Blue Plate Diner

On a recent Saturday evening, I had the thought that Rachel and I should have a date night. The problem was that it was already 6:30pm; no, I know that's not too late to go out to dinner, but it is often too late to find a babysitter. I called Rachel's wonderful sister anyway; She and Ruby are very close. She was headed to a birthday party with kids and was happy to bring Ruby.

Due to the close proximity of where we dropped off Ruby, we went to the The Blue Plate Diner. My experience with this restaurant has been that if you go between 7:00am-2:00pm, you will have to wait for a table. I wasn't sure what to expect for dinner. Much less crowded for dinner which was nice, because you can order breakfast food all day.

The Blue Plate Diner is an institution in the Sugarhouse area. It's a little retro, counterculture joint; part coffee shop, part antique shop. There are wonderful antiques, signs, and trinkets on the walls & shelves. It's a place where no one is in a hurry to go anywhere (this is one reason why the wait can be long). Patrons seem to be enjoying their meal time; not worrying about the next appt. The perfect place for a Realtor/Blogger/Part time stay-at-home Dad.

Rachel had The Greek Bendict (spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, hollandaise, and feta cheese). I had one bite and it was delicious. The hollandaise had the perfect amount of creaminess to it. All of the ingredients were fresh and full of flavor. I know that she enjoyed it because, when the food arrived, she dug in and barely spoke to me.

That evening I was craving a burger; a big, fat, juicy, burger. I asked the waiter what he recommended and he quickly replied: "The buffalo burger with avocado, bacon, bleu cheese, and shoestring fries with cajun seasoning." I said "sounds great." And great it was.

Buffalo meat is leaner than beef which I often interpreted as being less flavorful. Not so here; it is sweeter and doesn't leave the greasy feel in your mouth. It's also not "gamey," which is what I worried it would taste like. The bacon was thick and crisp, the blue cheese was an explosion of flavor, and the avocado and red onion tasted very fresh. I have no doubt that Blue Plate purchases organic vegetables.

You wouldn't think of The Blue Plate Diner as a dinner destination but it most certainly was. Come here, come often and enjoy the moment. You will get lost in your food experience and likely miss your next appointment. But if you are honest with yourself, you want to blow off that appointment anyway.

Happy Eating.