THE DINER Restaurant Review – Classic Americana Morning, Noon And Night.
I do not say this lightly and without much consideration, but The Diner served me the the best burger I have ever eaten.
rating:4
As a child I longed to visit a real American diner. The closest comparison I had were smoky cafes and roadside diners, which lets face it were stopovers for beleaguered holidaying families, truckers and travelling salesman. They didnt have the congenial, cool hangouts that I saw on American television shows and in movies. Were they just more fabricated Hollywood lies? Then I went to America and found out these diners did exist and was so happy. Now, thanks to the aptly named The Diner I can enjoy this atmosphere and classic American diner staples any time I want in any of their five London locations. From outside you cant miss the neon red sign, THE DINER. Inside red stools stand at the counter top; big comfy, inviting booths are all around. It looks like the Seinfeld diner, the diner from Back to the Future, Happy Days and American Graffiti it looks like what you want a diner to look like. Above the bar specials are written in magnetic letter just like at old time movie theatres, theres a juke box in the corner which may or may not just be there for decoration and the walls are adorned with pictures of American films, bands and productions. But refreshingly, while theyre recognisable as American, theyre not ubiquitous or clichéd. In the day its bright and chilled, at night the lights go low and American tunes play until they close at midnight. Its a cool, vibrant and yet chilled morning noon or night. As are the staff; they all have that friendly, can-do American attitude and a great sense of humour.
While alcohol might not be top of your list for desires at a diner, The Diner certainly has a great selection from beers to cocktails to wine. With nine varieties of imported beer from across the pond youve got a choice to make. More recognised brands like Sam Adams and Brooklyn sit alongside obscurer ones like Pacifico and Goose Island Honkers. And if youre adventurous theres a banana and a chilli beer to test your taste buds.
But when I visit a diner the beverage I must have is a milkshake. The Diner offers just about every flavour you can imagine and gives you the chance to mix and match. Butterscotch and peanut butter? Strawberry and chocolate? Whatever you like. The shake is thick ridiculously thick, in fact so creamy and gives you a sugar kick that takes you to a place where you forget that this is one of the most fattening delights that one can imbibe. And if you like your shakes with a dousing of grandpas cough medicine, they will happily recommend a tipple to make your shake of choice hard as nails.
I have frequented the various different chains on numerous occasions for breakfast and have always went away feeling full of food but also full of regrets and not just because I know my waistline will probably decide and expand to spite me. With so many choices I always feel like I have made the wrong one. The pancakes are soft and fluffy you must choose blueberry. Or banana! Topped with bacon and smothered with maple syrup the sugar high is balanced by the salty low that always leave me on an altogether higher plane of existence. But theres no eggs or sausage, or hasbrown, and Im English so want that Anglo-American English breakfast that diner serves up better than any other American restaurant. But if I go for this I had been adventurous and gone for a Mexican breakfast. I never thought peppers and chillies and spicy sausage would go with eggs to make a breakfast meal how stupid I was. But when I do this, I wish I had gone for the pancakes. Too many choices do not a satisfied man make.
However, I didnt have to worry about that on this night as I was attending the Carnaby Street branch for dinner. Im somewhat of a connoisseur when it comes to burgers. In London gourmet burger bars are a dime a dozen as they would say in America, and being at the diner I certainly feel like I am there so its pretty unforgivable if your burger isnt up to a very highest standard. Gone are the days of the patties being solid and thin and the cheese being placed on top cold. Now the standard of burger is so high the meat and the toppings have to be something special to really impress. Well, this was my first burger at Diner. And I do not say this lightly and without much consideration, but The Diner served me the the best burger I have ever had. And sadly, you cant have it. The Diablo burger, which I was served on this fateful night was specially introduced for Halloween for a limited time. A thick, juicy medium rare patty I asked for as rare as they could legally serve it is topped with the usual lettuce and tomato but then has the devils helpings in the form of perfectly melted pepper jack cheese, bacon, pickles and a special spicy relish. Sitting like a tower beside a huge helping of fries this a regular order at The Diner I pat it down to get it into a shape that just might fit into my mouth. Juices squirt out from every crevice, landing on the fries much to my pleasure. The meat is crumbly and juicy throughout, but holds its shape, meaning your burger doesnt fall to pieces. And the beef is so flavoursome that the toppings compliment rather than overpower the beefy goodness. The Diablo burger may not be on the menu anymore, but at the diner theyre very accommodating. Remember the old Burger King adverts where the customer would ask for some addition to a burger and the server would say you got it!? Well this is the philosophy they adopt here. Just make sure you say please.
