WINNIPEG, MB. – In North America a diner is typically a small roadside restaurant with a long counter and booths. The Diner’s Grill has neither a long counter nor booths but it does serve up authentic diner-style, from scratch comfort food and it does so very, very well.
The Diner’s Grill is located in the middle of the St. Boniface Industrial area; Siri helped us navigate. Since my daughter-in-law and I had a three-year-old and a one-year- old with us, our server (who we assumed was Josh, one of the owners) immediately gave us a children’s menu to order for the little ones. Delightfully wholesome selections like a grilled cheese sandwich (with Bothwell cheddar no less) and a hearty chicken noodle soup arrived soon thereafter. The former was gooey inside with crispy edges, just as it should be, and the latter was full of chicken, herbs and rotini noodles. Even the child’s portion was more than generous and fed both little ones with leftovers.
We chose to share the Reuben with a side of fries and the crispy chicken sandwich with a side of jalapeño corn chowder. The Reuben was absolutely amazing. For one, it was enormous, and even though we were splitting it, a quarter of it came home. The sandwich had the standard corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, but it was the from-scratch remoulade sauce that made it so fantastic. Don’t confuse their French remoulade sauce with the Creole remoulade sauce that is popular in Louisiana. Creole-style remoulade sauce is red and usually quite spicy. French-style remoulade sauce is milder and can be somewhat tart from the capers and pickles that might be added. It offset the rest of the sandwich ingredients perfectly. Beware though; the Reuben’s juices will run down your arms if you don’t utilize a stack of napkins to sop up the excess. I have always been a fan of Reubens, and from now on will always compare them to the Diner’s Grill perfect sandwich.
The crispy chicken sandwich was also stellar: generous, perfectly cooked and crispy as promised. It was topped with apple cider vinegar coleslaw on a pretzel bun. The jalapeño corn chowder that we so loved simply could not be finished.
If you have a big appetite and aren’t concerned about your waistline, you will love this authentic place. And if you want to try their sister restaurant, stop by The Tipsy Cow on Portage Ave.
Photo supplied