Welcome to the restaurant scene, Uncasville Diner

September 02, 2015 12:00 am • Last Updated: September 02, 2015 11:05 am

By Rick Koster
Day Arts/Features writer

Traditionally, diners or lunch counters have an urban anonymity — much like the caloric gathering spot on "Seinfeld" or Edward Hopper's uber-recognizable "Nighthawks" canvas. There is even a film called "Diner," but it has a subplot involving the Baltimore Colts football team — as opposed to the New Orleans Saints — and so "Diner" cannot hold my interest.

Anyway, two of the most iconic diners in our area — the late and much lamented Goldie's and Ed's Creamery — both went against type by featuring large, greenhouse-style sunrooms.

You won't see THAT in Edward Hopper!

Alas, Goldie's has been torn down, and the question remains why they would waste a perfectly good sunroom. Ed's, too, closed up shop. But the structure is still there and, under new ownership, has been re-opened as The Uncasville Diner — complete with the step-down sunroom and — bonus! — a full bar.

We like the Uncasville Diner — and not just because they serve a snappy and mood-fortifying Bloody Mary, sort of like what you'd need if you came to a diner every day and some irritant like George Costanza was always there, yelling stridently from two booths away.

One of the alluring qualities of a diner is a large menu. Another is the potential for breakfast at all hours. The Unc folks have both covered, and the breakfast options alone take a page and a half of the menu and range from house-made bagels and build-your-own omelettes to Mediterranean Eggs Benedict (with tomato, spinach, feta and Hollandaise sauce) and a Breakfast Veggie Saute (spinach, mushrooms, taters, cheddar, onions and peppers with a baked egg on top). Now, since I spent 14 years in bands, the idea of breakfast in a diner has a weary connotation for me — like eggs seen through a blur of beer and tequila. But I must admit a nearby customer seemed to have ordered the latter, and it appeared to be heaped glory.

But I still enjoy the hearty and filling lunch and dinner offerings. The latter includes meatloaf ($12), which is a requisite, right? I believe this is because every Mom in America — from June Cleaver and Peggy Hill on down — can make meatloaf. Personally, my sainted Mom, the Thelm Unit, made the best meatloaf in the galaxy. So my standards are high. At the Uncasville Diner, the meatloaf plate has the requisite chuck, a catsup/Worcestershire sauce blend, and garlic and onion. It's a flavor-rich and smoothly ground loaf, with a peppery crust and a thick coating of brown gravy oozing onto a cloud of mashed potatoes. As my second side, I tried tasty green beans, cooked just enough to maintain a crunch, and nuanced with minced garlic. It's a vast and very satisfying construct — and easily good for two meals.

Naturally, my wife, known hereabouts as The Vegetarian Who Walks Among Us (TVWWAU), would never eat something like that. What she did like, though, was the generous number of veggie options. A four-cheese ravioli ($14) entrée consisted of six celestial pillows of goodness — a variety of savory spices working their magic on a mixture of mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan and romano. And, yes, while the whole world is tired of folks describing marinara sauce as "zesty," well, it was. Well-played, Unc People!

As for lunch, there are burgers, pizza, wraps, paninis and specialties such as a chicken and waffle sandwich, a Philly steak bomb, and falafel.

However, I again stayed with the basics, because if a diner can't do a proper club sandwich, well ... Fortunately, the chicken salad club ($10, also available with smoked turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken, hamburger, or egg salad), was pretty damned great. It didn't seem that large for the price, but it's triple stacked with crisp, smoky bacon, fresh lettuce and a mound of lean breast meat caressed by just a dollop of mayo. The heap of accompanying fries were serviceable at best.

For noontime fun, TVWWAU tried a roasted veggie salad ($10) and was extremely impressed. The artichoke hearts were warm and dashed with off-the-cob corn, the asparagus frolicked with yellow and red pepper shards, and sundried tomatoes served as a tart exclamation point.

In the Ed-ian tradition, there's on-site ice cream and crafted milkshakes, and a variety of in-house baked goods including pies, carrot cake and caramel flan. At some point, I suppose, I'll leave enough room to try one of them. In the meantime, Uncasville Diner — sunroom and all — is a welcome addition to the area.

r.koster@theday.com

Twitter: @rickkoster