2nd & Second
3 out of 5 stars
201 Second Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Appetizers, sides & salads: $2-$9; breakfast: $3-$11; sandwiches: $6-$10; entrees: $11-$17. 727-388-1340; 2ndandsecond.com.
A million years ago, when I was in college, I worked the graveyard shift at Wag's in Clearwater. Remember Wag's? No? It was the low-rent version of Denny's, which is… well, that's saying something, now, isn't it?
Wag's had one redeeming quality: It was open 24 hours. Contrary to what you may think, it wasn't all drunks and the live cast from Rocky Horror Picture Show who stopped by at 2 a.m.. People who worked second shifts, vacationers getting into town or passing through, and insomniacs came through the door. Sadly (not really), Wag's closed 26 years ago, and if you want your beer and eggs fix at 3 a.m., good luck.
Food at 3 a.m. is really not a downtown St. Pete thing.
Until now. 2nd & Second, which owners Raphael Perrier, Renaud Cowez and chef Jeremy Duclut launched earlier this month, is bringing 3 a.m. eggs and beer back, and even though it's quite new I couldn't resist stopping in for an early review. Four of us went on a Thursday evening — early evening — and the place was busy. Not packed, but busy. Between us, we order the chicken gyro hoagie, three omelets, tuna au poivre and something called the Grand Combo. If you're counting, yes, that's five entrees and an appetizer for four people.
We're writers. We were hungry, and everything looked so tempting.
And, oh, sweet, 6-pound, five-ounce Baby Jesus, those meals of American favorites and fresh takes delivered. I've been back three times since then, and between my dining companion friends and I, we've sampled pancakes, eggs, hash browns (seven ways, but I tried two — so far), red velvet cake, coconut cream pie, burgers, sirloin caprese, Swiss steak, and the "1/2 and 1/2" — a sandwich that's part BLT, part grilled cheese.
This, of course, was all in the name of deciding whether or not I should tell you to go there.
So? Go there you must. We had complaints, but they were few: The broccoli rabe with our tuna au poivre — which was served medium without consulting us — might be flying too close to the sun. (Seriously, guys, it's OK — you don't have to do wilted veggies on purpose. You're a diner.) The 1/2 and 1/2 was… peculiar (more on that in a bit). And is there really no blue cheese dressing?
The biggest grumble anyone had was what's arguably a byproduct of eating at a new restaurant — inconsistency. Not in the taste or quality of the dishes, but some things aren't always the same from visit to visit. On one trip, my mom's request for jelly was fulfilled with a tiny, single-serve glass jar, and on the next, the jelly came out in the standard plastic, one-use tubs. Also, when we asked whether the 1/2 and 1/2 was one half grilled cheese and one half BLT — or BLT and grilled cheese stacked like a club — our server said the former, but cautioned, "At least, the last time I saw it come out of the kitchen it was." Guess what we received? A club-style sandwich with grilled cheese, a slice of bread, bacon, lettuce and tomato.
I hope the diner addresses its acoustics, too, which aren't ideal. When the place gets packed, and it has been a lot lately, there's nothing in the decor to absorb the sound. That's because 2nd & Second has a delightful diner vibe, with hammered metal accents and clean mid-century modern lines, but also goes classier with angular chandeliers (!) and wood fronts along the counter and bar. The seating — a mix of booths, tables and a small, smartly covered dog-friendly outdoor area — is classic, featuring vinyl booths adorned with witty paper placemats and stainless-steel napkin dispensers. However, given the choice between many of our restaurant standbys and this diner, I'll take 2nd & Second. Head chef Jonathan Warfield cooks up tasty food that's more than reasonably priced, and did I mention it's open 24 hours?
The standouts were the cheese steak omelet and the Grand Combo appetizer. Don't be put off by the description of the omelet, which says it comes with a Cheddar sauce — it's not smothered and it's fucking amazing. Seriously, I'm writing my review in the middle of the night, and I want to go get one right now — which, hey, I totally can. The Grand Combo is exceptional because it arrives with one naked cheese stick. If that sounds weird, it's because you're likely picturing the Sysco mozzarella sticks available at virtually every casual-dining chain restaurant — breaded, deep-fried and deliciously oiled. You know that's not how 2nd & Second rolls. The single cheese stick is grilled and huge (you can down a whole plate of 'em as well, and, good news for celiacs, they're gluten-free), qualities that're totally unconventional in the world of these popular spears.
While the Green Eggs and Ham omelet was tasty, it wasn't, alas, green. Brie made for nice addition, though I could've stood some more of it — but given that I add Trader Joe's garlic-stuffed Brie to mashed potatoes, I always think there's room for more Brie. It'd make the world a better place.
My buddy Lee had no problem putting down his hoagie. Lisa, who got the wilted broccoli rabe, made short work of her tuna. Jack, my paleo friend, had a delightful time with his Meat Aficionado omelet (and a local craft beer, because beer and eggs at night is one of life's greatest treasures). And no one complained about the extra omelet on the table.
Oh, and speaking of alcohol (the wine selection is fine; you're not going to find Whispering Angel here, but, honestly, do you need to?), the diner even serves the hard stuff. The Bloody Mary flight had us curious, and although a sweet-to-spicy range of tiny cocktails on the table sounded appealing, I'm not sure Three Olives Vodka added much to it, or that it's not more trouble — for the bartender — than it's worth. I'd rather have a regular Bloody with well vodka, but I'm positive the flight will be a smash with most people. On subsequent visits, my husband ordered the Perfect Manhattan on the rocks, which can be confusing for folks behind the bar who don't know what that means (half sweet vermouth, half dry in with the whiskey), but the 2nd & Second bartender made it, well, perfectly.
And just to circle back to those of us with special dining needs (I'm celiac, remember?), the diner gets it. Jack and I didn't have any trouble finding something to eat, as the menu's clearly marked with GF, V and heart-healthy options (I'm calling bullshit on the BLT + AE — that's avocado and egg, BTW — being heart healthy, however, because, um, bacon). When I asked about gluten-free dishes, I was pointed in the right direction, but then when I ordered, our server asked me which toast I wanted, which made me nervous. Nevertheless, the food delivered as promised — bread-free and tasty AF (the grits kick ass).
2nd & Second, in short, is a first-rate diner, albeit a bastardized one. It's less greasy and offers somewhat healthier fare than what we think of when we hear the word "diner." While it may be poking the beast to say this, the joint is leaps and bounds better than the much-missed St. Pete Diner and tastier than my favorite diner in New York, which shall remain anonymous because I can never remember the name. I foresee many days where I huddle up at 2nd & Second with a cup of coffee and a solid meal, and write for a while.
No matter what time of the day or night.
Thank you, 2nd & Second, for the damn-good diner that downtown St. Pete deserves.
