Review: Doc's Little Gem Diner

Name: Doc's Little Gem Diner
Address: 832 Spencer St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Lakefront
Website: www.myspace.comlittlegemdiner
Menu: n/a
Cuisine: Diner
Hours: Monday-Wednesday 6 AM to 10 PM, Thursday-Saturday 6 AM to 6 AM, Sunday 6 AM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: No

After searching the Northside for diner food on a Saturday night, and feeling a bit downtrodden after finding out that one of my favorite places in town for late-night eats had just closed for good (TJC's Restaurant on North Salina), I concluded that Doc's Little Gem Diner would be the place most likely to fill the empty voids of both my stomach and my heart. Even if it was only temporarily.

Doc's is a bit of an oasis: a glowing, neon sign essentially pops up in the middle of nowhere as you drive closer. And if the bright, red sign isn't enough to get your attention, when you've reached the corner of Liberty and Spencer streets in what feels like an area of complete desolation, you've arrived.

From the outside and in, Little Gem is your quintessential and classic diner. It's how a diner is supposed to look and feel. A diner in some incarnation or another (like Hank McCall's Little Gem, for example) has been at this location since 1955. And it's only fitting that Rock Around the Clock hit the big screen in that same year. This place feels like Rock and Roll. The Fodero-style diner is covered in metallic and shiny 50's decor that covers counter tops and sides of booths making the place feel bigger inside than it actually is.

The menu is Americana all the way with a relatively large offering that consists of things like burgers, pastas, subs, open-faced sandwiches, seafood, and traditional breakfast options like three-egg omelets, frittatas, breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, waffles and pancakes.

The order...

Eggs Benedict: $4.55
Home fries with Onions: $1.10
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $8.53

Evidently, I don't have steady hands at 1 AM.

Picture above are Eggs Benedict (two poached eggs, Canadian bacon on an English muffin with Hollandaise sauce) and a side of home fries with onions.

The main plate was very good: well-poached eggs with fluffy whites, creamy Hollandaise sauce topped with a little bit of cayenne pepper, tasty Canadian bacon, all on toasted, crispy English muffins that essentially soaked up everything on top. These were good. And honestly, at 1 in the morning, I wasn't expecting it to be. But it turned out that I chose well. Although it was good, my one complaint though was that there was way too much Hollandaise sauce. As for the other plate, I really liked these home fries. Perhaps a bit greasy, but it hit the spot regardless. I'm picky about my home fries and actually do not prefer the square-style that I got, because I think more often than not they usually end up being undercooked and bland, but these were cooked all the way through. Crispy skins and accompanied with nicely cooked onions. Thumbs up.

Other notes about Doc's Little Gem Diner...

- You know the place is a late-night destination when you overhear the waitress say that it gets busy around 3 AM.

- Even though there are indications on the outdoor sign and menu cover that say otherwise, the place is not open 24-hours anymore.

- Zippy got it right.

The food was good. I'd say it was about average for a diner meal. I think if you go in there anticipating standard, run-of-the-mill diner food and not a gourmet meal, you'll be pleased with Doc's. And as far as late-night eating is concerned, Doc's Little Gem may be the epitome. Overall, the portion sizes were big, it's a cool spot for classic diner food, and the menu has a lot of different options to offer. In my opinion, a bit stiff for diner prices in Upstate New York though. And the location is weird too. Maybe it wasn't back in 1955, but it's odd now. Perhaps it's a good thing - a low-key, working man's diner during the day and a hoping, hot-spot for late-nighters in the wee-hours all located in what is now a run-down and desolate industrial neighborhood. At any rate, I'll be going back. And I'd consider Doc's not only for late-night, but for breakfast and lunch as well.

And just to reiterate how Diners Without Frosted Tips feels, my advice to you would be to check this place out before it's too late. Even if only for the nostalgic purpose. Because as I learned with my old favorite diner spot, you never know when a place like this will surprisingly vanish.

