Diner 437 is the new venture by Greg Pugh of Ringside Cafe, with Domenica Macchia in front of the stove. Look for it to open tomorrow, June 2, in the former location of Grillside Central, which was recently dropped as part of the Craig "Chappy" Chapman restaurant fiefdom.
Diner 437 will be serving three squares a day — breakfast, lunch and dinner — with a shortened brunch selection on Sunday, and closed on Monday. The food looks to be upscale, reconstructed diner-style dishes, utilizing Macchia's aborted gastropub menu from Shackleton's Folly as a template. Sure, you get eggs all day, but you'll also find duck-fat fries, flatiron pork steaks, and a bevy of fine-dining touches on sandwiches and salads. I'm jazzed — considering how much I've loved Macchia's food in the past — and the price point seems right.
As Maccchia says, it's inexpensive, but "you cant say cheap, that’s for the girls on the corner." Everything is under $20, much of it under $10. Beverages match that, with no wine above $18.
Check out Macchia's rough-draft menu below, although she's still working out the kinks:
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2009.