Southside’s Paradise Diner, operating in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center, began serving breakfast and lunch with a low hum several years back. Their business plan was simple; serve diner fare from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., six days a week, without cultivating a bar crowd. (They do not serve alcohol.)
It was at Paradise Diner that I realized that it was possible, though not preferable, to drink tomato juice sans vodka.
On weekends, the low hum quickly crescendoed to queues of brunchers on the sidewalk outside. Once seated, the hungry ordered from a menu of $3 breakfast specials, which topped-out at $8.95 for salt herring and corn cakes. The migration to Paradise continued, recognizable devotees included city council members, judges, TV anchors (Paradise Diner earned the "Channel 12 Restaurant Hall of Fame Award" for its cleanliness), and local restaurant owners. Westover and Forest Hill families became regulars, and at the end of 2008, Paradise Diner bowed to a constant request: "I wish you were open for dinner."
Dinner in Paradise includes the Seafood Platter: Soft Shell Crab, Fried Oysters, Fried Catfish, with two vegetables, $10.95. The pricing is not a menu mirage, but a rather, an oasis. A batter wrapper clings to the moist catfish before dipping into homemade cocktail and tartar sauce. The salt water infused oysters are equally tasty.
But, the soft shell crab was texturally a disappointment (stringy and tough) and the chef forgot to remove the devil’s fingers before frying the crab. No biggie, for $10.95, one can overlook a few fried lungs.
I did, and I was thankful.
The side dishes redeemed the soft shell. The homemade coleslaw, a happy union of hand-cut cabbage with a milky, creamy dressing, achieved alpenglow on the platter next to homemade yellow mustard potato salad. The word homemade grows repetitive when describing the menu at Paradise. Let’s leave it unsaid hereafter.
The Chili Spaghetti is what you would expect at a diner, the pasta is not al dente and the chili is studded with kidney beans and topped with raw onion and cheddar. This entrée is cheap ‘n’ tasty at $5.95.
IF YOU GO:
Paradise Diner
2845 Hathaway Road
804-320-1611
Hotline for Daily Specials: 804-320-1399
**1/2 (two and a half stars)
Atmosphere: Palm trees and patio lights with a lot of country music.
Wheelchair Access: Yes.
Wine List: No.
Recommended dishes: salt herring and eggs, burgers, seasonal vegetables.
Hours:6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day but closed Tuesday.
Payment: Cash and Personal Check Only
What’s in the Stars
0—don’t go
*-average
** above average
*** very good
**** excellent dining experience
One way Paradise Diner keeps prices down is by serving reasonable, not gargantuan, portions. Burgers weigh in at around 6 to 7 oz, instead of the 8 to 10oz patties found elsewhere. Flintstonian portions have become the norm when smaller portions (and prices) are just as desired by consumers.
My beef burger with fried egg and fried onions, $4.25, came smothered and covered and served with fries (though the menu lists this dish as served with chips). The toasted bun sandwiched crisp iceberg, tomato, and pickle atop caramelized onions and an over-easy egg.
Vegetarians, there is the standard soup-salad-vegetable plate triumvirate, or a veggie burger, but little else on the dinner menu. Best you go at breakfast.
Desserts here include American classics such as Boston Cream Cake $3.25, a yolky yellow cake rife with cream and chocolate and the Paradise Cobbler, $3.25, which I couldn’t stomach. Otherwise known as "dump cake" this cobbler blends canned pineapple and cherry with nearly-raw cake batter. The dessert, too rich for my taste, might have been enjoyable if topped with vanilla ice cream to cut its sweetness.
The service at Paradise shines; wait staff operates with a welcome esprit de corps, food arrives quickly and beverages are refilled at Godspeed. To-go orders are double-checked at the door (but please loose the Styrofoam) and the restaurant provides a separate "hotline" one can call to hear the daily specials or learn that on Mondays kids under 10 are fed for free.
Be prepared – Paradise Diner does not accept credit cards. And, expect al fresco dining soon, as this goes to print, a contractor is taking measurements for a patio. Paradise really should be outside.
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