We re-visited the Pine Grove Family Restaurant at 9399 N Florida Ave on 5 September 2010. We’ve been here plenty of times, but not since our last official visit over a year ago.

If Pine Grove looks like it’s been here a while, that’s probably because it has. Based on the cars in the parking lot, it’s a little bit like stepping back in time a couple decades. That’s a good feature for a diner.

Here’s an exciting new model from 1972. I know that sounds a little like I’m making fun, but I always liked a Dodge, and 1972 was a good year for the 318 v8. Not that this Dart is running a v8, I’m just sayin’, a 72 Dodge is a quality vehicle. This’d make a fine stock car, if it weren’t already so pretty.

Pine Grove has a new menu since last we were here. It’s probably the same old menu, but newly printed. We don’t seem to have a picture of the old menu from last year.

I dressed for breakfast. Because yes, I WOULD eat them in the rain, and I WOULD eat them on a train. And on a boat. But NOT with a goat, Marek I Am.

MAREK! Oh My Hat, what’s THAT next to you?

Holy Moly, Dad! WOW, I can’t believe it!

It’s our new breakfast partner, Ivo! (For y’all who haven’t met him personal-like, hat’s EEEEEE-vo, not eye-vo).

Now we’ve got to get new business cards.

As is the custom in our growing breakfast tribe, we had coffee.

Ivo had coffee.

Actually, he didn’t. This photograph is completely posed, unlike all the other crazy things we do. Ivo would OBVIOUSLY need his coffee in a bottle. Duh.

Marek and I played cars. This monster tow-truck is currently known as “Mater,” despite the clear fact that it’s nothing like Mater at all. Ivo just slept. His time is coming.

Here’s breakfast! Marek did his Praying Mantis Kung Fu move and yoinked a bit of bacon before the plate was done spinning.

Now I’m not going to lie to you, these are NOT scrambled eggs. I could have asked to have it fixed, but with a three year old and an infant, plus reruns of Walker, Texas Ranger coming on in 15 minutes, we do not really have time to wait for replacement eggs. Sadly, I don’t really care for over easy eggs. This was a bit of a disappointment. Plus, even Marek didn’t really care for the bacon. The bit he yoinked in such dramatic fashion went uneaten.

The bill weighed in at about eight clams, which isn’t too bad for feeding three hungry boys.

You are seeing correctly, that is an empty coffee cup. A sad sight, indeed.

Marek paid the bill.

Can’t argue with baby feet.

Even with a new baby and a not-the-best-we-ever-did-have morning chow, I still managed to get a bit of love from Marek.

While the price is right and the place is full of our kind of regulars, we just didn’t really love the chow this morning. We give this visit to Pine Grove Family Restaurant a Tampa Bay Breakfasts three pancake rating.

When we were done with breakfast, we started out on an epic journey to show Ivo the ropes of Tampa. First we went to the park and played on the slide. Marek was impressed at how fast Ivo went down.

Then we went to La Tropicana for a jugo (para Marek) y cafe con leche (para mi). Que bueño!

We went to the Ybor Saturday market and bought a present for our favorite TBB Guest Reviewer, Mom. (Not pictured here: Mom, who is home sleeping)

We went to Tampa’s best bookstore, Inkwood Books, to get a birthday present for Baby Zach.

And we went to baby Zach’s birthday party and bounced and bounced and bounced.

All in a day’s work for Marek and Andy (and Ivo, too!)