Diner spinoff

Early risers: Jason Dass and Sean Jimenez graduated from servers to supervisors at Black Bear Diner, handling the responsibilities that come with cranking out hearty homestyle meals. Then, at the end of November, they opened their own restaurant—Hot Off the Griddle (1583 West El Camino Avenue in Natomas)—less than three miles away from their old employer.

“We got a lot of regulars from Black Bear,” Dass said. “We didn’t want to go anywhere really far where they couldn’t come see us anymore.”

The quirky menu still resides on four sheets of printer paper stapled together, but features “XL meals” like the double portion of chicken fried steak with three eggs, house potatoes and two pancakes ($15.99).

There’s also (slightly) less robust options like the house-named eggs benedict ($11.99) that comes with spinach, avocado, a scratch-made fried green tomato and “BACON!”—as the fried pork is stylized across their menu, and deservedly so, considering it comes in thick, middle-cut slices that are applewood smoked.

For lunch, options include a cobb salad ($11.99), a reuben sandwich with homemade corned beef ($11.99) and the Farmburger ($12.99), so named because they “throw the whole farm in it,” according to the menu.

On a recent day in December, Dass and Jimenez checked in on customers, joked with their staff and busily bopped around their recently renovated restaurant with large front windows, a wide marble counter and stylish black-and-white photos taken by Jimenez’s wife. Both men have families and said that their 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. hours allow them to spend time with their loved ones.

Jimenez said he’s aware of the Instagram tendencies of diners, so he makes social media-conscious choices like serving his burgers with the top bun off to reveal all the fixings. But so far, he said they’ve catered to a crowd of mostly seniors, a remark that gets a “Hey, watch that there, honey” then a wink from an older waitress nicknamed “Buff,” whom they poached from Black Bear.

“We did a lot, learned a lot over there,” Jimenez said. “But then we realized we can do this for ourselves.”

Ramsay rejected: What does Gordon Ramsay, a foul-mouthed British celebrity chef, know about soul food? Apparently not enough to make Sandra Dee’s (601 15th Street) change much of its steeze. The restaurant recently participated in a mad-dash makeover reality show—24 Hours to Hell & Back—hosted by Ramsay, and the episode’s expected to air in 2018, according to the Sacramento Bee. Sandra Dee’s kept its new interior, but decided to ditch Ramsay’s stripped-down menu and stick with the stuff they’ve been serving in Alkali Flats for near two decades. Thank goodness their outstanding storefront mural remained untouched.