Ole Piper Inn - Blaine, Minnesota

During my recent visit to Minnesota, I was able to try the breakfast at the Ole Piper Inn in Blaine.

We arrived at the end of the breakfast rush and before the lunch service began (about 10:30). We were seated quickly and were able to order coffee right away.  I was surprised to see that a spoon was not included in our silverware set, which consisted of a knife, fork, and a smallish paper napkin. After the coffee was brought, I used my knife to stir my cream into the coffee. The waitress didn’t ask me if I wanted a spoon for my coffee, finally, when she refilled the cups asked for one.

I was hungry and ordered the Chicken Fried Steak with eggs, I added the cheese and onions to my hash browns and substituted “biscuits and gravy” for the 3 pancakes. My friend ordered a sausage omelet (actually, it was a “Ham and Cheese” omelet with sausage substituted). As a side, he too opted for the “biscuits and gravy.”

Food arrived in a reasonable time for breakfast.

Food

My Chicken Fried Steak was greasy on the bottom and the coating was quite doughy. It was also one of the smallest chicken fried steak portions I've ever had. The gravy pretty good, not as spicy as I’d like, but okay.  The single biscuit in the “biscuits and gravy” was horrible. It is the kind of biscuit that gives southerners the notion that Yankees can’t do biscuits. It is rare that I don’t eat my entire meal, but even I couldn’t eat this biscuit, so I left most of the biscuit on my plate and used some of the gravy to spice up my potatoes. The tiny sprinkling of cheese and a splat of onions on top was what the $1.25 upcharge provided. No onions in the hash browns, just a splat on top. Also, the hash browns were only barely browned on the top only.

My companion was happy with his sausage omelet. He said the sausage was spicy and tasty.  Too bad the same sausage isn’t used in the sausage gravy. He, too, found the biscuit very doughy and not very good.





Ratings

Ambiance: 4 (Clean and open -- booth seats were comfortable.)
Food: 2 (horrid biscuits and greasy chicken fried steak.)
Service: 3 (Server should notice that when a person orders coffee and cream that the customer will want a spoon to stir it.)
Price: 3 (Breakfast and coffee ran $34.00 plus tip. lots of upcharges that weren't worth the amount.)
Value: 3 

With so many places north of the Cities serving breakfast, I can not imagine ever returning to the Old Piper Inn for breakfast.


Location:

Ole Piper Inn
1416 93rd Lane NE
Blaine, MN 55449


Location: 1416 93rd Ln NE, Blaine, MN 55449, USA

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