I had such high hopes

There’s a quaint restaurant in Salt Lake City called Ruth’s Diner with amazing buttermilk biscuits, outdoor garden seating, and yummy banana bread french toast. I’d sort of forgotten about that french toast until I saw this post the other day. And I thought, I really should make that.

I love banana bread.
I love french toast.
What could be better?
So I started with my favorite Coconut Lime Banana Bread
(per Owen’s request. He’s a banana bread groupie)

And before he and Casey had time to devour it all, I saved a few slices, whipped up an egg/milk/vanilla mixture, dunked the slices, and fried them up.
Then I drizzled the banana french toast with a bit of caramel because….well, coconut, lime, bananas, and caramel sound tropically delicious. Yea?
I topped it with whipped cream and took a bite.
And decided…..
It was just okay.

I mean, it was yummy.
But it I’m not sure it was worth the extra calories and effort.
Bummer.
I really wanted it to be amazing.

Perhaps it was user error.
I think it would work better with banana bread that was overcooked or slightly dried out. The banana bread I used is very moist, so it felt waterlogged from dipping in the milk/egg mixture.

And I used lowfat milk in my recipe, rather than half and half or real cream.
So maybe it needs a rework.
Or maybe I just need to hit up Ruth’s Diner again to get my fill.

At the end of it all I concluded:
Warm banana bread on its own with a dab of butter is best!
Why go over the top when simplicity is heavenly?
Hopefully there’s banana bread in your weekend plans.

  1. Just make a huge one today for My big boy’s b-day !!!! Have a lovely day Dana !

  2. Lovely pictures as always Dana. I have never eaten there but now I want to give a go the next time we’re there! Sounds yummy.

  3. mmm banana bread does sound yummy, and I’m not a HUGE banana lover. 🙂 I tried something this week and it didn’t really work. I’m glad everybody has those moments!

  4. Maybe drizzle with chocolate sauce. More calories, but I love chocolate and bananas.

  5. We Love Ruth’s Diner.

    Good attempt on the french toast.

  6. 6) Kylie C

    I’d never heard of Banana Bread French toast until reading your post in my reader, then the VERY NEXT POST in my reader was a Banana Bread French Toast recipe from How Sweet it Is. This sounds like something my kids would enjoy on a Saturday morning even if it’s not really my thing. Thank you for sharing your okay adventures alongside all the amazing things you do!

  7. 7) Laura

    I think I’ve seen Ruth’s Diner on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives…here in Canada I wish I could take a road trip and visit all these places…I’d be fat, but happy!

  8. I can’t wait for spring weather to sit out on the patio at Ruth’s!! It is pretty great. I haven’t tried that french toast….might have to head over there and check it out. Though I have to agree, a piece of perfectly moist banana bread is pretty fantastic by itself.

  9. For everyone who loves bananas, I suggest following very easy desert: slice bananas in circles, add teaspoon or more honey for every banana(I prefer it with more) and put in the fringe for couple of hours. Bananas firm a delicious liquid with the honey and it’s really amazing taste! Add some chopped walnuts, dried fruits or vanilla ice cream and you have a wonderful desert!

  10. We live just South of Salt Lake, and love Ruth’s Diner. Looks like I know where we are going tomorrow!

  11. 12) Angie Ward

    I just so happen to have some bananas that are getting a little too ripe so banana bread may very well make it into my weekend plans. 🙂 Your banana bread looks so yummy! I will have to give your recipe a try!

  12. It always sucks when a new recipe is a let down. There’s a breakfast place near where I live that is known for their banana bread french toast, and when I tried it, my mind wasn’t blown away like I expected.

    BUT, that coconut lime banana bread recipe you have there sounds UH MAY ZING! *Note to self – make that bread ASAP*

  13. My mother-in-law made us some banana bread last week and she gave me the recipe. When my 3 year old found the recipe card in my bag she yelled “I’ll read it!! This is banana bread, is soooooooooo good!” while pointing at all of the words 🙂 I think we’ll try your recipe too, it looks delicious!

  14. We love using banana bread and zuccini bread for french toast, yep it definitely helps to use older bread.

  15. 16) Jessica

    I make Challah french toast often- and what I do to is slice it the night before, and put the slices on a cooling rack so it will dry out on both sides. I have found that drier is better. Then I use the egg and half n half mixture to soak through the slices. I fry them up for 3 minutes on each side- then I place them in a 350 degree oven for 3 minutes on each side.

    The result is crispy, and delicious. Not soggy at all. I don’t even put syrup on them, just butter, it’s that good.

    I bet it would work fantastic with banana bread!

  16. 17) Harriet

    Gosh you’ve made me crave banana bread now! I’ve got a great recipe – might just have to do some baking later…if the baby behaves 😉

  17. 18) EmilyJane

    If your ever in Dallas and need a banana bread french toast fix, try Bread Winners. Anything on their menu is good, and they have good banana bread french toast. I also LOVE Ruths Diner, I go there every time I visit for the biscuits.

