
@@AndySaputo loved those TV dinners too. They were in metal trays!
Agreed. Equally as good for dinner
Only thing I’d add to all that is a little broccoli on the side just so I can feel a tiny bit healthy 😅
Black Bear is a massive chain so I am not surprised by your reaction to the food. The best dinners are the independent ones where the owner is generally around, but you can say that about most types of restaurants.
Oddly enough there is a Black Bear diner in Vancouver WA. form where you came. About on par with a Dennys so not a fair comparison.
I first experienced a Black Bear Diner off the Colorado River in Bullhead City. I had Pigs in a Blanket. It tasted so damn amazing. I have never had anything like it since.....
Yeah, Black Bear is a chain. The truly local places are best no matter what state you are in.
This x100!!
1000% agree the best diners are the local owned and independent. Everywhere I've moved as an adult the first restaurant I look for is a local diner. You can't beat breakfast food at a great diner!
And getting to know the owners and the wait staff is always a plus. Every diner I've regulared has had great owners and staffs that always go out of their way, even though they obviously don't have to. You'll never be treated better than being a regular at a local diner, or any local restaurant really.
One thing to keep in mind about the food/portion sizes at traditional diners is that diners came about in the 1930's/40's to serve the working class Americans who needed a lot of calories for a low cost. Then they would go to their manual labor jobs and burn those calories while working.
And you can always take home a doggy bag if you can't finish your meal!
So true! In my city there is a massive steel plant and right down the road is a breakfast diner that serves a dirt cheap breakfast that needs nearly three plates to serve. It's a huge amount of food and every morning before the first shift the place is packed with all workers. You can't hardly get into the building. The food is great and the locals know to not even try to get in the place before first shift starts.
@@illiniwood illini??? Would that be anywhere near the ILLIANA State Line?? We had so many diners near the mills back in the day. Workers have Roach Coaches more, now...
These days, restaurants serve large portions to make the increased prices look reasonable. It is cheaper for them to increase portion size when increasing prices, than to not increase prices. It looks like a deal, except nobody eats that much.
@@jimjungle1397 Or everyone becomes obese.
The “ look for cars” tip is pretty spot on. The best dinner I ever stopped at ( in Pennsylvania ) had cars , eighteen wheeler semi trucks and Amish wagons ALL parked together! THAT place was amazing!
🤣 Took the words out of my mouth. I actually grew up around Amish in Southern middle Tennessee. 🤣 Their places to hitch their wagons and eat were 🤣 Long John Silvers, Dairy Queen, Burger King and TacoBell 🤣🤣🤣. I always chucked it up to the fact that they’d start at 4am, take 3 or more hours to make it to town, take 6 hours to get everything in town done and by then we’re STARVING. 🤣 ain’t nothing like jumping out the car to grab a pick up order and stepping in a pile of 🐎 💩 because you were in a hurry and didn’t see it.
Same with Mexican joints. If you see a bunch of old beat up Chevy trucks outside it could be a winner. Basically if working Mexicans are eating there it’s some good shit.
The best sausage I’ve ever had was in a truck stop on HWY 80 some was out of Omaha one morning on our way home, a few states away. We are still talking about that sausage, but have never found that truck stop again….dumb…just dumb of us to not write it down!
I stopped at a diner in Western Nebraska after driving for about 20 hours on the first leg from Michigan to Utah (buddy and I were going back packing). I've never been served so much food before! We knew the place would have great steak and eggs since there were cattle everywhere. And the locals and owners were super friendly and asked us about home and talked about hiking etc. We were only 19 at the time and the locals were all farmers at least 30+ years older than us. We didn't have a lot of money but we left a very generous tip, they earned it ten times over. I only wish I remembered the name of the place but it's been almost 20 years. I do remember it was right off the freeway ((I-80), near North Platte (west of it I think). Good times!
Truth. It’s the same rule for spots with drive through (mom-&-Pop or chain) that has a line. That line is where the fresh food lives (I worked fast food. Drive through gets priority) (side note: this northerner LOVES a chicken fried steak)
Shaun-- just a quick tip when traveling in the US--- if there aren’t many cars in the parking lot…. don’t stop. The best restaurants with the best food stay busy most of the time. This was a great video and I hope you found some really good food along your way! 💕
Also eat where you see police cars. Then you know it's good
And sometimes, the shabby looking places have the best food. Glitzy doesn’t always equate with good.
Actually the best places in Texas close about 3pm.
No joke!
The best places to eat are mom and pop shop diners. Blink and you will miss them dear brother.
I will say this
Most best mom and pop shops down here open at 5 am and close at 3pm
Hence the lack of cars 🚗
Be careful about what you say about lack of cars.
If you roll up at 3pm?
