The shopping with our new friend “Kiki” from Lebanese Memes didn’t last long… hunger stroke at exactly noon o’clock… Of course we were with the “Lebanese Memes guy” and I think am gonna call him Chicho… Ok? Chicho…
Roadster Diner was on a lot of people’s minds, thoughts and walls lately, for alleged bad service, bad quality issues… not something we took seriously, as the world (and Lebanon in particular) is full of persons, needy and greedy for attention, that is to say the least… however, there is rarely smoke without fire and since the smoke lately was thickening we decided Roadster Diner was the way to go…
It was 12:30 and the place was almost empty… however we were not on a weekend and the whole shopping mall was nearly deserted… oh yes I forgot we were In City Mall Dora…
We were graciously greeted by a well-groomed waiter who guided us to our table… It didn’t take us long to order: first water… Then Buffalo Tenders extra spicy and French fries for Kiki, Grilled Chicken with four Cheese Pasta for Chicho and dear old Gaston had a Route 66 Burger…
- What would you like to drink with that? asked the waiter
- More water for all and a fresh Orange juice for me please, I replied
While the order was being prepared, and while Kiki and Chicho were deep in a business discussion, I took my time looking around: The overall cleanliness of the restaurant was commendable… the waiters apparently well trained and seasoned, their uniforms well ironed and clean… the tables were neat… however the sofa chairs used around them were a little low in height comparing to standard, that’s why we had chosen the booth…
The food came and the looks of it did not disappoint … neither the smell… quite the opposite really… the chicken tenders were glowing, dark red, glazy and dripping… their smell tell a story about the fire sauce wrapping each one of them, and how it promised you to wipe off your own drool…
The Taste was “a la hauteur” too… not the best ever, but one of the best… perfectly cooked, perfectly crispy… hot n spicy as promised… the only problem I see with them is when you start… u just can’t stop and drama hits when your basket is empty…
The fries were a surprise, golden… crispy… skin on… spot on… they have a taste of a hint of butter… which was delightful… a small thing… invisible, that gave glory to a simple dish of fries…
The Grilled chicken was great, Chicho loved it… the chicken had the perfect color and the perfect grilling shapes… you know those dark lines that tells you where the meat was grilled? Those lines… it just makes the chicken so much more appealing and desirable… the side salad was colorful and fresh, the pasta however was the story to tell… was it by skill? Was it by chance…? The pasta was Al Dente… “A La dent” in culinary terms, the pasta was “molto al dente”: slightly undercooked… or cooked to perfection… it had just the right consistency… and that… not many chef can achieve… so… skill? Chance? Only a second visit will confirm… the sauce and its aroma were also a delight…
As for the Route 66, well it was a gorgeous juicy burger, I fell in love with its colors, the bread bun used, the tomato slice, the green salad leaves, the mouthwatering grilled meat patty dressed and dripping with melted cheddar cheese… see I’m typing about it and I had to clean my keyboard like a kid without his “bavette”… Its smell drills through your nostrils and tickles the taste buds deep on your tongue’s surface… did it ever happen to you? That food smells so good you can taste it? All that made me forget to ask the waiter why it was called Route 66… no matter… next time… The first bite into that burger tells a long love story with my senses and the flavors that got mixed into my mouth…
my issue started with the second bite… it was like a promising date that started with a kiss and didn’t end up with a breakfast the next morning… the pickles were overwhelming and the chef was really generous on the mustard sauce… the combination of that overloaded my pallet and prevented me from experiencing what should have been an epic high in burger standards… a small thing… invisible… that made this time the show less agreeable… I didn’t want to mention the side salad… but you should know… it’s tasteless and shouldn’t be there…
Chicho, Kiki and I really enjoyed our time there, if you overlook the extra pickles and mustard…
The waiter, the supervisor and the restaurant manager checked on us many times to ensure all was good… we were really taken care of… no smoke was detected, even less fires… Keep it up Roadster Diner… just keep an eye on the small things…
Gaston a la Loupe
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