2019 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road tests 4/5. Breakfasts at Costa's (Covina)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog.  This particular post is about food discovered while checking out another Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road test.  Kirk is taking a break from blogging and Cathy is writing.

I'll start this post out with the food. The Rose Parade float road testing at the end of September was a "closed set" and no photos were allowed.  Of course we didn't know and drove the two hours that Saturday morning anticipating photos and a meal as a post.  Since we saw what we could and left kind of soon, we were barely hungry, so drove East on the 210 and randomly took the Grand Avenue exit, driving South.  At the signal light at San Bernadino Road, we saw this and decided to stop in.  

 Costa's was opened in 1991 and has quite a few dining areas- inside and outside.  The decor is home spun and eclectic. The menu shows breakfast and lunch/dinner specials Monday -Friday and different specials on weekends.  The prices are more than reasonable.  
  The chicken fried steak ($8.99-from the regular, not weekend special menu) comes with three eggs and your choice of toast (raisin in this case) was wonderful!  Lightly breaded, fried crisp, this large piece of cube steak was way more food than expected.  The country fried potatoes were vegetable heavy (in a good way)  and those three eggs were cooked to a perfect over easy; runny with crisped whites. Oh, the gravy is from scratch and is great without the addition of the sausage, which brings it to another level.

  


 The breakfast special of Eggs Benedict ($9.29) came with a peach half or I could have substituted a few other items, but I decided to go with the chef's vision.  I think the presentation was pretty.  Also, I haven't had canned peaches in forever and this one was not 'heavy syrup' sweetness. The hollandaise sauce was from scratch and very lemony- a good thing.  The perfectly poached eggs on top of the triangle cut ham steak slices on top of toasted English muffin halves was just heaven in every bite.  

When the October road test was happening, we got to take photos and decided to stop at Costa's again.  This time, the waffle breakfast ($7.99) with over easy eggs and sausage links.  This was quite wonderful; a sweet, malted flavor to the waffle, perfect over easy eggs and the sausage seemed nicer than normal, with a 'skin' and good flavors. 
 The most expensive weekend special breakfast is $9.99 and we went for it.  Steak and eggs. Rye toast, the wonderful home fries and perfectly poached eggs.  The steak was surprisingly large and perfectly cooked to a medium-rare and wonderfully flavored.  

We may stop here again after the November road test, or after decorating floats in December; it's a great place...all locals. 

 Costa's Family Restaurant 851 E. San Bernadino Road Covina, CA 91723 Open Daily 5:30a.m. - 9 p.m.

Float road tests Number one and two, the third road testing had been completed and we were looking forward to the one in late September.  This was the only photo I was able to snap before being told that no photos would be allowed that day.  The second float there (behind the Theme Float you see in front) is Trader Joe's.  Apparently there is a part of the mechanics that they want to remain a surprise.  The design is cute.    In June, I took this photo at the road test; you can see it's sort of an eagle's head and the float looks like a pirate ship (indeed, the the title of the float is "Ride, Captain, Ride", in keeping with the Rose Parade theme of "The Melody of Life", which will have each float with some sort of musical instrument on board) At the October road test, I snapped this photo of the colored in float in the back of the barn.  You can see the front of the pirate ship with the eagle head and a sort of hot air balloon in the middle of the float.  That's where the 'surprise' will be on January first.    At the August road test, we saw this beautiful basic float being driven , testing for maneuverability and mechanics. 
At the end of October, the 'cocoon' was covering the float and it was being tested for safety, with people onboard, who had to be able to exit the float in 45 seconds- in case of a fire.  The float is by the American Legion - a first time in the parade. 
The closing float for the parade in 2019 is a new one and is showing the rest of the Tournament of Roses- the football game.  It's a replica of the Rose Bowl and inside, is 
a replica of the prize winning trophy.   A nice tie into a magnificent New Year Day.  

I got a peek of this float being screened in.  It's from Western Asset and has a sort of spaceship appearance.  There will be another road test later this month and quit a few floats still have to be tested.  Decorating (details and dry decorating) begins the first of December and continues for each Saturday then Decorating Week (using live flowers) from December 26-31. 

Thanks for reading.

Comments

[kat]

bummer you couldn’t take photos, but it looks to be a great parade as always & you found a great breakfast place!

[Soo]

That's great you got 1 photo before you were shutdown. Good looking steak!

[caninecologne]

Great float update despite lack of pics. I'm sure the next few month's pics will show even more progress. It's always fascinating to see how they change from month to month. Looking forward to the Trader Joe's float! Costa's - what a great find! That CFS!

[Cathy]

The Parade should have 43 floats total, Kat. I'll be able to get more photos when The Mister and I decorate in this barn, which makes 22 of the floats. Costa's is a great find; we will go back.
Because the new decorating barn is in Irwindale, there is a fence around it for security, Soo; the barn in Pasadena was open onto the street so nobody noticed if I took photos...but the element of surprise is important. The steak was great and so was the chicken fry batter.
There's only one more float road test and then decorating starts, cc..but you might remember that a couple of floats were still under construction the weekend we decorated in 2017, so there's that. Costa's was another driving without researching trip and I'm so happy that this local place can be shared, in case anyone is in Covina for some reason.