June 25th,
I've been to the Springs Diner before, both times have been fun but food wise...a little disappointing. The first was a few years ago, I had the namesake burger which somehow had tasted of burnt and raw onions. This time I was catching up with an old friend and ordered the Reuben. The diner was filled on a Wednesday brunch hour, median age was about 60. Every table was brimming with conversation, spit-flying, dentures and jaded smoker's cough at every table. The Reuben here was a better representation of the diner classic, however the corned beef was a little less flavored than I prefer. The place offers an all-day breakfast and has a wide variety of lunch and even dinner options. Have I ever seen anyone get the NY strip? No, but I have seen old men get waffles and beef liver at 6pm.
The wood floor, wooden tables and old leather booths is something I was missing. The yellow lighting and oldies played over the speakers had made me realize a crucial element in the existence of this restaurant. We in our early 20s are not the who this place is for. With my first bite into the Reuben, I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn't taste a soybean oil based storebought thousand island. The corned beef was, as I've said, a little under my standards but was serviceable. The waitress had forgotten to bring me my thousand island as she pointed out; I happily declined her offer to bring me a cup on the side. With the slightly bland sandwich, I looked around and absorbed the conversation around me. Boomer political talk and finances were the main topics. This place is a hub for these sorts of things, and deserves its own place with macaroni salads and coleslaw consisting of 70% cold mayo. My pickle and sweet potato fries were enjoyed, my coleslaw left untouched, but those aren't factored in the Reuben score anyway. I spent maybe four hours there with my friend, talking about life and our futures. My thoughts leaving the place were sentimental, this diner is definitely a place which I feel like I'd enjoy more of in say, fifty years or so. Kindly, maybe try something else, I hear the buffalo chicken wrap and breakfasts are good.