You're screwed! And they don't operate on Sundays either.
If you liked that white gravy, you should try some biscuits and gravy when you get to the midwest/south. Also a breakfast food, but not biscuits the way you think of them. American biscuits are more like savory butter scones. Hope you're enjoying your time in the US. Now you see why we're so obsessive about exercise, lol. Welcome!
He already had biscuits and gravy for breakfast in Seattle. It's uploaded for viewing.
this Texan says, "thanks so much for taking your videos and sharing them with us. Hope you are having a grand time".
Those chicken-fried steaks are tiny by southern standards. I ordered a small chicken-fried steak in Strawn, Texas (on historic US highway 80) and it was served on it's own dinner plate... and was larger than the plate. I laughed and said to the waitress if this was a small, how big were the medium and large sizes.
Oh my god, CFS in Stroud is worth the drive. I can tell you how large the bigger one is. My husband ordered it and it was 2 of the darn things stacked taking up the whole plate. Yes, he ate all of it (he's a big boy and a cowboy) but he wasn't worth shooting for about 24 hours after that :D
@@kateg7298 lol, "wasn't worth shooting"--I love it!
@@LindaC616 Sigh, it's Texan :D
Stroud Texas??? on US 80 between Dallas & Shreveport??? I have family in Mineola since 1880 Lived there 25 years myself back in the day.... , never heard hide nor hair of Stroud , Texas
I have been thru Stroud ok , on RT 66 there is the famous "Rock Cafe" but I never heard of Stroud Texas .
@@TANTRUMGASM You know, I didn't even pay attention to the fact that it said Texas. Stroud is in between OKC and Supulpa. Have I got the wrong Stroud?
Who else is here to hear Shaun say "graaate"? I like the way you talk.
I live in Vancouver and was downright flabbergasted to see Stardust Diner on the cover image of a youtube video, did the biggest double take ever 😂
Same, although I moved away 3 years ago! I used to work right next to Stardust and got breakfast from there all the time!
Same, it was a shock to see a familiar place from my childhood! Usually people skip over Vancouver in favor of Portland
I’ve got a mean hankerin’ for a chicken fried steak right now! 😋 A great diner is seriously hard to find these days.
Next time i'm there we'll need to go get one! They're a really great treat :)
Depends where you're looking.
There's one within two miles of my house that still serves malted milkshakes..😋
Next time you're in Texas, get a chicken fried steak that is the size of a plate and your sides come on their own platters because they don't fit next to the main steak.
My immediate reaction was uh oh, there are no cars in that parking lot. Usually, it's a bad sign. A good place will typically be busy when people are headed to work, then catch the seniors, then early lunch crowd, then working lunch crowd and on. We have two places here with lines out the door even in 20 below weather.
I has the same thought. There was no-one except the bears. And you could see what the food had done to THEM. 😋
@Marty's 4x4 Well then, you'd be surprised.
Stardust was a real diner. Black Bear Diner is a franchise and yes their food isn't always as fresh as it could be. We have them all over Utah. There is a really good diner in my little town that has a really good chicken fried steak. But it's real chicken fried steak probably like the one you had in Washington. Can't wait to see you the Crater Lake video!
Exactly! They have these in Los Angeles too. In fact, it replaced a Coco's at one location that we knew. We always wondered if they bought Coco's. Anyway, Coco's was like the huge Denny's chain.
They even have them in Texas. They’re average, not as good as a real diner.
But the cinnamon rolls there are worth the trip
I was leery about the Black Bear right from the start. The building looked like an old Denny's that had gone out of business and had been renovated. As soon as Shaun walked inside and I saw the overdone theme my suspicions started to be confirmed. The I saw the plate of food. Game over. Black Bear lost. Big time. I didn't know it was a franchise operation, but it figures.
The thing about this country is it's so big you could honestly spend a full year here and still have to make another trip because you didn't see everything. With Alaska, Hawaii, the territories it stretches from the arctic all the way to the tropics. US Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas Islands, American Samoa, those are all part of the United States. Plus all of the 48 contiguous states. You certainly wouldn't get bored.
Hey Shaun, Love the road trip videos. A little clue on Diners or any restaurant. If the car park is full, it is worth stopping, and a restaurant with no one there is not a good sign. I noticed that the Black Bear Diner was kind of empty, but maybe it was the time you went. Some of the best diners can look run down and have a sign outside with "EAT HERE".
Portion sizes are huge in these places. You could split an order. Also doggie bag (take-away) your leftovers. Hotel rooms usually have small fridges and microwaves and you have a meal the next day. Just pack a soft side cooler, paper plates, paper towels and plastic cutlery on your trip.
