Some days, all you need is comfort food. Not fancy food, not gourmet food, just familiar, friendly food.
I recently found myself craving comfort food, and I’ve found a good place to enjoy it: The 112th Street Diner, a friendly place in south Everett.
112th Street, which has been around for 11 years, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but when we went, all we wanted was breakfast. It serves breakfast all day, as a good all-American diner should.
After much debating and mind-changing, I settled on the simple combination of two pancakes, sausage and eggs. I should note the waitress was patient and helpful while I was being indecisive.
My husband, Jerry, ordered chicken-fried steak and a side of fried zucchini, his favorite fried treat.
My pancakes were delicious, large and fluffy. They perfectly satisfied my craving, especially when heavily topped with syrup and enjoyed with my sausage and eggs. The sausage was tasty, even better when dipped in the syrup.
The eggs were, well, what can I say about scrambled eggs? If they’re done badly, there is plenty to say. If done well, though, it’s just eggs. And that was just what I wanted.
Jerry the connoisseur declared the zucchini good, but not perfect. He thought it could use a little jazzing up. Maybe a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. He also prefers his zucchini in large chunks, and the diner serves them in smaller piece, shaped like fat French fries. I liked the smaller slices of zucchini, and happily dipped my half in some ranch dressing on the side.
Beware, though, the zucchini are hot and stay that way for a good long while. I kept burning my tongue before I learned to cut the sticks in half first.
The chicken-fried steak was great. Tender, not too greasy and with just the right amount of gravy. Healthy? No. Good for the soul? Yes. I ate some of Jerry’s while he stole a bite of my pancakes.
I finished my meal with a soothing cup of hot cocoa with a generous topping of whipped cream.
While we ate, I noticed that a wide selection of people seem to enjoy the diner. A few older couples were eating near us. Nearby, a teenager was eating while studying a textbook. The diner was about a third full. The atmosphere was relaxing. I felt content to linger over my food and chat.
The servers were fast and attentive, without stopping by too often. They clearly know their work well.
The next time I come, I think I’ll order one of the omelets. The California omelet and the feta and spinach both caught my eye.
I like that any of the omelets can also be ordered as a scramble, if you prefer your ingredients more closely co-mingled.
While you could easily compare the diner to a Denny’s or a Shari’s, I found the dining much more enjoyable at 112th Street.
I’m happy to have found a place to indulge my comfort food craving in a cozy atmosphere. It’s not fancy, and that’s all part of the charm.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
