The Farmhouse

Some restaurants fully resemble the things they're named after.

The Farmhouse is a traditional American-breakfast/lunch restaurant that looks like.... a farmhouse! There's even a huge statue of a rooster to the right of it. I nabbed a photo, but I don't know if anyone actually wants to see a picture of a huge male chicken. It was just a statue anyway.

This place is located in Banning, CA, right off the Interstate 10... think 20 miles east of Redlands. There's signs along both sides of the freeway telling you how to get here. One sign said that this restaurant was award-winning. I hoped that meant the food tasted great, not merely that this restaurant did a good job of grabbing hungry travelers along the busy interstate.

There's a Denny's right next door, but I didn't drive here to eat at Denny's. The food at this location had to be more original and local. Inside, the Farmhouse looked like one of those traditional diners with loads of memorabilia all over the walls. It reminded me of a farm from the inside as well. One humorous sign along the wall informed me that "whining was not allowed."

I came to the Farmhouse to sample their Justin Burger, the biggest sandwich on the menu, named after a local marine and featuring one full pound of ground beef. It comes with any side, and I decided to go with chili con carne for a change of pace. I bet they served decent french fries though.

The Justin Burger was certainly stacked high, but that's the nifty illusion that crisp lettuce provides. This situation always reminds me of those TV commercials and billboards that showcase absolutely mammoth fast food burgers. Just crush down the lettuce, and you'll have a perfectly manageable meal. Done and done.

Getting to the burger pictured above, I must say that it looked, smelled, and tasted like an oversized, higher-quality Big Mac. That's not a knock by any stretch, since I grew up on Big Macs and have always loved their flavor. The side salad and chili were decent, but nothing extraordinary. It's a huge offering but definitely not impossible. I bet lots of diners finish this attempt at a monstrosity.

Your prize, if you can finish the Justin Burger, is an oversized cookie from their dessert station. It's not much of a prize, but then again, the burger is not much of an challenge!

I opted for an oatmeal cookie. It was sweet and moist, and a nice if calorific way of capping off a large burger. Anyone who wants to try a different dining experience needs to check out the Farmhouse!