McPaul lives in Montclair, New Jersey, but grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, where several casual restaurants spelled the name of their establishment as dinor rather than diner, as in Stan’s Dinor. This spelling variant is largely limited to...
A small eating place where the food is not particularly good is sometimes called a grab-it-and-growl. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Grab-it-and-Growls” Grant, do you know what a grab it and growl is? A grab it and growl, a...
Whatever the amount might be, “as much food as one’s hand can hold” is how Samuel Johnson defined the luncheon in his 1755 dictionary entry. Over the two centuries since, we’ve seen more than a handful of takes on lunch, and it’s the subject of a...
A vegetarian from Vermillion, South Dakota, wonders about the origin of a popular loose meat sandwich called a Tavern Sandwich. It’s like a sloppy joe, and also goes by the monikers Maid-Rite and Tastee. Martha notes a diner in Sioux City, Iowa...
maitre-dish
n.— «Both worked at the Fog City Diner; Doug as bartender, Nancy as “maitre-dish.”» —“After a few years, he fit the picture” by Louise Rafkin San Francisco Chronicle (California) July 19, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
vegecurious adj.— «Tomerlin says about half of Spiral’s customers aren’t vegetarian, but folks she dubs “vegecurious” (sounds vaguely naughty). She advises first-timers to start with more entry-level dishes such as the taco salad or chopped...