It seems impossible this early in the year, but you've overdone the Egg McMoulton. You know the legal occupant of last night's crash pad is religiously devoted to Sunday mornings at Big Top, and though you'd gladly seek anonymity buried in a Trucker's Breakfast at Brunswick Diner, your car got towed because you left it parked in the admissions lot for the third time this week. It's a perfect morning for Grand City.
Located on Maine Street across from the Move Gallery, Grand City Variety sells everything from postcards to crock pots?including diner food.
For the most part, the menu is typical: pancakes, milkshakes, eggs with potatoes and toast. There is the standard selection of unappealing entrees with descriptive words like "open-faced," and there is something about the clientele that leads me to believe that these dishes are actually popular. Lunch-goers will find an average selection of hot and cold sandwiches, as well as daily specials including both a soup and a chowder.
As the atmosphere of any variety store/diner would suggest, Grand City adds some flavor of its own. Cottage cheese makes two appearances on the menu, served with either cling peaches and cinnamon toast or grilled chicken and saltines. "The Grand," their specialty sandwich, is loaded with two beef patties, cheese sauce, and lettuce.
What finally caught my eye was "The Golden Cheese Dream." Though described only as "served with French fries, coleslaw, and pickles," I thought I would take my chance on the mystery concoction that I expected to be nothing less than fantastic.
It was a grilled cheese. It was good.
Though "The Dream" and its sides left me stuffed, I decided, in the name of journalism, to sack up and sample a soup. My waitress must have detected a pained look on my face, as she pointed through the pick-up window at a young man in a Red Sox hat and let me know that if I didn't like the food, I was welcome to "just throw it at Bobby."
But I left Bobby as clean as any cook there. The chowder of the day was chock-full of potatoes and corn, and the base was thin and flavorful.
The food at Grand City can be described as overwhelmingly decent, but don't let that leave you underwhelmed at this eatery. Grand City is about the experience. There is something relieving about sitting in booths that have held up for decades, surrounded by silent old couples who have nothing left to say to each other and wouldn't be able to hear if they did. There is something inspiring about an 80-year-old hostess who smiles as she sports her "Cancer sucks" pin and about waitresses who make jokes to get through their days. There is something satisfying about finishing breakfast, then buying a power strip and thumbtacks without having to leave the building. It's cheaper than McDonald's; it's closer than the Diner. Don't let this year go by without adding some Variety to your breakfast routine.