  18. 20) Carolina

    wow, that sound delicious, i’m pregnant 22 weeks, and everything is ñami (yummi) to me. Banana bread, never tasted is not so popular in Southamerica, but here in Canada my bananas looks like yours. Let see! What can I do for the tea time today, (I’m from Chile, we don’t dinner, we drink tea and eat a sandwich). So tonight banana bread with tea, and for kids with milk.

  19. yes. yes. yes. how we love banana bread in our home. it is hard to keep ripe bananas around here, they get devoured quickly! but i think this time, i’ve managed to keep some aside so we can make banana bread this weekend. i’ve been craving it for quite a while now. and yes, simplicity goodness is just perfect.

  20. 22) Jean

    I REALLY need to go to Ruth’s Diner! It’s one of the places that Guy Fieri visited on DDD, I believe. I’ve heard SO many good things about it!!

  21. …”simplicity is heavenly” – I am going to frame that! Love it!

  22. Maybe the bread needs to be older/drier? This actually happens to me a lot- I think I’m making something awesome and I end up disappointed.

  23. I adore your banana bread recipe! I shared a loaf at school during “Random Acts of Kindness” week and everyone raved about it. Thanks again!

  24. Oh I just made your banana bread the other day! I looooove it! I like to skip the glaze and add extra coconut on top. 🙂

  25. You know up Weber canyon… my DH and I stayed at a cute B & B years ago (our kids sent us for an anniversary) and they served pancakes with banana’s and then maple syrup on top…. Why couldn’t you make… regular french toast with banana’s and all of your other toppings? Seems like then you would get your banana’s…. french toast and you could add the other tropical stuff…. bye the way…. where is the Pineapple? Sounds good to me… tropical is just not tropical if you don’t add the pineapple….
    Did you guys get some of the snow we got yesterday and the day b/4? We didn’t get too much… but winter is sure still here!

  26. 28) A. Momma

    We take old banana bread with chocolate chips instead of nuts (the kid’s request) and make it into banana bread pudding. Oh Wow!

  27. 29) nopinkhere

    I have gotten some pretty yummy Banana Bread French Toast at Kerbey Lane Cafe, but I don’t think they have it all the time. If I’me ever in SLC, I have to seek out Ruth’s.

  28. 30) nat beall

    I love your coconut lime banana bread ! it’s one of my favorite recipes ! I made it about a month ago 🙂 yum !

  29. I will be making your bread recipe this week since we have a few bananas that are looking a little freckled already! I understand your letdown-I tried a Giada recipe for French toast made from the Christmas Pannetone bread. BIG letdown for me. Guess a fruit-cakey bread by any other preparation is still a fruit-cakey bread! I would like to add how impressed I am that, even as creative as you are, you mustered the energy to bake from scratch with a new baby in the house. Well done!

  30. 32) eve

    personally i think the banana bread looks great, but as french toast would be way too much. i had never heard of ruth’s diner so i clicked on your link and i am laughing that this is listed on her menu on “the lighter side” along with cinnamon roll french toast. what?!!!

  31. 34) bdaiss

    Ooo – we love that coconut banana bread and I haven’t made in ages. Perhaps I should whip up a batch for my mom and the kids to have while I’m off on another work trip this week. (Not a big french toast fan, so I’ll leave those shenanigans to you!)

  32. 35) Sydney

    I love Ruth’s!! My dad used to take me there all the time when I was in High School. Really wish I could go there right now!

  33. I can’t make this too often, otherwise I won’t be able to stop eating it. As for the last post, I think it’s cute that you’re kids all look alike. I’ve been asked on regular occasion if all of my kids came from the same father. Serious. But I don’t take offense and realize that it may just not be so unusual in this day and age. Plus, I never wear my wedding ring.

  34. 37) themissymom

    This post made me smile. I do crazy stuff like this, too. Sometimes it works and sometimes it is only so-so. But always worth the effort and the things learned. I like to believe it helps my children understand the importance of trying new things, maybe again and again and again!

  35. 38) Suzette @ cajunnewlyweds@blogspot.com

    Hehe! Coming from a Cajun French Lady, French toast is traditionally made with stale bread! It was a way to make use of something most of us just waste these days. So yes, let that bread sit and dry-out and THEN try your recipe – you will probably be quite surprised!

  36. I always read your blogposts and I love your crafty ideas. The banana bread looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it myself!

  37. U have such a great talent for styling Dana! … even the ripped banana looks goooood!!!

  38. I backed banana bread by your recipe! Once tried my husband does not want any other (I do made some efforts backing banana bread by other recipes before!) 🙂
    Dana, your recipes are always so detailed, so well described and always a success! Thank you!

  39. 42) Gabi Cooper

    Dana, my husband makes breakfast every Sunday and one of his specialties is French Toast. This past Sunday however, after reading this post, I suggested that he fried a caramelized banana for me on the side. He simply added butter to the pan, then some sugar and the cut-up bananas. I ate them on top of my french toast and it was yummy!! Anyway, Just thought I would let you know!!

  40. 43) Amanda

    Ugh, I grew up in SLC and I totally remember that place! I am missing ‘home’ so much now. I’ve been gone for nearly ten years, but I think I am going to have to take a road trip this summer.

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