City Diner pleases with good food, good service

If the food weren't so good at City Diner, the most notable aspect of the place would be the service.

If the service weren't so good at City Diner, the most notable aspect would be the food.

Nestled across from the Department of Motor Vehicles on Broad Street, City Diner serves up large breakfasts, traditional lunches and friendly attitude from the wisecracking wait staff.

"We're on a first-name basis here," said Susie the waitress after saying goodbye to Vince the customer. "I'm Susie. Who are you?"

"Dan."

"Hi, Dan. This is Yvonne."

"Hi, Dan," chirped Yvonne.

The joint is small (it once housed a Steak'n' Egg), but the menu is surprisingly extensive. Burgers, hot dogs, entrées, hot sandwiches, cold sandwiches and salads are all on the lunch section, plus daily specials, and few of the items cost more than $6.99. But when offered breakfast for lunch, I always go with breakfast.

The breakfast offerings are even more numerous than the lunch selections. Pancakes, French toast and waffles are all represented ($3.29 for a short stack to $7.29 for French toast or waffles with country ham), along with a selection of omelets.

But my eye is always drawn to the traditional breakfasts and the combos. The former includes biscuits and sausage gravy, various eggs and creamed chipped beef, which presumably comes on a shingle.

The combos include steak and eggs (the most expensive item on the menu at $9.79), scrapple and eggs, Eggs Benedict and -- I love this -- New York Benedict (with pastrami) and Irish Benedict (with corned beef). Next time I go, I'm definitely getting one of those.

On my first visit, I had the corned beef hash and eggs. The corned beef hash was canned, as it usually is these days. I've never quite understood the logic of opening a can of something, heating it and then charging restaurant prices for it (in this case, $6.49). That said, it was delicious canned corned beef hash and it hit the artery-clogging spot.

On my second visit, I tried the pan-fried salted herrings and eggs ($9.29). I love herring, but had never had it fried before. My Lithuanian grandfather may be spinning unhappily in his grave, but: Fried herring is good. This was crispy -- it was almost deep-fried -- and salty, a perfect accompaniment to eggs over lightly and shredded hash browns.

It's diner food, served where everybody knows your name. Or at least your first name.