Most restaurants offer salads as a side with your meal - even with burgers instead of fries. That Starlight Diner is the real deal. It has classic American diner decor with that mid-century ambience: chrome, vinyl seats, etc. Lots of them exist back in eastern US. The chicken fried steak with eggs looked yummy, except they were a bit stingy with the sausage gravy, IMO.
I liked the amount of gravy there. Too many places just smother the whole thing and there's as much gravy as steak. I usually get my gravy on the side so I can control how much
I agree on the gravy, but only because I enjoy it on my eggs and hash browns too. 😋
I have eaten at that Diner - like 30 years ago. Doesn't look any different. Think it was the same name then, too.
As a short-order cook for many years - I can see that the eggs cooked at the Stardust Diner were cooked perfectly.....the eggs at the Black Bear diner were over-cooked
or cooked at too high of heat. There should never be dark brown areas on the egg whites. Perfectly cooked eggs have no dark or brown areas on the whites.
I live in Washington State. My Scottish ancestors came to Oregon in the mid to early 1800s. I am glad that you have found chicken fried steak! I love that stuff!
My first Scottish ancestor came over as a bondsman to New England in the early 1700's. He worked off his bond and kept working for the same man for money for several years. He saved up enough money to send back to Scotland for a relative to come over without having to be a bond servant. The two of them kept saving their money and sent back to Scotland for two more relatives, who also saved up and sent back money along with the others. Rinse and repeat until they managed to get the entire extended family along with their spouses and children over to New England. It was a *lot* of people because the Scots definition of "extended family" is much broader than for a lot of Americans.
I’m in Oregon- and I have Scottish ancestors to !!
Black Bear diner isn’t a “Washington vs Oregon” thing. Black Bear is a chain restaurant. And they aren’t very good, in my opinion
I had lunch at the Black Bear Diner in Mt Shasta. I was quite pleased with my humongous burger.
Something to note, Starlight diner is owned by an individual, the Black Bear diner is part of a chain. They’re up in Washington too, and I believe also in California.
Yes, the Starlight is legit. We’ve got a Black Bear diner here in Boise, Idaho as well. The food is usually better at a true local diner vs a chain like Black Bear.
Black Bear Diner's are in Utah also, there's one less than 10 minutes from my house. I want to say it opened the summer before the pandemic, 2019.. but I can't remember exactly. My family hasn't ate there yet, but will at some point to try it out. There's probably about a dozen or so in Utah now. Oh wow, I just looked it up online and they are also in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas. They are a lot bigger chain than I thought.
The original Black Bear Diner is in Mount Shasta, Northern California. Still the best one
My home state, New Jersey, is the diner capital of the world with approximately 525 diners. There are 564 municipalities (cities, towns, townships, villages) in New Jersey, so almost every one has a diner. I may be prejudiced, but honestly New Jersey diners are the real deal, everywhere else are imitations.
Negative. You haven't been to Texas. On another note...White Manna in Hackensack, NJ is on my bucket list to hit.
@@robertleslie2467 White Manna is not a real diner, it's a hole in the wall.
@@AngelA-qi1br I reckon you are correct. It is not a real diner. I still want to go there and experience those little cheeseburgers.
We had a diner in our town when I was young. It was an old train car that had been coverted into a diner. There are a lot like that around the country.
I've seen a lot of those on the East Coast but none elsewhere.
That’s where the name Diner derives from. Dining car.
The first Black Bear Diner was opened in Mt. Shasta, CA in 1995. The actual mountain itself is epic.
Black Bear Diner is a perfectly nice chain diner, but when you were in Bend, you missed out on the absolutely fantastic “Jake’s Diner” (no relation). It is a fantastic representation of a classic diner kicked up a few notches.
My suggestion for someone passing thru there with a hankering for a stick to your ribs meal is the Homemade Corned Beef Hash and Eggs with Stuffed Hashbrowns.
Sadly Black Bear Diner is a chain here in the Western U.S. It's not as ubiquitous as Dennys or IHOP, but their food has a good reputation... at least here in California. The chain is originally from Redding, CA.
We've got a couple of the Black Bear Dinners here in Oklahoma City. Been once. The theme is more of a gimmick & food kinda meh.
@@heathenchild7437 they do a *great* basket of onion rings, though... at least, the one near me does (Monterey Peninsula)
Nicely sliced & the batter/onions stay together in a bite. No pulling out the onion and be left with a handful of fried hollow rings...
@@splehcar how do they do that with onion rings?
@@Sorrowdusk I have no idea. Culinary things like that are mysteries to me.
When you make it to San Antonio, Texas, eat at our local diner chain, Jim's. My husband and I celebrate our anniversaries by having breakfast there. They have great pancakes, and their chicken fried steak is one of the best. Come here on the first weekend in April, and you can catch the local Highland Games and Scottish fair.