My rating of Doc's Little Gem Diner:

Review: Funk 'N Waffles

Name: Funk N' Waffles
Address: 727 S Crouse Ave Suite 8, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: University Hill
Website: www.funknwaffles.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Waffles, Sandwiches, Smoothies, Coffee
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 9 AM to 9 PM, Sunday 9 AM to 4 PM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Delivery: Yes (available through TakeOut Xpress)

Opened in January of 2007, Funk 'N Waffles has been serving up coffee, smoothies, sandwiches, and most importantly great waffles to the Syracuse University crowd for two years now.

But hold your horses. Before you head over for waffles, you may need some directions first. Funk 'N Waffles is located in the Campus Plaza alley off of South Crouse Ave and behind Marshall Square Mall. Or better yet, walk north on Crouse Ave at Marshall Street, take a right after Bruegger's, walk to the end of the alley, go to the last building on the left and walk down the set of dangerous stairs underneath Chuck's Cafe.

The interior is set up a bit more like a funky, thrift store-esque cafe than a restaurant, with old tables, chairs, and a few couches with SU students lounging around in. It's a perfect spot to unwind, enjoy some free wi-fi, and listen to live music - with local bands and touring artists performing just about every night of the week.

For a small cafe, the menu is excellent with sandwich and panini options, made-to-order smoothies, Purity Ice cream direct from Ithaca, NY, and fresh tea and coffee (more info on their coffee is available here). But let's not forget the waffles. Creative combinations of savory and sweet waffles include the Pulled Pork Waffle (with pulled pork and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauce), the Brownie Waffle Sunday (brownie topped with two scoops of fresh whip cream), and for the vegans, the Aunt Miriam's Vegan Waffle (a secret family recipe and free of any animal products). And if you can't make up your mind about which type of waffle to get, just create your own. A few of the waffle topping options include strawberries, spinach, feta, walnuts, ice cream, fried chicken, and Nutella.

The order...

Pineapple Smoothie: $5
Buttermilk Waffle with Bananas and Blueberries: $5.50br> Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $10.50

Just a really great smoothie. Real fruit, no sugar, and the pineapple tasted incredibly fresh. I honestly do not order smoothies that often, but this was really tasty.

If that couldn't be topped, the waffle was amazing. A perfectly cooked buttermilk waffle. Nice and crispy on the outer edges and topped with powdered sugar. And even though I didn't ask for them, the blueberries on the inside of the waffle were a really nice surprise. I also couldn't get over how fresh the bananas and blueberries tasted. So flavorful. These were the best blueberries that I can ever remember having in winter. Fresh ingredients, especially fruits, are so critical if you want to put out good food and it's refreshing that Funk 'N Waffles knows this.

The table syrup was good too. Word on the street is that the syrup here is "vegan friendly". I'm not really sure what that entails exactly, but it was really good none the less. If this wasn't real maple syrup, then you could have fooled me because this is about as close as you can get to it without being the real thing. Though it didn't have that overly distinctive maple flavor, it had a really nice, light nutty flavor. And yes, I coated most of my waffle with it.

However, looking around I couldn't get past the incredibly poor and obvious interior design flaws: inadequate lighting, exposed wires, the cheap painting job, dingy tables and chairs, uncoordinated and chipped plates...

It begs the question: does it really matter if restaurant decor is incoherent? Hypothetically, the best Vietnamese food that you've ever had could be located in some dank, hole-in-the-wall. Wouldn't that great meal still warrant a 5-star rating despite its shoddy interior? Then again, you almost expect and prepare yourself for a rough aesthetic experience if you're eating a rustic cuisine - not when consuming smoothies and waffles. I think that I'm going to go with my gut on this one and dock Funk 'N Waffles a half a star because of chairs and tables that look like they were brought over from the local Salvation Army. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, the place was not clean. Dirty floors and syrupy tables. If that kind of stuff doesn't bother you then take it with a grain of salt. For me, the uncleanliness combined with the shanty feel of the surroundings made it a little confusing and maybe even disappointing - mainly because it's really cool in there (great location, great food, great vibe), but they could easily make it a flawless place instead of what looks like a poorly managed, run-down cafe. Though, my nitpicking didn't distract me from having a really great meal. I'll be going back again - maybe even to check out some live music too. All they really have to do is fix the interior up a bit.

