29 Diner

Yesterday I had the good fortune of taking my car to get looked at about a half a block from this neat looking old diner of the 1950s variety called the 29 Diner (Open 24 hours) on Lee Highway/Fairfax Blvd (it's around the corner from Bombay Bistro on Chain bridge). Since I hadn't eaten yet, I figured it was the perfect place to get breakfast.

Of course, as soon as I saw "Country ham" on the menu I knew what I was going to order! I didn't grow up with the stuff, but I can't resist a salty, chewy slab of ham. I ordered a plate with two eggs over-easy, home fries and rye toast. This particular piece reminded me of lap cheung (Chinese cured sausage). The other items were just normal (and the potatoes even a little underdone) but the atmosphere made it all worth it. It was a curious mix of modern and "vintage" (in quotes for fear of overuse), with tabletop jukeboxes (that played rap and 'The devil came down to Georgia') and a customer who sat ensconced in his own booth working on his laptop in the corner.

While I was up at the counter paying my bill, I started chatting with my waitress about where to catch the nearest bus (since I was stranded without a car). She sympathized with my car trouble, then pointed me down the road "It's over in front of the Denny's, unfortunately..." and then grimaced. I laughed, and she followed up with "Well, the stuff we serve here you can't get at Denny's."