Some diners are known for their homemade chili con carne. America does have tons of vegan and vegetarian options but people usually want to try all the more classic options when they are traveling. Teka is so pretty by the way!!
Not to confuse you and I'm not sure if you are aware, but you can also get a Chicken Fried Chicken - same thing but it's chicken. Great for lunch or dinner with salad and mash potatoes w/gravy.
Uhh, isn't that just "fried chicken"?? Like, from KFC? :P ;)
Or is it some kind of weird hybrid processed "steak" made of chicken?? If so, I don't think I've ever heard of or tried it. Just the beef steak version. I know there's like "Salisbury Steak," which is more like CFS but marinated in gravy, and a bit soggier vs. CFS which is fried on its own and then gravy put on top, so it's crispier. IIRC...
@@MGmirkin Actually no, it's not fried chicken like KFC. It is the same batter as the steak version, but just chicken instead (no bones). It's actually chicken 😂, not a "steak hybrid". Uses the same white gravy and generally the same sides like mashed potatoes (lunch/dinner). I'm sure that there may be a restaurant in your area that makes it. Sometimes the steak is too tough for me so I like the chicken version.
"Chicken fried" is a way to prepare it, and it's either chicken or steak. Battered and fried, essentially. The difference between fried chicken and chicken fried chicken/steak is, like another commenter said, the fact that it's boneless and as big as a steak.
That's my impression as a Southerner who has had her lions share of CFCs and CFSs.
Chicken fried steak or country fried steak as we usually call it in the south east is my usual for diner food, breakfast with the eggs and hashbrowns or home fries (my preferred) or as a dinner with mashed potatoes (or if they have it raw potatoes and no they arent really raw) more white gravy fried okra with lots of hot sauce and green beans or some other veggie, so good. Just good comfort food they will fill you up.
So much fun to hear you talk... Love your accent!! Love the Scottish people!! 🏴❤️
Thank you Corinne 😊
@@shaunvlog Spent 2 weeks in Scotland in May 1999...❤️🏴 Visited Edinburgh and Inverness... Got to see Loch Ness, but no sightings of Nessie... My favorite loch was Loch Katrine... Also saw Loch Duich and Eilean Donan... That was very exciting because I have seen so many films that include that beautiful loch and castle... I have photos of myself standing next to one of the arches beneath the bridge... I did NOT want to come back home...
Greetings from a mountaintop in Buford/Laramie, Wyoming, USA!! ❤️🇺🇸
We had a great diner in Dallas called 'The Crossroads Diner' before COVID struck and put them out of business. The interior decoration wasn't anything to write home about, but the FOOD! It was run by a real chef ( a big friendly guy ), and the food was not only marvelous, but it had extremely attentive staff and was decently priced also. Hats off to Crossroads. You will never be forgotten, and you will always be missed.
Their CFS was two steaks, loads of wonderful gravy, and I always chose roasted potatoes and mixed veggies. Heaven. There were dozens of things on the menu that sounded delicious, but I never tried them because I couldn't escape the Chicken Fired Steak. I so desperately want one right now.
you need to come to Texas for a proper chicken fried steak!!
Exactly! I had never heard of chicken fried steak until I moved to Texas. You have to find little local diners or cafes in smaller towns for good chicken fried steak. Really enjoying your trip through America! Have fun.
I’m going to Scotland in October.
@@dianasanders2730 Same here....I've lived in several regions of the US---and never heard of it, UNTIL I
moved to Texas.
And yet even in Texas some places are better than others. It’s seems anymore most is average.
2:07 - OMG, on the menu upper-right - Prime Rib French Dip with grilled onions and swiss cheese ... that's second only behind my native Chicago Italian Beef, Wet, with Mozz and Hot !!!
The Stardust diner looked amazing. Reminds me of a diner I went to in Vermont (or maybe it was New Hampshire) when traveling with friends. Being back east we had great fried oysters. Haven't had chicken fried steak in years. Good stuff.
My parents are regulars at Stardust. It's great! I love all the 50s and 60s ads on the wall and under the table glass. And the food. It's also the kind of place where the staff know the regulars...and the regulars know the staff. Great people at Stardust.
Black bear diner is a chain restaurant. The diners that are locally owned are usually much better.
If you find yourself south of I-70, find a country restaurant that isn't a chain and order THEIR chicken fried steak. This may piss some people off, but in my experience you really can't get GREAT CFS north of the Mason/Dixon line.
Where is the Mason Dixon Line out West? I know back East during the colonial period it was the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania (although now many seem to think of Maryland as part of the Northeast as it is bluer than many southern states - although Virginia has been getting bluer over time - is it next to be no longer part of the South?!?!?!?)
