The Diner - Ganton Street, Soho – 7/10

I discovered The Diner a while ago, when I found myself drinking cocktails at the bar on a random night out. At the time I was impressed by the black and red 50’s decor and the ability of the cocktail waiter to make drinks off menu. That night was a blast, and it was the first time I had ever had a raw egg in a drink (Amaretto Sour). Surprisingly I wasn’t ill, and went on til the early hours.

I didn’t have any food on that occasion and so this Friday I returned with my friend to sample the delights of its American menu.

Again the room is deep and sumptuous in black and red, with booths lining the walls and proper swivel bar stools lining the counter. The waiters and waitresses are all dressed in line with the theme, but not in a cheesy TGI Friday’s way. They weren’t covered in “flair”. They look like they dress like that all the time. They look edgy. They look cool.

The menu is similar to any American style restaurant, with burgers, Mexican food, all day breakfasts, and of course, shakes. I’m on a new fitness regime in time for the summer holidays, so I went for a diet coke, but the shakes looked fabulous.

I went for the vegetable burrito, which was very generous and was stuffed full of chilli – no half measures here. The chilli wasn’t uniform throughout though, and at moments I wondered whether there was any in it, and at others thought my head was going to explode! There was a pond of sour cream and guacamole on the side with a dressed side salad. The salad was unnecessary, but the rest of the dish was perfect for lunch. I would recommend getting fries on the side if you want to make more of a meal of it.

My chum went for the classic cheeseburger, which was again, very generous in size. A large slice of gherkin and a good dollop of pickle made it look even more appealing.

I was really pleased with my second visit to The Diner, and this time sober. It’s nice to know that my drunken memories of the place were not coloured by the booze, but pretty accurate. It’s a cheap eat at £19 for two and is a great place to start an evening out. Get a burger and a cocktail and move onto the bars and clubs of Soho. I will definitely be back!