Thanks for reading this food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Kirk has been away for a few days, resting and Cathy has been taking some 'staycation' time and is writing today.
Having an out of town guest is always a reason to also do something out of the ordinary. We want to show friends how and where we live and not do too many typical touristy things. The Spanish Missions in California are a strong part of our history and always fascinating as well as educational. We thought a short drive up the coast would be fun.
Mission San Juan Capistrano, the "loveliest of the Franciscan ruins",
provided us with insight as to how the missionaries and indigenous natives lived 
and built their self sufficient compound, 
with gardens for food, 
vineyards (for wine used during mass), a baking area, stables and all in all a small city
with a church next to the cemetery. (This is the second church built on the grounds, 
the original 'Great Stone Church' with its Greco-Roman style architecture was felled by an earthquake on December 8, 1812).
A great day of walking, listening to a well recorded self guided tour and learning so much.
Mission San Juan Capistrano Website
We left just after 1 p.m. and although hungry, didn't want to stay in town, instead driving a few exits south to the signage we had seen so many times over the years.
Yep. Tommy's Restaurant. We had always been curious but usually were 'almost home' so had never stopped.
The view from the parking lot is of the ocean.
Inside...well..look for yourself...
A 50's diner with beautiful upholstered booths and a fresh flower on each table. We had just missed the 'lunch rush'.
The menu accommodated each of us. The "2x2x2" breakfast ($8.99) had some really great, sweet fluffy and tender pancakes along with perfectly over easy eggs and two slices of quality, thick meaty bacon.
The Monte Cristo ($9.99 plus $1.50 for substitution of onion rings) was really well made, with plenty of ham and turkey (and melted Swiss) on a nicely fried eggy french toast. The rings were surprisingly good; whole onion slices in the crispy corn batter.
The 1/2 sandwich (with soup or salad, $7.99) was a wonderful choice. The clam chowder (soup of the day) was definitely made from scratch, had a clam juice based broth, filled with clam pieces as well as finely minced (yet still crispy) celery and with several (but not too many pieces of) skin on diced potato. Tuna salad on marble rye bread with lettuce, tomato and pickle was a great sandwich. It wasn't a 'solid' tuna, which meant it accommodated the various ingredients and had more flavor.
We will definitely stop here again.
Tommy's Diner 1409 El Camino Real San Clemente, CA 92672 (949)498-7000 Open Daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Website
We always hit El Campeon in SJC. Fantastic central Mexico cooking plus agua frescas and pan dulce. You should check it out.
Posted by: Kenneth Bonus | Sunday, 27 May 2018 at 03:29 PM
I'm gonna have to try Tommy's The menu has some things I like.
Posted by: Soo | Sunday, 27 May 2018 at 03:52 PM
Thanks for the tip, Kenneth- just looked it up on Yelp and El Campeon will be a stop sometime this year.
Everything we ordered was really good, Soo.
Posted by: Cathy | Sunday, 27 May 2018 at 06:35 PM
pretty area!
Posted by: kat | Sunday, 27 May 2018 at 09:51 PM
Cool! We have always wondered about Tommy's every time we have a road trip. Love the interior, especially those spiffy blue booths.
Posted by: caninecologne | Monday, 28 May 2018 at 01:01 PM
It's such a perfect location, Kat. Near enough to the ocean for a moderate climate which is perfect for the native plants.
Tommy's has that kind of corny decor, but the upholstery is quality, just like the food, cc. A from scratch diner.
Posted by: Cathy | Monday, 28 May 2018 at 06:02 PM