Juski

4.5/5
I had read about The Diner on Forumosa.com a few weeks ago, and everyone only said good things about it. In Taiwan, western food is few and far between. Edible western food is even rarer (can you say "rarer?"). However, when I get that feeling, I want culinary healing. Even if that culinary healing is a heavy on the butter and cheese. If it reminds me of IHOP or Denny's, bring it on. Thank goodness this craving is rare so I only need to endure undelicious "western" food once in a while. Hey, I may be far from a good greasy spoon, but that don't mean I gotta lower my standards on artery-clogging eats.

So today Debrowski, Tashkinski and I made our way to The Diner.

Food: I had a refillable coffee to start, followed by a small salad with today's honey mustard dressing that was included with the tuna melt I ordered. It was two open English muffins with a healthy scoop of tuna salad on both. Warm, toasted, with red onions, lettuce, a thick slice of tommyto, and a nice dill pickle. The bill? NT$130. WTF is right. The cafe is clean, bright, soft, and cozy. Spacious, and did I mention clean?

My friends each had a burger. Cheese, bacon, jalapeno cost $30 extra. They had yogurt drinks on the menu, and fresh fruit juices. Even did a half kiwi half grapefruit juice for one friend, no extra charge. And you know why they can do that? Cuz it's fresh juice, they just halve the portion of each fruit, unlike those fakkin places that give you a blank stare and say, "We can't do that. We just can't." I saw on the menu they use organic eggs (bonus). Definitely going back. It's regular diner fare without the diner look. Omelettes, hash browns, burgers, fries.

Restroom:
-TP? 2 full rolls (not the Kleenex style)
-Paper towels? Yes (bonus points)
-Hot water? Yes (kills all competition there already)
-Soap? Yes, dispenser style
-Faucet neck: Good distance, at least two inches from side
-Garbage can? Stainless steel step style with lid. Not overflowing. Also, built in garbage can on counter top
-Lighting: a bit dim, not recommended for make-up application

Clean, unsmelly, TWO ROLLS OF TP, both with tp! I felt I could make a nice phone call in there and not feel grossed out like I usually do in most washrooms. I think my elbow even brushed against one of the walls and I was confident enough with the hygiene in there that I didn't wash my elbow. Yes, that's a little too OCD, but you can never be too sure what diseases you can catch these days.


I didn't get a diner booth seating feel (but I don't like booths anyway, but if the name of the place is The Diner, you expect it to look like a diner). The food was as good as a good diner, without all the grease. But a bit of garnish would be good, considering the place looked quite nice. All contradictory ideas here, but the bottom line is, the name The Diner conjures up images of a greasy spoon, which this place isn't. I gave it marks off ambience for its lack of diner coziness. Everything else was spot on for the price, service, and quality of food. Glad to have found a new place. Though a bit out of the way, definitely worth returning again and again.

145 Rui An Street (very close to Heping and Jianguo intersection. Walk half a minute into Rui An Street and it's on your right hand side. 02.2700.1680. Closed Mondays.