So close, Funk 'N Waffles. So close.

My rating of Funk 'N Waffles:

Review: Miss Syracuse Diner

Name: Miss Syracuse Diner
Address: 258 E Water St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown
Website: downtownsyracuse.com/browse/entry/galloways_miss_syracuse_diner/
Cuisine: Diner, Traditional American
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Thursday 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Friday 6 AM to 7 PM, Saturday-Sunday 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Parking: On-Street and Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes

I headed over to the Miss Syracuse Diner on a chilly and snowy winter morning, not too long after hearing about its re-opening on the corner of Water and Montgomery Streets. The diner itself is a converted trolley car - once located on Erie Boulevard and moved to its current location in 1946 (more information on the unique design can be found here). Inside you'll find your typical diner-counter area up front, a few tables towards the back, and booth-style seating along the side. I managed to grab a seat at one of the empty booths near the window. From the window you could see the steady, quiet snowfall hitting the rooftops of city buildings, a great view of western side of City Hall, and the local passers by on their way down Montgomery Street.

It should be noted that on this specific visit, while looking over the menu, I found eavesdropping on some of the local diner talk enjoyable. A few people talking about sports. A few others talking about previous restaurants in the nearby neighborhoods. These are the types of things that you can't really put a rating on. Yet something as simple as conversation can give a place like this such a comfortable, hometown, and down-to-earth feel.

The food is standard diner fare with things like frettas, omelets, soups, salads, sandwiches, grilled food and homemade pies. The Miss Syracuse Diner also has monthly specials during the weekdays including meat loaf, chicken n' biscuits and country fried steak among other options.

The order...

Coffee: $1.25
Miss Syracuse's Breakfast Sandwich: $3.95
Home Fries: $1.50
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $8.70

I am not a coffee drinker. I drink it at most maybe once a year, if that. But I felt that the coffee here was decent and I actually had a few top-offs during my meal. Again, I am a rookie as far as what constitutes good coffee and bad, but at any rate, it was a definite body-warmer on such a frigid morning.

Pictured above is the breakfast sandwich with egg, ham, and cheese on a lightly grilled hard roll. It was alright. Nothing spectacular. The egg was fried perfectly and the hot ham and melted cheese were delicious, but I couldn't get past the roll. I loved the texture for the fact that it was grilled but something about it had a funny after-taste that I couldn't put my finger on. Whatever it was it presented an almost overwhelmingly sweet flavor that didn't seem to match up with the egg, ham, and cheese or the fact that I was merely looking for a simple and uncomplicated breakfast sandwich. I suppose I would try it again with an English Muffin instead of the roll, but this gets two thumbs down from this guy.

I wasn't crazy about the home fries either - cubed potatoes fried with onions. They looked really good on the plate (see picture) but tasted fairly dry and lacked flavor. A small additional ingredient like parsley, scallions, or even cayenne pepper would have gone a long way to at least provide a little kick or give it some sustenance. Not only that, but when I think "home fries" I do not think of large, square cubes of potatoes that have been fried on all 6 sides. It's probably just a personal preference, but I much prefer the flatter-cut style that have been boiled before being fried.

Overall, a relatively blase' meal of food. But I personally think that the aesthetics, environment, and vibe are all welcoming enough to warrant a revisit. The location is a perfect place to enjoy a cozy meal and enjoy the sights and sounds of downtown. I would head over there again for lunch (I overheard one of the diner patrons claim that his soup was some of the best that he's ever had). If you're in a pinch for a diner style breakfast downtown, this place will most likely suffice, but I can vouch that there are much better places for breakfast in other parts of the city.

My rating of Miss Syracuse Diner: