McJac’s Roadhouse Grille

Restaurant: McJac’s Roadhouse Grille Restaurant
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch/Diner/American
Last visited: March 28, 2010
Location: Surrey, BC (South Surrey)
Address: 1781 King George Hwy
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4 (based on the items I tried)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 5
Overall: 4.5
Additional comments:

• Locally owned – 12 years old
• 50′ style diner
• Local favorite, family dine
• Very large space
• 4 rooms – each with different feel
• Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch/Dinner
• Breakfast served until 3pm daily
• Generous potions
• Good value, very reasonably priced
• Extensive menu, lots of variety/options
• Wholesome food
• Fresh, home made
• Freshly baked breads in house
• Catering available
• Patio available
• Event nights
• McJac’s Roadhouse Bakery next door
• Live music Fri-Sun
• Weekday breakfast specials Mon-Fri until 11am for $7.95

**Recommendations: Sourdough Bread, Raisin Bread, Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Greek Frittata (I still need to try more though) I really want to try their banana bread, French Toast, Breakfast burrito and pancake which is apparently huge.

This is your local 50’s style diner in a very traditional sense. It’s 50’s style dining with Elvis and Grease style decor and classic memorabilia. A foodie friend highly recommended McJac’s Roadhouse Grille and without the recommendation I would have never discovered it.

It’s definitely a local favorite and it was pretty much a full house. It was one of those Sunday brunch places that is fun for all ages. I really wish I explored the restaurant more because they offer 4 uniquely themed rooms: retro room, deco dining, deco lounge and the courtyard patio. I know it’s popular for breakfast and brunch but I was impressed enough to go back to try their lunch and dinner one day.

Everything is made fresh and from scratch. The meals are actually leaning towards a healthy route and they’re served in generous portions. It’s reasonably priced and it’s been so successful that they opened up a cafe/bakery next door.

This was a sign in the Roadhouse Grille restaurant side. I’m not sure if the 10% off only applies if you dine at the restaurant… I was confused.

It has a different feel than the restaurant and was much more contemporary and even a bit European. They have a variety of baked goods, pastries, desserts, cupcakes, individual and whole cakes to go. There is limited seating so most items are made to go.

These are the same breads that they serve at the Roadhouse Grille Restaurant.

Half the bakery is  actually a gourmet cheese and cured meats shop that also sells flavored oils and crisps to go. You can only imagine my excitement.

On the table:

**Greek Frittata – 4.5/6

• Spinach & Feta with grilled onions and mushrooms. Served open faced with diced tomatoes and garlic olive paste. Omelettes are served with pan fries and two slices of Roadhouse toast. All omelettes are made with 3 eggs. $10.95
• This is one of their most popular and highly recommended menu items.
• It was huge. There were lots of ingredients, however little things could have made it better.
• The omelette was a bit overcooked for me.
• It wasn’t salty enough and there wasn’t enough cheese in it. There was very little Feta so it wasn’t much of a frittata in the traditional sense.

• What made the omelette was 100% the olive garlic spread or tapenade.
• It was salty, but not too salty. It was a little spoonful in the centre of the omelette and you had to find it and spread it out yourself.
• I didn’t have a lot in mine, but my friend has a lot on hers. I actually ended up asking for a side of it and they didn’t charge for it – which is nice.

• I’m pretty sure it was made in house. It was a puree of mixed olive and garlic. It was the only ingredient that really brought the omelette flavour and made it pretty damn good. The caramelized onions added a little sweetness but that’s about it.

**Raisin Bread – 4/6

• The bread is made in house and available at their bakery next door.
• It was nice and soft because it was white bread and there were a decent amount of plump raisins throughout.

Multi-grain Bread – 3/6

• It was good, but nothing to rave about. I heard the sourdough is the best, but I wasn’t aware until after I left… next time!

• 2 poached eggs, smoked salmon, capers, Hollandaise sauce and pan fries $11.45
• The benny’s are also a super popular item here. The smoked salmon benny is supposed to be a favourite. I loved it!
• The English muffin could have been more toasted, but it was still okay.
• I asked for the eggs to be soft and they were done perfectly.
• The Hollandaise sauce is made in house and it’s great. It’s salty, buttery and rich but not as creamy as some other places. It’s not very tangy either, just buttery.
• I loved the salty bite of the big capers they added. The smoked salmon was also delicious.
• The pan fries weren’t fried long enough so they were too soft although well seasoned. Next time I would ask for extra crispy.

Eggs Benny on an English Muffin – n/a

• 2 poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, ham & pan fries $9.95
• I didn’t try this but I’m assuming it was good since there were no complaints.
• I couldn’t imagine it tasting much different then my smoked salmon benny – which was great!

Traditional – 3.5/6

• 2 eggs, choice of ham or 3 bacon or smoky or 2 sausage patties with pan fries & 2 slices of Roadhouse toast $8.45
• I didn’t order this, but it was what it was.
• The sausage patties I really liked, but others at the table prefer the greasy McDonald’s sausage patties. These sausage patties are a healthier version of those – leaner meat, but still tender, juicy, and salty.

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