@@chrisk5651 You're right about the MD line being the southern border of Pennsylvania. What I meant by that is CFS is perfected in "The South" and it seems to be more the eastern seaboard and midwest south. Out west there is too much California mixing in , although I'd actually call Wyoming and Idaho "The South" when it comes to their cooking and their values and California, well, it's not.
@@chrisk5651 as states become more educated they turn blue. Virginia and Maryland are good examples. The deep south is banning books to keep their people dependent on their leaders interpretation of right and wrong. Knowledge is power and knowledge means voting blue.
I just moved to Oregon for a new job so I love this! Looking forward to crater lake!
I think that the Stardust Diner is the more classic and traditional diner found in America! The Black Bear Diner can be found in other cities. I think Las Vegas has 3! Glad you and Teka are such adventurous souls and are willing to try new foods! Fun to watch both of your reactions to the new stuff!
Pretty sure they have the CFS in Brazil, since Uruguay and Argentina have their "milanesa" (just without the gravy, that's very much a US thing).
Yeah Black Bear Diner is a franchise. There is one In OKC. I want impressed with it, In fact I was disappointed in it.
Its polite to remove your hat at the table here - good move. Not everybody does it, but its polite☺. Good one as usual!
The art deco styling at Stardust is classic, but dude - bears! That is one of the cutest, but not over the top, themed diners I've ever seen - and I've been to some doozies in the southwest US (dancing cactus, anyone? lol). My vote would be for both.
Love that you guys are getting to visit the US. I'm from Texas, and never had a chicken fried steak from up Northwest where you folks are, but it does look good. I'd recommend trying chicken fried steak and/or chicken fried chicken in all the places you guys go, even if you have to get one to go; because in my personal experience it even can be regional. There used to be a restaurant called Home Plate Diner that served maybe the best chicken fried steak I ever ate. Oddly enough I also had a variation of the dish once while visiting Oklahoma that served a chicken fried steak that had some type of hot sauce or spice in the batter and was served with a sausage style cream gravy and a choice of either ranch or a sour cream and mayonnaise sauce (it was just a little thinner consistency than mayo or sour cream), and it went great to offset the heat of whatever hot sauce or spice this place used. Chicken fried steak really should be it's own food group, and it's an odd food that seems kinda hard to mess up for a diner/restaurant but is also one of those foods that you immediately know if you get one that is truly top tier. Sounds odd I know but you'll understand what I mean when you get one like that and have something to compare it to. I hope my countrymen are treating you guys well and are being kind to you! Great people are always welcome in the good ole USA!
Chicken-Fried Steak with Gravy is a Texan version of Jagerschnitzel. I'm curious what, if any, Northwest twist there was from the version you had in the diners in Washington and Oregon.
I love schnitzel. I used to have chicken schnitzel once a week growing up.
Make your way to Tennessee again, check out the Cracker Barrel restaurant. I think you’ll like the variety of offerings. It’s the closest thing to my grandmother’s cooking I can find. She was from East Tennessee.
Also I watch other Vlogs from the UK (some friends of yours), and have noticed there is a big difference with the way food is processed between the US & UK. Your comment about “processed” food is spot on. To me it seems food in the UK is less processed than in the US. I think food in the US is made to be more “convenient”, less effort to prepare. One of the Vlogs I watch from the UK shows how they prepare food for van/camping, and hiking trips.
At the top of my bucket list is a visit to Scotland, to hike, and experience the beauty of the land, and it’s history too. After all, my last name is Wallace…
Chicken fried steak and if you can find it on the menu, chicken fried chicken, are my go to road trip diner food. About the only bummer is you sometimes need a nap or a brisk walk around the town before getting back onto the road.
4th generation Texan here who grew up eating (and cooking) chicken fried steak (cfs). You must include some sort of green vegetable. It could be any green vegetable, but most common are green beans, cabbage, greens (turnip), and spinach. Also, the steak needs to be completely covered in the gravy, or have a small bowl of extra gravy on the side.
My daughter took me out to eat for mother's day to Black Bear Diner in Fayetteville Arkansas. I had never ate there before. I didn't like it very much. This past weekend my son and I ate at Port City Diner in Tulsa Oklahoma. It was the best breakfast we have ever eaten at a restaurant (and we've eaten a lot).
I'm sorry you got caught up in the diner/chain trap. As noted below, Black Bear is not all like the local diners such as Stardust. You'll have to come to the heartland of America at some point and experience barbecue. Enjoy your trip
I live in a Seattle suburb and we have a Black Bear Diner and the food there is fantastic! One of my favorite restaurants. The food has always been fresh. I'm sorry your experience in Bend wasn't great but there are Black Bear Diners out there with great food! And take is some of the Oregon coast, it's so amazingly beautiful.