The only thing that can make a great burger better is having great sides, and thats exactly what the diner offers. The chilli cheese fries arrive in a basket and you can barely see the fries under the mound of beef, chilli and cheese. Sticking my fork in I have to pull to get the fries through the melange of melted cheese and chilli. What I come away with is a mouthful of meaty, spicy chilli, soft fries and springy cheddar. Its the same texture that you get with their mac and cheese. The cheese is burnished to perfection, the macaroni soft, the sauce thick and creamy, but again like every mac and cheese I have had in my diner adventures in London, it lacks a wow factor something that will propel it above its competitors. A little spice, some herbs, a little touch of something different. Then again, while this would please me, I dare say the purist would be howling boos!
If youre in the mood for Mexican cuisine but want fries and a shake on the side, then Diner can meet your demands. The offer a variety of fajitas burritos and tacos. I go for the steak fajita. The steak is a little tough and lacking flavour, and the elements that make or break a fajita are also sadly lacking. The sour cream is gloopy, the salsa watery and although the guacamole is tasty, it doesnt convince the eye that it is homemade. It lacks texture and those wonderful lumps of tomato, red onion and avocado that give it that just made quality. But it was the prawn baguette that was the biggest misfire. A line of deep friend battered prawns line a toasted baguette, topped with salad and spicy mayo. The prawns themselves were delicious. The batter was golden, the brown soft and tasty, but as a sandwich it doesnt work because the prawns fall out and you end up eating the bread then the pieces of prawns that have jumped ship separately. Furthermore it just felt alien in a diner. Despite these two dishes that didnt leave me sated, I am willing to say the disappointment is partly based on expectation. When I go to a Diner for dinner I am not looking for fajitas or sea food. I want burgers and fries, onion rings and shakes. The Diner does the things I want to a standard that competes with the very best.
For dessert you are spoiled for choice, with each offering sounding more American and guaranteed to have you sucking the spoon clean than the next. Thinking about the sugary sweetness of each dish makes the insides of my cheeks tingle and my lips quench. Theyre pies apple, blueberry, pecan are like oversized doorstops, with the fillings looking like theyre going to burst away from the pastry at any moment these take deep filled pies to a new level. Sadly there is no key lime my personal favourite of the pie world but Ill let that slide. Waffles and cheesecake and fudege cake are also on offer and if you havent had pancakes for breakfast (or if you have) theyre also available for desert. But its the blueberry and peanut butter sundae that is the must try. The saltiness of the peanut butter offers the perfect contrast to the sweetness of the blueberries and the vanilla ice cream. Why has it taken us so long to realise that peanut butter is the perfect dessert accompaniment? The Diner is the closest thing I have found outside of The States to offering an authentic American diner experience; lord knows there are many who purport to offer this out there. This is as much to do with the food as it is and enthusiastic staff who propel the dining experience to the next level; they are friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about the food and will quite happily plonk themselves down beside you and take your order. Whether this is the way they have been directed to be by the management or just the calibre of people who The Diner deems suitable to work there, it created an extremely American atmosphere, just like the ones you see on TV.
A three-course meal at The Diner will cost you from £20 - £30 excluding drinks and service charge. Remember to ask your waiter or waitress for the secret menu for special meals that the staff have created themselves. From weird to wonderful and often both, youll only hear about them by asking. Just dont tell them I told you. The Diner can be found at one of its 5 locations Soho, Islington, Shoreditch, Kensal Rise and Camden. For more information or to book a table visit http://www.goodlifediner.com/ And if you are a fan of The Diner and believe it to be the best American Restaurant in London, remember to register your vote when the polls open on 25/11/11.