New York Diner Is Standout Since 1949

T he New York Diner might be small in size, but it's huge when it comes to delicious food and friendly service. This diner isn't an attempt at being retro- it's the real thing, and has occupied

a tiny strip of land on Northern Boulevard

and 49th Street, just across from what is now Home Depot since 1949. Owner Gus Kaloudis, one of the kindest, friendliest young men you'll meet, and his staff know most of their patrons by name and by their favorite dish. There's always a hungry crowd at the New York Diner, where seven blue vinyl booths and 15 counter stools seat those seeking home-style food for breakfast, lunch and now dinner, with extended hours until 9 p.m. on weekdays.

New York Diner's amazing breakfasts are complemented by robust coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. It's no wonder 120 dozen eggs are used each day, considering the variety of breakfast choices, the low prices, and the popularity of Kaloudis and his crew. The most basic choice is a special that costs just $2.45 and includes two eggs any style, toast and New York Diner's famous, crunchy yet soft home fries. Even the prices here hark back to a bygone era. The Big Breakfast will definitely sustain you way past lunch with three

eggs, bacon or

ham or sausage, toast and coffee for just $5.45. Their legendary Wake Up omelet is made from three eggs, with ham, bacon and chopped sausage mixed in. Order the fantastic cheese omelet, and you're given a choice of cheeses, including American, cheddar, mozzarella or Swiss. The Booster is an awesome pastrami omelet with toast and those fabulous home fries and coffee. Call your cardiologist because The Heart Attack, one of their most popular sandwiches, piles two eggs, bacon, cheese and potatoes on a jumbo hero roll for an amazing $3.75. I dare you to eat lunch after that! On the flip side, the Petite is an egg white omelet served on toast with grapefruit juice for just $2.95

Instead of eggs, try a stack of their fluffy pancakes with real blueberries mixed in and topped with sweet, ripe banana slices and a cloud of whipped cream. Triangles of golden French toast, served plain or topped with fruit, beg to be spread with butter and drizzled with syrup ($3.95). Any breakfast entrée can be ordered with ham, sausage or crisp bacon for a small additional charge. Go healthy with a bowl of freshly cooked oatmeal, topped with bananas, raisins, blueberries, walnuts or brown sugar. Fresh bagels can be toasted and shmeared while muffins and Danish round out the list.

Whatever your breakfast order, the friendly waitresses

keep your coffee cup filled with their

delicious joe.

To meet the demands of his clientele,

Kaloudis has extended New York Diner's

hours to 9 p.m. on weekdays, making it easier

to take advantage of the fabulous, low-priced

lunch and dinner entrees made fresh each day. A

list of hot entrees is posted outside and faxed to the many businesses in the area. Fresh fish and seafood, pork and beef are the main ingredients in these specials and they are so generously portioned and reasonably priced that many customers order them to take home for the family supper. Monday's specials include Hungarian beef goulash over egg noodles for just $6.75. On Tuesday, sausage and peppers with rice and vegetables or tender Swiss steak with potatoes and vegetables are featured for $6.45. On Wednesdays, some Greek specialties such as baked lamb shanks or pastitsio are offered for just $6.95. You'll be amazed by Friday's seafood trio, teaming fresh shrimp, scallops and crabmeat served over a generous mound of angel hair pasta and cooked perfectly for just $9.95. Fresh red snapper is prepared with tomato and onion and served over pasta for $9.95. Of course, blue plate diner specials such as meat loaf; roast beef and roast turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy are always available and always delicious. At these prices, it doesn't pay to cook.

New York Diner's incredible salads, including Zorba The Greek, a generous Greek salad, loaded with tomatoes, olives, onions and feta cheese, topped with sliced, grilled chicken ($6.75), are also popular. A traditional Cobb salad featuring turkey, tomatoes and hard cooked egg. Try one of their celebrity hero sandwiches, named after the local businesses whose employees and owners patronize them each day or a basic BLT, a chicken salad sandwich or a juicy New York Diner burger, made with freshly ground steak.

Kaloudis and his staff provide off-premises catering to a number of businesses, organizations and occasions, including the Greek Independence Day Parade, rescheduled for Sunday, April 22. Visit the New York Diner, open seven days a week for incredible breakfasts, lunchtime sandwiches, salads, burgers and hot entrees that you can enjoy for dinner, thanks to their extended hours. The New York Diner is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.