A giant sign on the road screams simply. "EAT" You have to look hard to see the restaurant name, shared by the small roadside motel next door.
Sky Harbor. "E A T"
We had driven by that sign and poked fun at it several times, prior to finally giving it a try. Hadn't heard a thing about it or read any reviews before walking in to the smallish diner. Only a few tables open on a late Saturday morning. A good sign.
Small town 'homestyle' diners tend to fall into two groups. The first and sadly most common is the version where the Sysco truck drops off premade everything...from the soups to the cold salads. A grumpy cook then assembles your too thin bacon and some fried eggs, or a deep fried chicken patty, into your meal. It's often transactional, uninspired and qualifies as 'dining out' in only the most literal sense of the word.
Then, occasionally, you find the rare exception. Like this place.
My first clue was a woman, dining alone, that we passed by as we were seated. She was enjoying a fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes that looked like the cover page of a fabulous fifties cookbook. Honestly, I read the menu with interest, but there was almost no chance that I wasn't going to order THAT.
The menu is ambitious for a small kitchen, but after hearing the specials and reviewing the breakfast (all day) and lunch options, I caved to my brunch envy and ordered the Chicken dinner. I was served 4 pieces of remarkable fried chicken with a light, crispy and well seasoned breading that was clearly made by an experienced cook with real heart. A cook who, before putting a plate on the pickup, always looked at it and said with gusto, "I'd eat that".
My coleslaw was homemade. The thick cut bread of my Wife's sandwich was homemade. The haystack onion rings I also succumbed to were fabulous too. All around me were patrons clearing their plates and bowls with happy faces. The two waitresses were cheerful, attentive and enthusiastic and contended with a large percentage of locals at the tables. Nearby a young kid was enjoying a root beer float with his lunch, a prize he negotiated with much pre-ordering haggling with Mom. At the next table, a local was schooling his out of town visitors as to the superstar choices on the menu. "No wrong answers", he proudly boasted.
It is my opinion that having a business like this provides a soul center for small towns. Everything I saw here was beautifully executed. Nothing 'over the top' on the menu. But if you are driving buy and see the giant suggestion to " E A T " I suggest you do. I know I will again soon. read more
