Jeez, maybe I shouldn’t have started this thread. With every post, I get hungry.
I do want to try that “chili size.” It looks tasty!
As for diner meals, I seem to recall that Denny’s made a lot out of their “Ultimate BLT” or somesuch, some years ago. Last time I was into a Denny’s, maybe three or four years ago, I was surprised to find it not on the menu. “Well, no, it’s not on the menu, but we can do one, no problem,” the waitress said. And they did, and it was good.
Why would a place like Denny’s pull a typical diner meal from a diner’s menu?
best Chili dog I ever had was at a pub in Adelaide in the 80’s. I was seriously hung over, the roll was stale, the chili and hotdogs had been in the bain marie for at least a week. It was perfect. Served in a foil boat, washed down with a pint, best breakfast ever.
Chili dogs are meant to be eaten by picking them up in your hands. Scrolling through Google images I don’t see anything chili dogs that are meant to be eaten with a fork. Mike’s offering is an
See my previous comment.
Anyway, this is the diner thread, and not the chili burger thread. I didn’t mean to hijack the thread.
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The diner near us has excellent seafood (20 steamed shrimp is my fave), but for traditional diner food, I get mashed taters in beef gravy and meat loaf, plain – with ketchup – or in tomato paste. If the gravy is good, I’ll forgo the red stuff and douse it in gravy. With lima beans on the side.
Since we’ve allowed quite a lot of latitude in what is considered a diner, I’ll throw two more from my days in Albuquerque NM, which have not only traditional diner fare, but definitive NM style Mexican diner fare full of the essential hot, filling, and (comparatively) cheap.
Which has some of the best stacked green chili enchiladas you can imagine, along with an amazing side of green chile in a bowl, best in winter months. Note, breakfast is served all day as well.
Second is an Alb institution (in that it’s -always- there, open early/late, and while it’s not the best food available, it’s super dependable):
Basically if you’ve ever been, or ever known a UNM (University of New Mexico) student, you’ve been here at some point or another. Personally, there are a lot of better options (like the link above) for (New) Mexican food in town, so here for me it was back to the default breakfast and a giant cinnamon bun.
BTW - having spent over a decade growing up in NM, I am one of those that consider the default (and superior) enchilada to be stacked, not rolled, but realize there are strong regional preferences. Just remember, stacked will be the most common option if you find yourself in the area.
I tell yah, I am on board with this discussion. I’m nodding my head at every post. Here in the Cleveland area many diners will have things like chicken paprikash and cabbage and noodles.
Or, as I did today: Barry’s Junk Scramble (3 eggs, ham, bell peppers, cheese - 2 eggs less than the Denver omelet, which is more of a full-fledged omel) and the rest. I just can’t eat that much food in one sitting any more.
I’ve given this thread some thought before deciding.
I love all sorts of diner food, but I don’t go to them very often. When I do, it’s usually breakfast.
Hot strong coffee, keep it coming. A little splash of regular milk to mellow it a bit.
3-egg omelet with spinach, chopped bacon and Monterey Jack cheese, a nice pile of shredded crispy hash browns and sourdough toast. Just lovely.
It’s rare to find a diner that does Joe’s Special, but I’ll always order it if they do. Ground beef scrambled with eggs, spinach, onions and mushrooms, minced garlic, nutmeg and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Top this glorious mess with a cheese of your choice (I like cheddar with a bit of Parmesan). Again with the hash browns and sourdough toast.
Nice leftovers, too!
Fifty years ago, there was a magnificent diner on the outskirts of Boise, Idaho, called Manley’s Cafe. It was a true standout. Whatever you ordered would feed at least 3 people with big appetites. If you ordered pie, you got a quarter of a large one. If you ordered your pie a la mode, it came topped with a pint of ice cream.
If you Google it, you’ll find pics. I haven’t thought about that place in years, but this thread made me remember.