Diner has been on my restaurant agenda for a long time. I have a bittersweet sentimental attachment to it because I always wanted to go there with my ex-boyfriend but we never did. Well, the single life gives one a lot more freedom to do whatever (or whomever,) one wants. I've been to Diner twice since the breakup and both were really nice experiences.
On the first visit, I was walking around Williamsburg with my foodie friend, Eric. We went to check out the cool products at Marlow & Sons, Diner's sister restaurant that has a small market and espresso bar in their front room. As we were leaving, I mentioned to Eric that I'd always wanted to go to Diner. It took very little twisting of arms for me to decide that now was the time - we were seated by a window in the back room within minutes and our mop-haired waiter was quick to encourage us to examine the specialty cocktails and wine list.
The front of the restaurant is just like an old fashioned diner set-up. A long counter with stools on one side, with a row of booths next to the windows. Instead of a soda fountain, the bar is behind the counter and the kitchen is off to the side. We were seated in an annex that created about 20 more seats in the back. I ordered a cocktail and Eric got a beer. I thought it was a little overly casual when the waiter pulled up a chair to sit and give us the specials, but there were so many that he had to write them on the white paper across our table. Diner's menu is perpetually changing and the only items on the tiny menu were a burger and a steak, if I remember correctly.
We made our choices and relaxed, enjoying our drinks until the first course arrived: sauteed kale and locally made ricotta cheese on grilled sesame bread. The ricotta is by Salvatore Brooklyn. I loved this from the first bite. The bread was smoky from the grill, and the sweet ricotta and kale mixed together in creamy harmony.
Our entrees arrived a few good minutes after the starter plates were cleared. I hate when restaurants bring the entree too soon. (Yet another reason I don't work at that place in Cobble Hill anymore.) I think most people like to have a chance to sit for a moment in between courses, digesting, drinking, thinking about which wine to have next... I used to use this break to smoke- which was heavenly in a way that non-smokers will never understand, but not worth the nicotine addiction. Even without the need for one, I like the pause.
I ordered beef ragu over creamy polenta. It was different than expected as it was not ground beef, but succulent tender braised beef. The rich sauce was supported by the delicately flavored and ultra-soft polenta. I felt like I was eating at a country farmhouse with a roaring fire in the hearth and a winter storm outside. Eric's grilled half chicken was moist and satisfying, with carrots and sauteed ramps for sides.
On a subsequent trip to Diner I encountered a completely different scene. Opposed to the early Sunday night dinner I had enjoyed with Eric, this was a bustling Saturday 9pm rush. We were told the wait would be about 45 minutes so we crowded into the small space in front of the door until some seats opened up at the bar. If you are looking for the beautiful, young, creative but not starving types, this could be your scene. I think I want it to be my scene. My Norwegian friend especially enjoyed the handsome bartender who suggested a sparkling rose for me which just happens to be my favorite starter drink these days. Score another point for the staff, who were friendly but generally unobtrusive overall. The wait went by quickly. We were seated at a corner booth and again the ritual with the specials written on the tables.
We ordered beef carpaccio, a salad and a different version of the grilled sesame bread, this time with ramps instead of kale. My friends all loved the carpaccio, but the bread was sort of a bust this time as the underside was much darker than my previous experience.
For my entree, I ordered grilled branzino, which I had read about in Bill Buford's book about working at Babbo,
Heat. Branzino is Mediterranean sea bass, often stuffed, grilled and served whole. The food runner explained to us how to cut along the backbone of the fish and then flip the top over to expose a beautiful pale fillet. Of course, I tried it first and sort of mutilated the poor fish, but my friend learned from my errors and hers came out intact. The lemon and thyme stuffed inside gave the flesh a lovely perfume and it was salted perfectly. I loved the grilled carrots which were sweet and caramelized.
I would definitely recommend Diner. It can get pretty loud in the small space, but there is a lot of eye candy, a friendly, knowledgeable staff and quality food. The folks that own this place along with next-door Marlow & Sons and the two Bonita restaurants seem to really have a successful thing going. I haven't had a bad experience at any of their restaurants yet.
