Roadside Restaurants – Part 2
Some weeks back, I wrote about a local restaurant I’d seen several times and finally took the chance to visit. I was quite impressed. Enough so that I plan to go back and photograph it to add to that review. I also meant for that to be merely the first in a number of reviews featuring local ‘Mom & Pop’ restaurants as I travel around the region and when I visit other areas. With this in mind, I now introduce the Elkton Diner. (http://www.elktondiner.com/)
As you can see by the link, the owner is quite a fan of Marilyn Monroe. One dining room is absolutely filled with photos from commercial photo shoots as well as magazine and newspaper images. You’d almost think it was an obsession. But I like it. The decor in general is quite typical ‘family restaurant,’ not quite diner (though it does have a counter and row of stools for the quick meal) and quite definitely full-service, as evidenced by the amount of table and booth seating available. Many of the booths even have the stereotypical diner-style mini-jukeboxes that appear to still work and are labeled for some relatively modern music as well as old classics.
What I really like about the Elkton Diner is that it’s not just Diner fare. The menu is quite large and the food quality is usually quite good–as evidenced by the fact that it’s been voted ‘Best Diner in Cecil County’ for over the last decade. I have to say it’s a significant difference from my first visit back in ‘96.
Probably one of the biggest surprises for the casual visitor is the fact that the menu includes some quality fare. I’m not just talking about food that tastes good, but menu items you wouldn’t expect in a Mom & Pop-style place. The Elkton Diner includes Gourmet meals from a chef who simply has to be classically trained. Entreés like Chicken Marsala, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Veal Scallopini, Trout Almondine, etc…. Almost a whole page of the menu is dedicated just to these excellent dishes. And the chef doesn’t skimp on the portions, either.
If you’re not hungry for such fancy eating, or your appetite isn’t quite that large, they also include Mini Meals, a tasty and compact portion of many of your favorite home-made dishes (and gourmet) at a lower price and still quite filling if you’re on a diet or just not all that hungry. These meals quite often are just about the same size my mother used to make when she had to serve our family of three on a budget. Since I know she’ll never read this review, I’ll also tell you that she never made them taste as good as these are.
I’m not going to add any photos of the Elkton Diner, the link at the top of the post will let you see where it is and what it looks like. I just want to say, if you’re ever in Elkton, Maryland, stop by here for dinner. At least, stop by during the day. The Chef is in and the food is great. Obviously, since it’s a 24-hour diner, the chef can’t be there all the time. I can’t attest to the flavors overnight, but if all you’re looking for is diner fare, I don’t see where you can go wrong, even after midnight.
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