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Restaurant: The Diner 樂子

By Ron Brownlow
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Jan 19, 2007, Page 15

"If you build it, they will come." What was true for the baseball diamond cut out of an Iowa cornfield in the movie Field of Dreams was true for The Diner, which overnight became one of Taipei's most popular Western-style restaurants when it was opened several months ago by a couple who used to work at TGI Friday's.

"I told my friends that, since I was going to be my own boss, I would have time to chat with them on MSN," said Amy Du (杜湘怡), who owns The Diner along with her boyfriend Dean Liu (劉世偉). "But we've been too busy."

Like its counterparts in New York, this diner's menu lists standards like Philly cheese steak sandwiches (NT$180), pastrami or turkey reuben sandwiches (NT$260), and meatloaf with mashed potato and gravy (NT$280). There are 10 different burgers (NT$180 to NT$260), seven kinds of milkshake (NT$120 to NT$160) and five omelets (NT$180 to NT$240). The menu also lists hard-to-find treats like root beer ice cream floats (NT$90) and fruit smoothies (NT$120).

The star attraction is The Diner's all-day brunch. The two-egg breakfast (NT$150), breakfast burrito (NT$160), pancake breakfast (NT$180), and three kinds of eggs benedict (NT$240 to NT$280) all include a glass of fresh orange juice, fruit, and bottomless coffee or tea. Wash one of these down with a Bloody Mary (NT$180) or glass of red wine (NT$150).

Calling these dishes "authentic" would not do justice to Liu's recreations — he got his recipes from friends or the Internet — because everything sampled here tasted pretty good. In a pleasant change from the diners this reviewer used to frequent in Manhattan, the food didn't leak oil, nor did it appear to have been poured from an envelope or box. Du said condiments like the honey-mustard salad dressing and hollandaise sauce for the eggs benedict are made fresh every morning. The mashed potato is made from real potatoes, not powder, the eggs are organic, and the pastrami is obtained from the company that supplies upmarket grocery stores like Jason's Deli.

It's hard to find anything bad to say about The Diner, except that it's too popular. Expect to spend time in line if you arrive on a weekend during brunch hours. Even visitors on weeknights sometimes have to wait a few minutes for a table.

The Diner is located near Da-an Park and the Chinese Culture University's continuing education center. To get there, walk east on the north side of Heping East Road, cross Jianguo South Road, pass a tiny alley, and turn left on Ruian Street.

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