Long Beach Washington is great too but it definitely has different feel from the cliffs and beaches of Oregon and the Oregon Coast Scenic Highway is one of my all time favorite drives. Weaving in and out of the forest to drive beside a cliffs edge with waves crashing below is breathtaking, then you pull up to Devils Cauldon!
Here in the Atlanta metro, Greek families have opened many diners and they are wonderful. Huge menus, good home cooked food, fair prices, excellent service. They are doing gangbuster business because people love the vibe.
Diners are strickly comfort food. I like to eat in a classic diner every once in a while when I'm feeling nostalgic, but it's definitely not for every day. There are plenty of places in the US to get healthy meals, including vegetarian or vegan. It all depends on how you're searching.
This was great. Shaun, I'm loving the cowboy hat and new shirt! Teka, you looked beautiful, as always. This was fun to following along as you learned about American Diner culture. New Jersey is known for their diners because they are everywhere u look , open 24 hrs, and are all different and mostly fantastic. In many diners the pie is a specialty dessert item so definitely try the pie next time!
Your Scottish luck landed you at one of the best diners I have found. Black Bear Diners are great and I seek them out whenever I am traveling up and down the West Coast. Good job Shaun!
Glad you were able to bear 🐻 the food in our diners, in my home state of Washington as well as down in Oregon.
🤠 You can wear your hat inside the diner.
It's considered polite in certain circles to remove your hat after/as you take your seat.
@@martys4x457 Rude.
15 year ago, I made my first trip in 50 years to the West Coast. I had my last surviving Uncle out there and he lived in Bend! I spend three days with him before heading South to Sacramento, California to visit my last surviving Aunt! I just subscribed. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us!
Bend, Oregon also has the last remaining Blockbuster in America and most of the world. Great video Shaun! :)
Hopefully Shawn will make it to the midwestern States. The places to go are the ones with the semis out frond along the road and the farm trucks in the lot. Sometimes there may even be a tractor in the lot. Many are only open for breakfast and lunch and close in the afternoon but they open up at 5:30 or 6 in the morning. Chicken fried steaks and tenderloins hand breaded and the size of a platter. Most have a platter for breakfast that has eggs, meat, hash browns or fries all piled high with an ample amount of sausage gravy covering all. It takes a heck of an appetite to eat one by yourself. And to top off all the great foods you get amazing great deserts. And homemade pies and of course lots of coffee.
Wow that plate with chicken fried steak, hash browns, eggs, looks great!
Wow, in Texas we have a huge baked potato instead of the eggs and lots more gravy with none other than Texas toast! 😉😋
You need to try vegetable plates at different restaurants usually choice of 4 vegetables on your plate.
I always thought some diner's were in retired railway diner cars. Never knew about the horse drawn ones. You learn something new every day.
It's true, some diners are in rail cars, especially back in the eastern part of the US.
I am new to your channel. This was a great first start for me. I am happy to hear you are having an enjoyable experience here in America. I had planned a trip to visit Scotland in the early summer of 2020, but we all know how that turned out. 😞 I hope to make it there one day and do something akin to what you are now doing here. I wish you safe travels and happy experiences!
Great to have you on board. Welcome 😊🇺🇸🏴
5:20 same two guys are at my Black Bear Dinner in Tulare, CA!
I'm not big on diners. But my state, New Jersey, has a ton of them. I think I read somewhere that we have more diners than any other state. That doesn't mean they are the best diners. I have no idea. But we have 'em. 🙂
By the way, I'm very much enjoying your trip videos.
Yeah, I’m not a big fan either. I’m from suburban New York so similar to New Jersey. Some are better than others. But having such a big menu - therefore offering so many different meals doesn’t necessarily mean the best quality.
I’m a native New Yorker and we have a lot of great diners but New Jersey has the best diners with the best desserts.
I live in Fife, Washington and I didn't even know about Black Bear Diner.... until I moved back from Phoenix, AZ where I fell in love with the food(and went up a pant size or two because of it...lol) and went looking for one... apparently its a West Coast/Midwest chain... and it turns out I live less than a mile away from one... troubles a brewin... Also I traced my family history all the way back into Aberdeenshire... I'm really exited to learn more about Scotland! Have fun here while you're here!
I don't know if it's just a Denny's thing or a diner thing but getting the hash Browns "covered & smothered" is soooooo good! It's covered in onions, shredded cheese & that white country gravy. Yum!
I’ve heard of that being a thing at Waffle House; didn’t know Denny’s did it too!
