Jasmyne Tea: Diner

What's one thing that every tourist should do whilst in California?

Shopping.

[Oh, how I love shopping.]

Right outside LA is a factory outlet called The Citadel, FULL of brand names. We went a bit nuts at Calvin Klein and I spent more money in one afternoon than I did in the 4 weeks I was in the US, but I don't regret it at all :)

I had wanted to eat at an authentic American diner during my time there, and luckily for me there was a Ruby's Diner at the outlet.

Started in 1982 by Doug Cavanaugh in Balboa, California, Ruby's was named after Doug's mother. He decided on a 1940's themed diner because "that's when Balboa had its heyday!". They filled the store with memorabilia from the era and opened with a simple menu of burgers, hot dogs and malt shakes.

Now with restaurants all across Southern California, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada, Ruby's is a wildly successful chain of diner restaurants that still focuses on quality food and service.

Malted Chocolate Shake

Peanut Butter Cup Shake

We started with good old-fashioned milkshakes. Considering how many options there were, Stephen was probably a little too old-fashioned in ordering the malted chocolate shake, but it was really well executed. I ordered a peanut butter cup shake, which I guess was really just peanut butter and chocolate. Both shakes were thick and creamy, with a little extra served on the side in metal cups. Generous dollops of whipped cream and cherries graced the tops.

Cheeseburger

We both got cheeseburgers, which came with a giant serving of freshly-cooked fries and a slightly less significant salad. The burger itself was glorious, a structure of squishy bread, crunchy lettuce, tart tomato, tender, juicy beef and American cheese. Ketchup and mustard were provided, of course.

This was just a quick stop during our marathon of shopping, but next time I'm in California I'll definitely be trying something else on the menu. The service was impeccable, the food quick to come out but still amazingly fresh.