Dining Review: New Theresa’s inherits its namesake’s best ingredients

Theresa Sprunk was a powerhouse back in the 1950s and ’60s. She had a career, raised a child, made her clothes and volunteered at numerous philanthropic organizations around Glendale. She was an integral part of the erstwhile Tuesday Afternoon Club and was even named the 1963 Junior Citizen of the Year. Her good deeds made such an impression on her daughter Rene Shea that after Sprunk’s death, Shea opened a restaurant in her name.

That was Theresa’s Family Restaurant in Burbank, a popular vintage-style diner that shared the neighborhood with midcentury icons the Tallyrand and Safari Inn. Rising rents forced Shea to forfeit the space in 2013. (It’s a Starbucks now.) After some months she found a suitable new location and recently reopened as Theresa’s Restaurant on San Fernando Road in Glendale.

Shea would be the first to admit the new space is not as cozy and family friendly as the prior location. But ambience is not the primary thing that makes Theresa’s unique. Rene Shea is what makes this place special. She’s a people person. She calls you sweetheart even though you just met her. She refills your coffee before you knew you needed it. She serves up fluffy pancakes with a warm smile.

If you frequented the old Theresa’s, you know the kind of food they serve: classic home-style diner fare. Breakfasts are the standouts here, breakfasts with lots of options. The Studio Special ($9) is the most popular with your choice of two types of sausage, two types of bacon, hash browns, home fries or fruit, pancakes or toast and two eggs any style. Capable cook Hilario Villanueva can make the eggs any way you like: poached, scrambled, basted, fried, boiled and probably shirred.

You can substitute French toast or whole grain pancakes for a nominal fee. I highly recommend the whole grain pancakes with their crunchy bits of walnut and chunks of Granny Smith apple. I also recommend the home fries instead of the hash browns. They’re chock full of grilled bell peppers and onions. Theresa’s may want to consider adding corned beef to the home fries for their Eggs and Hash dish. The corned beef hash they serve is out of a can, sliced and fried. To some it may be too salty or processed. To me it was comforting and familiar, just like my mom used to make.

I hear the Outrageously Healthy Oatmeal is delicious as are the omelets. I am certain the Eggs Florentine and Eggs Benedict are tasty to the last bite. Finally, you’ve got to love a place that puts a big thermos of coffee on your table, a tradition Shea probably brought with her from IHOP where she worked for 32 years.

Lunch sees burgers and sandwiches, soups and salads. I enjoyed the Grilled Cobb Sandwich, similar to a Cobb Salad but on grilled sourdough. It’s $9 with fries, fruit, home fries, soup or slaw. Here’s the deal of the day though. Significant discounts are given to entertainment studio employees (15%), police officers and fire fighters (20%), and city of Glendale employees (15%). Just show your ID. Your discount applies at breakfast, lunch or the soon-to-be-served dinner (starts Monday, Nov. 17).

You may find at Theresa’s that they’re out of turkey sausage, for instance, or that they haven’t made the soup that day, but Shea’s accommodating demeanor makes it easy to forgive. She’ll get you something else straight away. Plans are in the works to add cozier interior design details and mood music. Even as it is, there’s a vibe that makes customers old and young feel right at home. I witnessed strangers become friends by the end of their meal.

Give the new Theresa’s Restaurant a try. It’s a quirky, cute diner with good home-style food and warmhearted service. The location is a bit tucked away in a mini-mall with a diverse set of renters. As Shea says, it’s the only place in town where you can eat, wash your clothes and get a tattoo. Mom would be proud.

What: Theresa’s Restaurant

Where: 6306 San Fernando Road, Glendale

When: Daily, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday starting Nov. 17)

Prices: breakfast fare, $5.50 to $9.50; salads, soups and sandwiches $4 to $9.50

More info: (747) 221-2348; www.theresasinglendale.com
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LISA DUPUY welcomes suggestions and comments at LDupuy@aol.com.