Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/975606
www.FredParent.NET 15 WRITTEN BY BRENDA SAPANGHILA family favorites If that name sounds familiar, it's because Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri, featured the diner. Where can you feed three hungry little boys and enjoy a mimosa with your chicken and waffles? The Metro Diner in the Greenbriar Shopping Center. Though the restaurant boasts a delicious lunch and dinner menu full of comfort food and diner favorites, we were most excited to try their breakfast/brunch options. As you can imagine, a new brunch spot in the heart of Fredericksburg on a busy Saturday morning draws a crowd. The staff impressed my husband and me with the speed at which people were seated. It's spacious inside, and despite looking small outside, it keeps a warm, vintage charm. The whole vibe of the restaurant felt like a Stars Hollow-inspired Joanna Gaines design. I snapped a few decor pictures that I want to try in my own home. Before we get down to the food, let me paint the picture for you. I have three boys—2, 5 and 6. The host seated us around 10:00 am. My boys were ravenous for their second breakfast. They eat a lot. Hungry kids are not exactly fun at a restaurant. Unintimidated, our waitress made the kids laugh, was patient, and made sure their food order went in fast and came out quickly. If you are a parent, you know this is the backbone of any good dining experience. The Metro Diner This is a monthly column featuring winners and nominees of the 2017 FredParent Family Favorite contest. Eating Good (with Kids in Tow!) at Parenting pro-tip: If your kids tend to get "hangry," make sure they eat a small snack in the car and put their food order in immediately. We do this when we order drinks. This way, their blood sugar doesn't plummet and cause meltdowns. ON THE FOOD My 5-year-old is a chicken finger aficionado. He ordered those while everyone else had breakfast (He also snuck a few jelly packets, to be honest). The portions were right on target for my kids' ages and appe- tites. Several slices of bacon came with my oldest's pancakes, which he was over the moon about. My husband ordered the Charleston Shrimp and Grits. I had the San Francisco Benedict—Canadian bacon, sliced avocado and tomato, and two perfectly poached eggs on an English muffin topped with creamy Hollandaise sauce. What can I say? The millennial in me can't say no to an avocado toast-esque option. Since I was well behaved with my main order, I asked for "The Works" on my hash browns (which accompanied the Eggs Benedict). This meant hash browns smothered with onions, peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese. Life's all about balance, right? My "worked up" hash browns—a side dish—filled an entire second plate. We had so much left over that they made two more meals the next morning. That's winning if you ask me! Note on the Shrimp and Grits: It comes swimming in a gravy-like shrimp sauce. Don't get me wrong, it's a delicious sauce and defi- nitely a must-try. It may not be the thing to order if you want a classic shrimp and grits experience. Here's the description: Two fried grit cakes infused with cheese, roasted red peppers and Andouille sau- sage. Topped with shrimp, sausage, onions and peppers in a shrimp sauce. Garnished with chopped ba con and green onions. It is hearty, enormous and very satisfying. TAKE AWAY The Metro Diner is great for a low-key brunch with the family. It would also be an ideal place to meet up for a morning out with friends. The coffee lives up to Luke Dane's standards, and our wait- ress did a great job keeping our cups topped off. My only regret is that we didn't order the chicken and waffles. They looked amazing and come with strawberry butter. I think we'll be having a chicken and waffles date in our future, for sure! Be sure to check out their website for menus, specials, hours and con- tact information. https://metrodiner.com/locations/virginia/fredericksburg/