@@coyotelong4349 I didn't know Waffle House did it, too! We only have Denny's here in Canada but I will remember when I'm in the area of a Waffle House. Thanks! Heather xo
Black Bear Diner is chain that's in several western states. Independent local restaurants like Stardust Diner are usually better than chain restaurants.
Diner's are typically cheap sloppy food. The Scottish equivalent would be like a cross between your local cheap pub food and a chippy (swap a burger for pies and sausage roll). To that end, getting vegetables at a diner is like getting vegetables at a chip shop. You can (sometimes), but you're not in for the best experience.
CFS is great for breakfast, but also for dinner with mashed potatoes with even more gravy! That is a fun diner and one can find similar ones all over Utah that are original to the period. It's where the locals eat! Try Angie's in Logan-perfection; be sure to order the Kitchen Sink! Enjoying your road trip very much; putting some places on my travel list. My Great Grandmother used to live in Vancouver, WA so have spent some time there.
Breakfast restaurants in the USA offer dishes like bacon/ham/steak, omelets, fried eggs, pancakes, and pastry/bread. If that isn't what you want then you need to patronize another type of restaurant.
Love the hat and shirt!
Just a note on the two CFS'. Obviously, whichever one you liked better is the better one... after all, taste is subjective. However, the Washington CFS had sausage gravy on it, while the Oregon CFS had country gravy. Country gravy is the traditionally correct gravy to put on a CFS. Over the last 10 - 20 years, it seems the country gravy is getting harder to find. In the states, there is another popular dish called sausage and biscuits (our biscuits, not yours). I don't know for sure, but I think restaurants are just being lazy and don't want to make both gravies so they just put the sausage gravy on the CFS. Either way, the country gravy is a lighter, more subtle flavor, while the other is a very robust, strong flavor.
Wonder if Cracker Barrel still does the country?
Enjoy Crater Lake! I'm an Oregonian, born and raised! Unfortunately I haven't been to Crater Lake in probably 25 years. But it is a gorgeous place! Don't forget to check out Wizard Island while you're there
Food will get progressively better the further south you go.
It was nice to see you could get grits at the Black Bear. That's almost unheard of outside of the southern US. The Starlite CFS looked much better though.
I hate to disappoint you about the condiments, but they're probably produced by a generic company that puts personalized labels on them for their clients.
Apparently that restaurant is a chain
@@LindaC616, same, regardless.
The original Black Bear, in Mt. Shasta, California is the original and I used to be a regular there. There are wild blackberries in the creek outside and they will substitute that on your plate for a fruit if you ask. Portions are huge at that restaurant and when you are shoveling snow, it is needed.
The Black Bear dinner you went to had all the signs of a chain restaurant. Meaning - ok food, consistent across the chain, but not really good. All the kitchy decor and self branding also gave away the chain. The first dinner looked original and really fun. If you find a dinner that looks really small, it may be a true converted railroad car dinner, with some of the best food!! And I can't imagine getting grits it Oregon - it's such a southern food - not even done right here in Missouri, which is more south that we like to admit. Some of the best restaurants are the little, hole in the wall, family owned places. Some you're almost afraid to go into!
You can’t say the word, “great” often enough to suit me. I love the way you say it! It’s GREAT!
American portions are too big in almost all restaurants- I highly suggest you share meals to maximize budget and minimize waistline growth 😂😂. My husband and I will get an appetizer and then split a main course at most places!!
It's true, unless they are really set on trying new things. In that case, they can go half-and-half. Or maybe do as they did here, but share. Half of chicken fried steak, half salad. I have done that at cheesecake factory with someone before ... have a salad with my skinnylicious turkey burger, and share my salad with someone who shares their fries with me
You can also get left-overs to go, to satisfy a hankering for a snack later.
Being from Oregon, I can tell you that Black Bear Diner is a chain restaurant, and one of my favorites. Absolutely amazing food.
That chicken fried steak looked kind of puny. If the diner is not full it’s not that good.
There should at least be 3 or 4 old timers sitting at the counter, minimum.
A Mid- Western cousin to chicken fried steak is the pork tenderloin sandwich.
I have been to several Black Bear Diners and I find them to be mediocre at best as well. There is always just something lacking.
Thanks for the video. I hope your travels take you to the southern states because that is where the best food is served. Once you hit Texas and head South and east you will the best food.
