Dinner @ Cousin's Restaurant & Lounge, Pasco, WA

4605 Road 68
Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 543-9925

If you have ever driven on Oregon Highway I-84 and made a stop in The Dalles, then you will have definitely seen a nice restaurant called Cousin's, which is a laid back place that is dedicated to offering food that makes you feel at home. Unfortunately I've never tried it there, so I was surprised a few years ago when Cousin's opened in Pasco. It had taken over a year for them to build and finish it, but when it did, it was packed. It's just off the highway, so whether you're coming into or heading out of the Tri-Cities, it's the perfect place to unload or stock up. I realize I'm sounding like an ad, but bare with me.

I've visited Cousin's in Pasco a few times before this, all breakfast visits but this was the first time I would be going in for dinner, this time with my mom and nephew. At the same time there was a Fathers/Daughter's event happening at a nearby venue so most of the people in there were dressed up, so it was nice to see.

I decided to try what they call the Knife & Fork Burger, which is described as an open-faced patty topped with sauteed mushrooms, bacon and onions, smothered with swiss cheese. I love hamburgers and cheeseburgers, and this seemed interesting as I could imagine the flavors right there. I should say something though: in the past I've not been fond of onions. I'll be honest, I hated them. I like the flavor but sometimes the texture used to irk me, I don't know if something happened in my childhood where I felt it was too "wormy", or I just hated the crunch. Anyway, I've been wanting to change and evolve with what I eat, and the idea of this burger being open faced with a lot of good things and a semi-good thing (onion) was going to be a semi-challenge.

In truth, it was no challenge. It came to my table and it looked good. I cut a piece and it was so ono! The hamburger tasted good, this definitely wasn't a fast food burger at all. Add to that the smokiness of the bacon and the flavor of the onions, mixed in with the cheese... man, I could have eaten another if my stomach was ready for it. One didn't need to add anything to it. I used to be a ketchup junkie, I didn't flood my foods with it but it would always be on there. In the last few years I've changed my habits as I've wanted to taste the actual food, and I've enjoyed the experience. You want to use a fork and knife on something that isn't steak, this is the best way to go. The thick French fries are also nice.

Atmosphere is cozy, it has a country/western feel but not overly so, and the customer service is excellent, very courteous and welcoming, no stink eyes whatsoever. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners are priced accordingly, so you may want to check their menus (at the website) for prices beforehand. Mine was $10.99 and definitely worth it. Of course you could also go around the block and eat at McDonald's, Taco Bell, Eatsa Pizza, Jack In The Box, and Sonic, but for a good meal to sit down to, Cousin's is definitely worth it for good, home style American food.

Breakfast @ Griff-N-Willy's, Richland, Washington

2243 Stevens Place
Richland, Washington 99354
(509) 375-4909
map (courtesy of Mapquest.com)



Griff-N-Willy's is a local diner I had heard about when reading the Giant Nickel, one of those freebie newspapers you can find at markets and corner/convenient stores. It was new, they were celebrating their grand opening, and the secret word was found in the ad: breakfast. That and the fact that if you clipped the ad and dined there before February 28th, you would get 25 percent off of your tab. Not bad, so I decided that I would take my mom there, since she's a big breakfast junkie as well.

Griff-N-Willy's (not to be confused with the pizza joint known as Nick-N-Willy's) is on Stevens Drive, and if you live in the Tri-Cities here in Washington, it means it's all the way in North Richland, that section where one road goes into Hanford, the other leads to Vantage and Yakima. In other words, it's not on the main road so if you want it, you have to make an effort. I drive to the area as located on the map, and at first I didn't see it. No building, no sign, nothing that says "eat here", until I looked left and with a bit of obscurity, a small diner, a Pepsi logo, and a place to park was seen. I would have missed it had I not paid attention.

We were the only customers there at the time, and at first I thought maybe it was closed. The door listed some of the specials, which I casually looked at but really didn't take a close look. We got there, greeted warmly by the cashier who sat us down. A few minutes later, a couple come in for breakfast as well. I then overhear the waitress call someone and say something which sounded as if she was asking for more help because "four people are here, and they just ordered breakfast". No big deal.

As far as atmosphere, it's very simple, no flash, just a few heaters and air conditioners. It was old looking, but not beat up, and very clean too, so those who mayt be offended by dirt or dust will find this to be a welcome place. The first thing I did notice was the new smell, or the fact that it didn't smell like a lot of food had been cooked there. It then reminded me of the smell I remember when I would go to my Omama's house. Ten minutes later, a lady comes rushing in, and immediately to the back. Twenty minutes later, still nothing. Twenty-five minutes, and finally we get to the meal. I then realized the person who came in fifteen minutes before was the cook, and perhaps the owner of the place.

The menu had a lot of good things on there, where you could have one egg and becon, two eggs and sausage, or you could get complex and have two pancakes, two bacon, two sausage, two eggs, and your choice of potato and this is what I found interesting. Their house special was called a "Potato Cake", which I had not heard of, so with my order of scrambled eggs & corned beef hash, I chose the potato cake. The menu stated that it was a personal favorite of the parents of those who now run Griff-N-Willy's. When it arrived, the dish looked very good. Not too big, not small, but in the words of Rap Replinger's Auntie Marialani character, just right. The potato cake looked like mashed potatoes that was slightly butterfried, with some herbs thrown in for flavor, and as for flavor, it was very good. The serving was equal to that of a Quarter Pounder patty, and perfect enough for the amount of eggs and corned beef hash I was given. The corned beef hash was really good, nice and crispy, neither under- or overcooked. I had a side of sour dough bread, and it was good too. I'm not sure if the corned beef hash was homemade or canned, I will have to ask when I visit the next time (and there will be a next time).

My mom had an egg over easy with bacon and rye bread, which she liked, the only complaint was that the coffee really didn't taste like coffee, but rather water with "coffee flavoring". My mom is a java junkie, and to my taste it was a bit light (i.e. more water than coffee). I had a glass of milk, and was happy with that.

Griff-N-Willy's has the feel of a humble and quiet country diner, so if you don't want to deal with the hectic pace of a Denny's, I would recommend trying their breakfast items. It looks like they could hold about 20 diners at any given time, but they have tables outside to eat out on during warmer temperatures. They also serve lunch and dinner, but you may want to call for business hours just in case. No online presence yet, but if you like the meals, maybe they can create a MySpace or Facebook page of sorts and put their menu up. Next time, I'll try out their pancakes.