Just wondering what Dopers’ favourite diner meals are.
For the purposes of this thread, “diner” refers to a place to get a meal. Nothing more, nothing less. It might be in a repurposed streetcar, or it might be a hole-in-the-wall in a streetfront of other businesses, but it’s a diner, with good, basic, North American meals. (Note 1.)
Me, I’m fond of a grilled cheese sandwich, and tomato soup. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. A BLT sandwich and mushroom soup. And always, apple pie and coffee to complete the meal.
What are your favourites?
Note 1: By “North American,” I mean “US and Canada.”
Usually a chicken club sandwich. It’s one of those deceptively simple dishes that’s just a royal PITA to make at home. If it’s a weekend morning, eggs benedict, for the same reason.
Preferably topped with grilled onions, shredded cheddar cheese, and white gravy. Denny’s used to call this “covered and smothered”, but I haven’t been there in several years and looking at their delivery menu it doesn’t seem to be a standard option anymore.
Nothing beats a good diner breakfast. We go to Marie’s Diner for an occasional treat (it’s more than 20 miles away, so not on our normal rotation.) Good food, good portions, attentive but not annoying servers, and Diet Coke (not Pepsi!!) Last time, I got the Country Benedict - definitely yum! We’ve not been there for other meals, yet…
A patty melt. When going to a new diner the first/only time, it’s my go-to. If it’s not good, I won’t trust anything else sold by the restaurant, and will be unlikely to return. If the fries suck, the waitperson spills my non-sweetened iced tea on my lap, and the short order cook yells at me because I accidentally looked at him funny, but the patty melt is excellent, I’m likely to give the place another try!
Greek Coney Islands are a thing here is the Detroit metro area, basically a diner with sme Greek food added. I’ve come to prefer getting a gyro and fries when I go there, its my latest favorite. For breakfast I go for the pork chop breakfast.
If I’m not doing breakfast for lunch/dinner (3 eggs, poached; well toasted sourdough toast, charred breakfast potatoes), then it is likely to be a BLT (on sourdough toast) and a bowl of chili.
I am very limited at a diner, having never enjoyed the ability to eat many foods Americans relish such as hamburgers, hotdogs, soda, sweet soft white buns, processed cheese, – it’s a long list and it isn’t because I’m a snob although I am, my palate just doesn’t accommodate these and hasn’t from day one. A safe meal at a diner for me is scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, rye toast hold the butter please. Coffee is tolerable if it is fresh and very hot.
Club sandwich all the way. Not a chicken club, a deli meat turkey & ham club on white toast. Cut into 4, with a pickle, and hopefully some steak fries.
Turkey and ham club sandwich toasted on white bread here too, hold the tomato. Yes fries. Yes dill pickle on the side, and a glass of (unsweetened) iced tea. And could we get a couple more napkins, please?