Hey Shaun, I just happened to see the thumbnail for your video at Black Bear Diner in Bend Oregon. 😂 What was really cool for me 😂is that I live in Redmond Oregon!! 😊, one of the towns in what we call the tri-cities here in Central Oregon, (Bend, Redmond, and Sisters), ALL between 15 to 23 miles from the other. As another viewer stated Black Bear Diner is a huge chain of restaurants. However, as I have discovered in my 67 years (45 of them living in Oregon) traveling the US coast to coast, EVERY Diner, Restaurant, and fast food drive-in (including those that are1of a chain) all vary in quality and taste, primarily due to the chef/cook!! Such as Black Bear. So don't be discouraged or hesitant to continue trying other options. I have eaten at a few in other locations, and they All varied in quality and taste, my favorite, ironically is in Redmond. Having said All that, if you happen to still be in Oregon, or come back this way, IF you have an opportunity and time, try to get in a visit to Sisters Oregon. It is a tourist town, but small in size, so areas place to walk around and enjoy the sights. But we Oregonian's consider it a highlight of Central Oregon. IF you choose to eat there, two places I would recommend. Sno-Cap! drive in, or for sit down dining, try the Gallery Restaurant and Bar. My nephew (Seth) works there. His brother also worked there in the late 90's early 2000's so I can safely (I hope 😜) vouch for it. Now to end this loooong comment, because I was just pleased to see someone CHOSE to travel here to Oregon. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Crater lake!! (I hope I heard right, that that was your next destination). Another beautiful area in Oregon. If you haven't already, be sure to read up on the history of the area/Lake (or areas of Oregon). Sincerely, Cheryl (pronounced Cher-ul) a proud Oregonian 😉☺ Obviously!😅
P.S. If you EVER come back, or you extend your visit to Oregon, PLEASE consider going to see Wallowa Lake in Eastern Oregon. It is considered one of the deepest lakes, and is in a mountain range considered the Swiss Alps of Oregon (if not the US). 😅 If you read this far I hope it was at least informative. Best of wishes in your travels!!! 💚💛💜
PLEASE NOTE: When ordering Chicken Fried Steak, be SURE to ask for Sausage Gravy, not Milk Gravy!
Crater Lake a long ways from Bend? Oh you Europeans hahahaha. OMG I drive Reno to Seattle in total elapsed time 9 1/2 to 10 hours. (755 miles).
If your going into TEXAS, be certain to Dine and Sleep at BIG TEXAN in Amarillo. Gas up at any Buc'ees.
ENJOY
I've read that one difference between the USA and the UK is that Americans think something 200 years old is OLD, and the Brits think 200 miles is a LONG distance away!!! haha
Haha! I live in Phoenix now but that was “my” Stardust Diner when I lived in Vancouver. Chicken Fried Steak is chicken battered cubed steak. It’s about the cheapest cut of meat in the beef case at the grocery store.
Black Bear Diner is a typical chain restaurant like I hop. You need to look for the local mom and pop diners
The proper Black Bear Diner experience and food is at the original one in Mount Shasta, California, built in 1996, I think. I love their locally picked black berry pies. That's the only one I knew of for maybe 10 years starting in 1996.
Hey Shaun, got to share my experienced observation of picking out a place to eat, look for the beater cars, the ones that take guys back and forth to work, the pickup trucks, hungry farmers, construction crew rigs with ladder racks on top. Guys that just want a good meal for a good price. If the parking lot is full of newer cars close to the big highway, keep looking for where the locals eat.
As one will discover going from state to state, quality can vary. One bit of advice. Ask several locals where the best place to eat is and what they food items they recommend. It's one way for finding little treasures. As an aside, the best chicken fried steak I've ever had was in Abilene, TX at Belle's Chicken Dinner House. It's definitely worth a visit if in the area.
Traveling through Grand Rapids MI we ate at a place called the 76th St Diner and the food was amazing with large portions also at a fair price in fact we had second meal leftovers. The place is right off the highway, is a diner, c-store, gas station and was packed. Follow the truckers! We had about a 10 minute wait for a table but then the service was great too.
Thanks Shaun. Love the adventures. Keep it up!
Black Bear Diner is relatively new to Utah and my husband and I go there quite often. Good food, nice portions, decent prices. It is a chain, after all, so probably does not necessarily source local food. If you can find a Sizzler Steak House, you will likely find a fabulous salad bar as well as the usual surf, turf, and burger options.
I love Black Bear Diner (we have a good one here Southwest US). They have amazing sweet cream pancakes. That bacon cheeseburger salad is good, as is the taco salad. There is so much food but I usually take it home for later.
Glad you and your lovely bride are in the USA and especially that you are having a terrific time!!
I know it's too late for Shaun's trip. If you are in Bend, go on the day trip to Dayville Cafe. You will be SO glad you did. Best ever. Plus, there are interesting things to see around there!
We live west of Spokane. Anytime we pass through Bend, we stop at the Black Bear.
Not sure but I think many visitors don't know that you can ask to have items substituted on your meal. Lets say it comes with the Chicken fried steak, mash potatoes, egg. You can ask for a veggie like green beans or corn or whatever veg in place of the egg or mash potatoes.