Some of my earliest and most pleasant childhood memories involve choosing desserts from the case at the Silver Star Diner in Norwalk, Connecticut. There were also the basic pies, but my selection was really a matter of deciding between two animals: a choux pastry swan and a mouse made of chocolate mousse. I returned to the Silver Star last summer and was disappointed to find neither. They no longer have hot open turkey sandwiches, my favorite diner entrée, on their menu either. My childhood, I was reminded, is long over.
Or is it? I recaptured it the moment I walked into Metro 29 Diner in Arlington. In the dessert case near the front of the restaurant, was a slice of cake topped with a mouse complete with almond-sliver ears just like I remembered. It could have been 1987 inside, or 1952. The prices are the only reminder that it’s 2022, when a hot turkey retails for $19.45. But when I saw the size of the platter on which my lunch was served, I wasn’t bothered. This was obviously a meal fit for two.
In fact, the oversized oval plate couldn’t fully contain the layers of bread, meat, and gravy, let alone crispy fries, cranberry sauce, and the vegetable of the day, creamed spinach, each served separately. On arrival, a sharp, serrated knife protruded from the stack of meat, but it really isn’t necessary. The turkey is velvety enough to cut with a fork. The yellow gravy in which it’s blanketed is pure gold, rich, meaty, and just a little bit tangy.
My dining companion assembled an even larger meal, combining the restaurant’s ultra-thick French toast, crafted from homemade challah, bacon, scrambled eggs, and a heaping side of onion-y hash browns. It will live on as at least one sizable leftover meal.
There was no room for the chocolate mouse/mousse at that meal, but I brought it home. And just as I remembered from deep within the mists of time, the ganache-covered rodent all but liquefied in chocolaty ecstasy at first bite. There will be more cakes to try–the Black Forest and carrot varieties, as well as the meringue-topped pies, looked awfully appealing. But when I’m seeking a blast from the past, only hot turkey, followed by that special cake, will do.
4711 Lee Hwy., Arlington
Feature image by Alice Levitt
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